ADDRESS. XCIX 



instrument far more powerful than any that has hitherto been applied to 

 them — results -which will at the same time add to our existing knowledge 

 and redound to the honour of tho Colony, by whose liberality this long- 

 cherished object has at last been effected. 



As I have mentioned an application to the Government on the part of 

 the Association which was not successful, it is but right to say that such is 

 not generally the result ; I wiU refer to one instance. At the Cambridge 

 Meeting of the Association in 1862, a Committee, consisting of representa- 

 tives of the Mechanical and Chemical Sections, was appointed for the pur- 

 pose of investigating the application of gun-cotton to warlike purposes. At 

 the Newcastle Meeting, in the following year, this Committee presented 

 their Report. It was felt that a complete study of the subject demanded 

 appliances which could be obtained only from our military resources, and 

 at the Newcastle Meeting a resolution was passed recommending the ap- 

 pointment of a Royal Commission. This recommendation was adopted, and 

 in 186-1 a Commision was appointed, which was requested to report on the 

 application of gun-cotton to Civil as well as to Naval and Military purposes. 

 The Committee gave in their report last year, and that report, together with 

 a more recent return relative to the application of gun-cotton to mining and 

 quarrying operations, has just been printed for the House of Commons. 



A substance of such comparatively recent introduction cannot be fairly 

 compared with an explosive in the use of which we have the experience 

 of centuries. Yet, even with oiu* present experience, there are some pur- 

 poses for which gun-cotton can advantageously replace gunpowder, while 

 its manufacture and storage can be effected with comparative safety, since it 

 is in a wet state diiring the process of manufacture, and is not at all injured 

 by being kept permanently in water, but merely reqxiires to be dried for use. 

 Even shoidd it be required to store it in the dry state, it is doubtfid. whether, 

 with the precautions indicated by the chemical investigations of Mr. Abel, 

 any greater risk is incurred than in the case of gunpowder. In the blasting 

 of hard rocks it is found to be" highly efficient, while the remarkable results 

 recently obtained by Mr. Abel leave no doubt of its value for explosions such 

 as are frequently required in warfare. General Hay speaks highly of the 

 promise of its value for smaU arms ; but many more experiments are re- 

 quired, especially as a change in the arm and mode of ignition require a 

 change in the construction of the cartridge. In heavy ordnance, the due 

 control of the rapidity of combustion of the substance is a matter of greater 

 difficulty ; and, though considerable progress has been made, much remains 

 to be done before the three conditions of safety to the gun, high velocity of 

 projection, and uniformity of result, are satisfactorily combined. 



By the kindness of Dr. Carpenter, I am enabled to mention to you the 

 latest results obtained in an expedition which coiild not have been under- 

 taken without the aid of Government, an aid which was freely given. Last 

 year Dr. Carpenter and Professor Wyville Thomson represented to the Pre- 

 sident and Council of the Royal Society the great importance to Zoology 

 and Palaeontology of obtaining soundings from great depths in the ocean, 

 and suggested to them to use their influence with the Admiralty to induce 

 them to place a gun-boat, or other suitable vessel, at the disposal of those 

 gentlemen and any other naturalists who might be willing to accompany 

 them for the purpose of carrying on a systematic course of deep-sea dredg- 

 ing for a month or six weeks. This application was forwarded to the Ad- 

 miralty with the warm support of the President and Council, and was readily 

 acceded to. The operations were a good deal impeded by roiagh weather, 



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