184 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[OCTOBEE 7, ISSU 



over the ordinary boat. In Mm inal.i.w of speed it is deficient, 

 but for real solid com fort al'lir I lie llyhi!i'4i;rouudsaror«aclied 

 the properly construcled raft luarfi off the palm, aud more 

 than repaj's the extra tiuio and power required to move Tier. 

 The angler can walk about without hoUvj; oblii^rtl to say, 

 '•Now, Jack, be careful and lean over a little while 1 gel by 

 yon. All right now." 

 There- is lots of elbow-room aud no " lifu-d-a-luc"iug. 



JflLLAUD. 



THE DETONATION OF •' DITTMAR 

 SPORTING POVv^DER." 



I'sirED States Oieccit Covar.—M'W Tork, Tel). 10, 1830.— Be- 

 fore John A. Shields, TTiiitod Stntcs ComiiiiHrniinia- Southurn Dinti-ict 

 of New Yorlc. .Deposition of (Jurl Dittn.ii.', ol' liiof^li.-nutcii, N. Y., 

 Who, being first duly swuni, deport.is and .4utcH ui auHwoi' to Cross- 

 Question 830 : 



" My gunpowder, wlten I first watte % had tlui same iendeiwy «s 

 nitro-ghjcn-inp potriler. It bm-st most all the guns at first, wlten I 

 iKtjaii . ' ' "'.It was .max the same as if i woui-d xfse hi- 

 tBo-. I lit. J have U now 3o that it is tamed down, 



aitd .u i><irc rjitUS." 



THE affirmations quoted above wei'einade under oath. 

 They were not otigiiudli' intended for publication in 



the FoKEST ASD Stream, but we have alreaely printed them 

 twice, though without (lie llernli^-i.>n of the author, and we 

 venture to tax the reader'.-, patience with another repetition of 

 them. In this sworn statement the manufacturer of the ni- 

 tro-cellulose explosive compound, styled " Dittmar Sportiutr 

 Powder," conlirms our own views of that | . i' i i i " ihe 



fact that wo accepted the fir><t three ot the-, i , i„\ 



did not accept the last one, is a good and --uii i n i i ua- 

 tion of our discarding the hitherto pre.'icrilied and approved 

 shotgun tests in our e.vperiuicuts with tlie explosive. Those 

 who m.ay ha.ve followed us throus^di oiu ■study of the powder 

 to this point, will readily a^rree that .'iui li e\|>i riments could 

 never have ended in au^ tliin:^; uiMnMlicisive than the unsiitis- 

 factory, contradictory aud valuele.'<s results of live years of 

 Bliotgutt tests. Those experiments have also been disas- 

 trous. Had this frank avowal of the true nature 

 of the " J Jittmar Sporting- Powdei " 111 en made in l.xr.-i, the 

 sportsmen of America noLdd liav.' )>ei n -paic li theloss ,it ^onie 

 thou.sands of dollars worth of iruu--. and. ne rn.in .a I lea.st would 

 have been prevented from niainung him.«ie]f tor life. 



There was never a product put upon the maiket more pro- 

 lific of debate than that explosive compuuud \\ hii h i.s grained 

 like black powder aud has the color of nitro-glyeerine. The 

 discussion was not provoked by the legitimate diirervnee of 



opinion attaching to an agent w'le 'i ,1-..! 1 iiilamnui- 



foim iiud easily determineil elfe< I - ii iiiiuj-lnri 



was that no two disputautf could .i_ i ii 'mI llie artlnu 



of the " Dittmar Spurting Pow der " i eal jy wm-^. The tact was, 

 and is, that that compound being a nitro-eellulose jiroductmay 

 explode by simple combustion or b}- detonation, and between 

 these two extreme.-- in a wide vmiety of modes and with a 

 baffling variety ot etTeelM. 



