50 Report of the Chemical Examiner to Government. 



corrosive effects upon the nipple of the percussion muskets, ren- 

 dering them liable to become speedily useless on active service, were 

 exhibited, I stated the superiority of the fulminate of mercury, and 

 the reasons for which I should recommend its substitution, which 

 were embodied in a report of the Select Committee to the Military 

 Board, of which there is no copy in my records. 



3. By order of the Governor General, and on account of the supply 

 of percussion caps for the China expedition being exhausted, a quantity 

 of fulminating mercury was prepared in the chemical laboratory by the 

 Assistant to the Professor of Chemistry, at great risk to his life and 

 health; the latter of which suffered so severely, as to arrest the 

 further preparation of the substance, after some pounds had been 

 furnished, sufficient to fill many thousand caps. 



4. Pursuant to instructions from Government, conveyed through 

 the Medical Board, I was directed to put myself in communication with 

 Captain Goodwyn of the Engineers, and to report upon the safest and 

 best mode of manufacturing fulminating mercury, which report is 

 contained in the second part of this paper. . 



5. The Brigadier Commandant of Artillery, having reported to the 

 Military Board the great destruction of fusee, bamboos, cartridges, 

 canvass bags, &c, proposed, that Ryan's patent to prevent dry rot 

 should be employed to arrest the destruction, and requested informa- 

 tion as to the best method of preparing, and supplying the Kyanizing 

 liquid, upon which a chemical report was furnished. 



6. In addition to the above, a series of experiments were perform- 

 ed at the request of Captain A. H. E. Boileau, of the Bengal Engineers, 

 upon the best means of rendering powder-bags incombustible, with a 

 view to lessen the risk, attendant upon storing powder in the Arsenals. 

 A private report was forwarded to Captain Boileau, for the informa- 

 tion of Major Smith, of the Engineers. 



Section III. 

 Analyses performed for the Salt Department. 

 Two hundred and twenty-two specimens of contraband Salt and Salt- 

 petre, forwarded by the Superintendent of the Salt Chokies, 24-Pergun- 

 nahs, and the Magistrate of Allygurh, were at various times examined 

 and reported on. These analyses are troublesome and tedious, but at 



