156 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



the powder made from oxymuriate of potash, sulphur, and charcoal, 

 observes, that it is made by adding together twelve parts of sulphur, 

 ten of charcoal, and one hundred of the oxymuriate, and then proceeds 

 to give the result of his experiments. My object at present is, not to 

 treat of the best mode of preparing the different fulminating powders, 

 but rather to correct the false statements which are made respecting 

 the utility of the different kinds. I will observe, however, that from 

 long experience, I can aver that the proportions above given are not 

 such as will produce the strongest powder from these materials. 



It is perfectly clear to me, that at the time the Lieutenant wrote, the 

 subject was new to him, and, indeed, he speaks of the recent use of 

 the copper caps in Germany. I have been in the habit of using cop- 

 per caps for at least thirteen years, and for the last seven years have 

 manufactured and sold them, at the rate of two millions annually. 

 After speaking of various contrivances, he says, " Besides these, 

 other devices have been used for the purpose of igniting this kind of 

 powder, yet they have all their defects, and offer so many difficulties 

 in practice, as to have prevented their general introduction." It 

 would then appear that we are, in this respect, much in advance of 

 Germany, as we have had the prepared caps in almost universal use, 

 for many years, and have never met with the difficulties complained 

 of j this may have arisen, in a great degree, from our having fewerpre- 

 judices to contend with than the inhabitants of that country. 



Lieut. Schmidt alludes to the observations of Mr. Wright, of 

 London, on the use of fulminating mercury, mentions his mode of 

 filling the caps with this material, by means of an ivory rod, to which 

 he objects as being both laborious and dangerous ; he then recom- 

 mends a plan of his own, as being much more safe and expeditious. 

 Although this may be a subject of serious discussion between Eng- 

 land and Germany, it must here create a smile only. The Lieutenant 

 speaks of filling several thousands in a week ; by means of an appa- 

 ratus which I have invented, and long had in use, a little girl fills 

 several thousand in the course of a few hours, every morning. In 

 about four seconds, 500 of the caps are collected together and arranged 

 for filling, and in about the same time an equal quantity of the pow- 

 der is deposited In each ; it is then, with great rapidity, secured by a 

 cement which renders it impervious to water. 



It is said that difficulties have been experienced in England, in 

 igniting gunpowder, by the fulminating mercury, and it appears that 

 the labours of the German professors upon this subject, have resulted 

 in their drawing conclusions altogether erroneous respecting the 

 kind of fulminating powder which should be used in fire-arms. 

 Fulminating silver may be considered as out of the question, on 

 account of its price, and need not, therefore, be further noticed. With 

 respect to that prepared with the oxymuriate, its destructive effects 

 are such as to forbid its use entirely. It soon rusts the lock, pene- 

 trates the pores of the iron, rendering it carious, and, consequently, 

 liable to burst. We have long since abandoned the use of it altogether, 

 and are not likely to resume it, in deference either to English or 

 German opinions. 



It 



