Experiments 2tpon Gunpowder. 97 



of the explosion, and by that means communicate the 

 fire to other bodies at some considerable distance ; but 

 in this attempt I failed totally. I never could set dry 

 tow on fire at the distance of five yards from the muzzle 

 of my barrel. I repeatedly discharged large wads of 

 tow and paper, thoroughly soaked in the most inflamma- 

 ble fluids, such as alkoholy ethereal spirit of turpentine^ 

 balsam of sulphur^ &c., but none of them were ever set 

 on fire by the explosion. Sometimes I discharged three 

 or four spoonfuls of the inflammable fluid, by interpos- 

 ing a very thin wad of cork over the powder, and an- 

 other over the fluid, but still with no better success. 

 The fluid was projected against the wall as before, and 

 left a mark where it hit it, but it never could be made to 

 take fire ; so I gave up the attempt. 