To attempt to determine the exjilosive nature of (lie powder 

 by e:ip"riuieutin!r with it in a '-Itot-jua is the sheerest folly, 

 although, owing to the ^trenii.in^ tiuil successful misrepresen- 

 tations of the powder, that tolly ha.-, only now become manl- 

 iest. We have attained ci>i-taiu residts in the course </f our 

 tests of this powder. A\lii<h, when considered in the light ot 

 ourtheoreli. il n ] I -la iiro.lnet, aie more .s.ilisttietory aud 

 conclusive ili. ,i np, y n , ul sliol-guu tri.iU. \\ < -howed 

 last week how succe-.suilly the manufacturer had expLaiued 

 away the unfavorable results ol shut-gtm trialh. A^'e ventuii 

 the remark that the Foee.st a.xd brp.E.VM's tests c.anm.t be ^,tl 

 readily evaded. 



ANVIL ESl'EBIMEKTS. 



Our first experiments were with an anvil. They were sug- 

 gested by thi' foUowing .stalement.s : 



"If my ptmdex l^ put eai nn anMl ii nd struck with a hummer it 

 doos not eiploda."— Letter of Carl Dit1;mai- w Fobeht aud Stbeam, 

 March 16, 1876. 



"It cannot be exploded by eoncuuaiou." — CU'cular ol Dittmar 

 Powder Company (No. 2). 



"■ It can JK rrr ho exi.lodt d by r/ni/ concussion or friction."— Cir- 

 eular ot itiltuuir Pun-der iMauulaetiuing Company (No. 2). 



Kow, ovidemly, the simplest way to test the truth of these 

 statements was by trying win iher or not wc coiUd explode the 

 powder ou an anvil wuh a h.mnuer. We tried it. 



1. A pinch of the powder ■' FFP," sent to us l)y Dr. S. P. 

 Nash, was placed on an anvil and sti-uck wth a light hammer. 

 It exploded. 



Z. Same experiment repealed with "B" bratid, "C" 

 •Tbrand and "FPP" brand, which had been received by us in 

 sealed cans from the Dittmar Powder Manufacturing Com- 

 pany (i\o. 2). Eesultin each ca.se the same as in experiment 1. 

 These tests are so simple that any one can repeat them. The 

 face of a flat-iron ma}- be sjl-istinitcd for the anvil. 



8. A pinch of •• r ' liano v.:(;-, silaeed on the anvil aud agim 

 wad placed over it. i.'iion llii;; wtts held a light hammer, 

 which was then struck with a lietivier hammer. This experi- 

 ment w.as repeated several times, and each time I he jiowder 

 exploded. lu repeated trials with bltick powder i'Eagle ^SIo. 

 3) it was found that the black pow^ier would ignite after the 

 Mowa Lad been repeated long enough to make the ha m mer 

 cut through the wad and come into contact with the face of 

 the anvil. 



4.. Same osperiment, wilU leather pad over powaw. The 



Dittmar easily exploded every time. The black cotdd be ig- 

 nited only after repeated atid heavy blows. | 

 AVe liad now obtained sufficient proof to Kvtiafy ourselvea ] 

 that the "Dittmar Sporting Powder" can bo, under certain I 

 condition.?, exploded by " concussion or friction." A more in- i 

 tercsling test was then made with the powder in the pressure 

 gauge. 



5. In a paper shell, of wMch the cap Jiad first been ex- 

 ploded, we placed 8 J drs. of tliC "B" brand and placed a 

 wad over it. Upon this wad rested a short iron bar, the 

 otlu'r end of which was capped with a cylinder of lead. This 

 wa.« pliiced in the in-essu"re giuige with the end of the steel jnn 

 ofthegaiej:e resting upon the lead cylintler. A charge of 

 povvder wiis then exploded in the ga\ige, the effect of which 

 was to force the iron har by a shtn'p concassioii down upon 

 th&wad and charge of Ditttiiar powdei-. Tlie latter ex- 

 ploded. 



6. The same test was repeated with 3^ dr.s. "C" brand, 

 and with a like residt. 



7. Repetition of 6 with sanie result. 



8. A thorough test ot black powder (Eagle No. 3j was then 

 made, but the powder did not ex])lode, although a blow was 

 struck snfflcicnt to rednce the grains to ilust. This du.st, 

 when ignited afterwwd, bm-ned with a sutlden fiash. 



