GUNPOWDER. 193 



burn so well, nor so clear; while the pan, instead of receiving 

 the gold-coloured tinge from the explosion, will become 4bul, 

 and exhibit strong marks of imperfect combustion. In 'hot or 



derived nothing very satisfactory from my attempts with percussion 

 powder, which not only deposited a very great quantity of residuum, 

 but appeared to operate in a way altogether different from gunpowder. 

 The ignition of the quantity of percussion powder, with which I filled 

 the tryer, produced a kind of liquid fire, which issuing backwards 

 through the touch- hole, in considerable quantities, and emitting sparks, 

 as it were, of the same fluid, repeatedly burnt my hand. I could not 

 ascertain the strength of the percussion powder, so much more, com- 

 paratively, of the fire uniformly re-issuing from the touch-hole, than 

 what is found to be the rase with gunpowder. It is true, it generally 

 moved the wheel of the tryer (though not always), but never drove it 

 nearly so far as the ex plosion of gunpowder uniformly effected. Nor 

 decs the detonation appear either so loud, or so instantaneous. I fired 

 two ounces of percussion powder in the open air, by kindling it with a 

 red hot poker, and the result followed which I have just mentioned, 

 viz. the explosion was neither so loud nor so quick as gunpowder ; while 

 the board upon which it was laid, was much burnt, and a great quantity 

 of feculent matter deposited. If a thimble full of percussion powder 

 be ignited upon a plate, the combustion will break the plate ; the same 

 quantity of gunpowder kindled upon a plate, will explode more rapidly, 

 and without breaking the plate. 



Finally, from the result of my experiments, I felt a perfect convic- 

 tion, that percussion powder (at least in its present state), however 

 admirably it may act as a priming, is by no means calculated for the 

 charge ; unless, indeed, the explosion can be rendered much quicker, 

 as well as the combustion much cleaner. Should any of you*, readers 

 be disposed to try experiments upon this subtle composition, I would 

 strongly advise them to be very cautious in their proceedings. 



N.B. Percussion powder will ignite when brought in contact with 

 highly-concentrated sulphuric acid : I have tried the experiment many 

 times. If the head of a pin be dipped in highly -concentrated sulphu- 

 ric acid, and applied to the priming in a copper cap, it will ignite im- 

 mediately, but not so instantaneously as when struck with a hammer, 

 nor will the combustion be so complete." Annals of Sporting, volt II. 



B 



