﻿Br. L. Bleekrode on a curious Property of Gun-cotton. 39 

 Table II. — Soda. 



Acid. 



Andrews, 

 1841. 



Favre and 

 Silbermann. 



Andrews, 

 1870. 



Thomsen. 



Sulphuric 



16483 

 14288 

 14926 

 14796 

 14046 

 13135 



15810 

 15283 

 15128 

 13752 

 13600 

 13651 



16580 

 14480 

 14744 

 15032 

 14000 

 13400 



15689 

 13617 

 13740 



Nitric 



Hydrochloric 



Oxalic 



Acetic 



Tartaric 





Table III. — Ammonia. 



Acid. 



Andrews, 

 1841. 



Favre and 

 Silbermann. 



Andrews, 

 1870. 



Sulphuric 



14135 

 12440 

 12440 

 12684 

 12195 

 11400 



14690 

 13676 

 13536 



12649 



14710 

 12683 

 12964 

 13088 

 12316 

 11744 



Nitric 



Hydrochloric 



Oxalic 



Acetic 



Tartaric 





VI. On a curious Property of Gun-cotton. 

 By Dr. L. Bleekrode*. 



V17"HILST engaged in some experiments wherein I tried to 

 ignite gun-cotton with the electric spark, I thought to 

 facilitate its explosion by wetting it with a highly inflam- 

 mable liquid, as, for example, the bisulphide of carbon [CS 2 ]. 

 But it was only this latter substance that was immediately set 

 on fire by the spark — while the guu-cotton did not explode, but 

 remained apparently intact amidst the burning bisulphide, pre- 

 senting almost the aspect of a mass of snow slowly melting away. 



This experiment may be easily repeated by moistening gun- 

 cotton with bisulphide of carbon, ether, benzine, or alcohol, 

 and igniting it afterwards with some flame or other ; all these 

 liquids yield the same results; and it is without danger, even if 

 great quantities are used. 



This effect is not due to the presence of water, as is proved 

 by the fact that benzine or the bisulphide of carbon, which may 

 be easily had without any trace of water, act in the same manner 

 as ether or alcohol; but the explanation of this singular beha- 

 viour of so eminent an explosive substance as gun-cotton belongs 

 to the very interesting researches of Professor Abel " On the 

 Combustion of Gun-cotton and Gunpowder "t, from which I 



* Communicated by the Author. 



f Proceedings of the Royal Society, 1863-64, vol. xiii. p. 214. 



