92 Experiments upon Gunpowder. 



The specific gravity of gunpowder, as determined 

 from these experiments, is as follows : 



Specific gravity of rain water i.ooo 



Government powder as it lies in a heap mixed with air . 0.836 



Government powder well shaken together 0.937 



The solid substance of the powder 1.745 



Hence it appears that a cubic inch of government 

 powder shaken well together weighs just 243 grains ; 

 that a cubic inch of solid powder would weigh 422 

 grains ; and consequently, that the interstices between 

 the particles of the powder, as it is grained for use, are 

 nearly as great as the spaces which those particles occupy. 



MISCELLANEOUS EXPERIMENTS. 



Of some unsuccessful Attempts to increase the Force of 

 Gunpowder. 



IT has been supposed by many, that the force of steam 

 is even greater than that of gunpowder ; and that if a 

 quantity of water, confined in the chamber of a gun, 

 could at once be rarefied into steam, it would impel a 

 bullet with prodigious velocity. Several attempts have 

 been made to shoot bullets in this manner ; but I know 

 of none that have succeeded ; at least so far as to render 

 it probable that water can ever be substituted in the room 

 of gunpowder, for military purposes, as some have im- 

 agined. 



The great difficulty that attends making these experi- 

 ments lies in finding out a method by which the water 

 can at once be rarefied and converted into elastic steam ; 

 and it occurred to me that possibly that might be effect- 



