ON THE APPLICATION OF GUN-COTTON TO WARLIKE PURPOSES. 985 
port of Baron von Ebner, that it would be superfluous to go any further into 
this question—the lowest explosive temperature of the Hirtenberg gun-cotton 
being therein fixed at 136° C., a temperature which, practically, cannot raise 
any doubts against the use of gun-cotton.” 
(6) “ Experimental proofs demonstrate that Lenk’s Gun-cotton is not sponta- 
neously combustible.—The history of gun-cotton, as chronicled by chemists and 
artillerists, short though the history be, is so full of records of explosion under 
unexpected circumstances, that an unbiased mind can hardly fail to be 
impressed with the belief that, amongst the ordinary conditions of military 
practice, there may be some competent to induce the spontaneous combus- 
tion of this material. Nevertheless the experience of Baron Lenk, acquired 
during a period extending over more than ten years, is more pregnant with 
reliable testimony than can be found in the entire remaining history of this 
material. 
“The manufacture of gun-cotton in Hirtenberg consists of a number of 
perfectly harmless operations ; and it is remarkable that, contrary to what 
happens with gunpowder, if fire be not actually applied, explosion is impos- 
sible. All operations are so arranged that the material acted upon is in a 
moist or wet condition—hence not explosive. Drying takes place in a 
capacious building, on every side open to the air. “The last process of drying 
is carried out in the drying-chamber, where it is effected by a stove situated 
on the outside, distributing its heat to the building by earthenware pipes— 
drying being thus ensured through a gentle warmth. © The gun-cotton next 
goes either into a magazine to be packed away in chests, or is at once pre- 
pared for ammunition. In this magazine, Hirtenberg cotton has been stored 
for a period of twelve years, and not a single instance of explosion has taken 
place. How many powder-mills have exploded in that time? In Prussia, 
however, a drying-chamber has lately blown up. Your Excellency has 
officially been informed, that in Prussia they have worked for eight years 
with gun-cotton, and not a single explosion has occurred except the last- 
named. In the Prussian drying-chamber referred to, a stove with iron 
smoke-pipe was used—a sufficient explanation of the misfortune. : 
“ During twelve years we have prepared gun-cotton at Hirtenberg for 
ammunition—that is, for yarns, spun. ropes, and threads twisted and woven. 
One single case of explosion has occurred in the course of Baron Lenk’s manu- 
facture, the result of improper speed of working the spinning machinery. Now, 
the circumstance hardly need be insisted on, that gunpowder as well as gun- 
cotton can be exploded by friction. Gun-cotton has been used for military 
purposes now more than twelve years; it has also been employed for mining 
and blasting. It has been subjected to every variety of transport. Packed 
in black wooden chests, it has been exposed to sunshine for months together— 
all this without one single accident. In the face of such testimony, it cannot 
be said that gun-cotton manifests any tendency to explode spontaneously.” 
(7) “ Lieutenant von Karolyi’s analysis of the gases of combustion of Lenk’s 
gun-cotton, which he made in the Chemical Laboratory of the Engineers’ Corps 
Committee, may be seen in the ‘ Report of the Imperial Academy of Science,’ 
vol. xlvii. Mathematical and Physical Part, p. 59, and is given in the following 
_ Table, in which the gases of combustion of powder according to Bunsen (vide 
_ Poggendorff, 4th series, vol. xii. p. 181) are cited in comparison with those 
_ of gun-cotton. 
p2 
