56 War Science.'* [January, 



Captain von Lenk. A committee was appointed to work 

 out the question, among whom was Professor Abel, who 

 subsequently made a thoroughly exhaustive study of the 

 subject ; and the interesting discoveries made therewith in 

 the Chemical Department during a period extending over 

 seven years, testify to the skill and ability with which the 

 matter was handled. We have not here opportunity of 

 doing justice to these improvements, which appear so full 

 of value and promise, and must content ourselves, therefore, 

 with merely making this casual mention thereof. For field 

 engineering purposes, for demolishing stockades, for mines, 

 for blasting operations, and especially for torpedoes, the new 

 explosive will be simply invaluable, the destructive effect of 

 gun-cotton being almost without parallel when ignited, or 

 rather detonated, by means of a charge of fulminating 

 powder; while, in other respects, it is, when dry, not more 

 dangerous to store or manipulate than gunpowder, and when 

 wet or damp, not only non-explosive, but actually uninflam- 

 mable, although subsequent drying will restore to it all its 

 valuable qualities intact. The use of gun-cotton, then, 

 whether for military or industrial purposes, is in great 

 measure due to the labours of the scientific staff attached to 

 the War Department, and adds one more weighty proof, were 

 any additional evidence required, of the intrinsic value of 

 scientific aid in military establishments. 



But we must hasten on. Further mention of the duties 

 which come within the scope of the Chemical Department 

 need not be mentioned, as the reader will by this time have 

 formed some idea of their very extended and multifarious 

 character. As demands for assistance arise, so it is afforded 

 to almost every branch of the service, and, perhaps, in 

 bringing to a close our imperfect sketch of the applications 

 of science in this direction, we cannot do better than 

 describe briefly the principles of a system of electric torpedo 

 defence which has, in truth, only been decided upon within 

 the last month or so. 



This particular mode of warfare is certainly one of which 

 the value is now placed beyond all doubt, for, when we 

 remember that in the case of the present German war, a 

 hostile fleet of the most formidable character, consisting of 

 some twenty iron-clads and rams, of exceedingly modern 

 construction, has been completely paralysed, or at any rate 

 rendered harmless by the presence of a well-organised 

 defensive system of this kind, it is really difficult to over- 

 rate the importance of such protections. Of course the 

 employment of submarine mines by the Germans in this 