AlORTAK EXl'EraMENTs. 



The mortar used wa.s a hea^y cylindrical block of castinm, 



slrem;lliene.l ]>} n 

 aud ))olted al an 

 sunken in th.' eti 

 the bottom of the 

 leavijig the leng-lli 

 " The i-hot, also 



\e wrought iron bands slumnlv upon it, 



le ot 4:0 deg. to a tindicr foundation 



The bore was 4 in. in diameter. Into 



inber was sunk a steel disk, 3 in. thick. 



(it h( 



■luipe, fittiui; tlip bore wltii 

 Lrieat e\aetness, w a-- T in Ion-, and wei;rlied iribs. At the 

 ccntri- ot the lowi-r end of the shot was a shallow cavitj' for 

 the charge. In the centre of this cavity was a recess into 

 which the exploder fitted in such a manner as to leave the 

 fidminate of the cap in the powder chamber. From the cen- 

 tre of the shot to the outer end was a snndl hole forthe pas.^age 

 ot the electric wires, which are connei-led with a sjiark gener- 

 ator. In place of the wires a safety fuse may lie substituted. 

 The method of fliim; the mortar is as follows: Tlie disconnect- 

 ed wires are first introduced into the ]ieicussion cap, and ptisscd 



■ough the .shot, the cap being litteil 

 lien jilacedinthe powder chamber, ;ind k 

 a- it a thin sheet of paper, cari'beius tak^ 



plae 



face of tlie shot 

 by the thick 

 The shot Ik 

 ch.arne fired 1 y . 1. 

 This mort.u N .s. 



po-dion of that V 

 into the .same hole 



vhen 



1 the 



irttir 



■f the pajier from the steel fa 



ThHjiowder 

 ■ed by pasting 

 . that the Mir- 

 le raised even 

 (■ of the bore. 



■e, tlie wires are connected and the 



emtde, as i*hown by repeated tests, that 

 of the .same powder — provided the com- 

 der be rmiform — it will throw the sliot 

 lin and aarain. It is evident that it should 



do this, for the cimditicnis of the mortar iiseif are the same in 



each lest. Ditfeient metli 

 ployed ; fuse, medium jieii 

 cap ; and in tins w.i', lie eo 

 The decree of different I in 

 alfhoii'ether upon llie i leo i 

 ThuManitro-irlveeioa p 



.d firi 



Jiife, fired 

 shot out 

 ip, it thr 



iwer, be em- 

 1 iiercussion 

 1^ l.ev.nied. 

 I V dl depend 

 inplo3'ed. 

 n e have seen 

 .' ignition, f}r 

 :mnd that a 

 with a fuse, 



:.f tin 



■a]i 



mortar, 

 .shot 2-M 

 \;is used, 

 as here a 

 ami that 

 n .if the 



.outlf.hk. 

 mo>, aecordiin: to tin . oudilam-., ) m 

 it tnay ditonate. Tesiul in the m 

 char'ii' ol two jiennyweiulUs of dyna 

 simply burned and ilid not throw- the 

 Exploded by nii'tuis ol a periaission e, 

 feet. Again, the .same eharn-e. ulien a stioni^i-i 

 threw the ball 241 b-el. It was ele.n tli.al there v 

 ladical dillerencein the natur. s of the two actions 

 etich of these natures was developed In the eoniUti 

 cxplo.sion. 



151ack gunpowder, we have also seen, when exploded under 

 difi'ereni conditions, manifests at all times cssenlially the same 

 expUwive nature. Testediotln mortar, wi found llial tourpen- 

 nyweighfsof black ptiwiha- (E.itrle ,\o. :',<, find with a tuse. 

 threw the shot l-l(i fi ei Fin d witli a on dinm iiercussiou cap 

 it thn v\ the sJiot Id'.' 1m I, ni.: -, o]i tin s| ion. ^ir cap 393 feet. 

 Here Ihue was inandi -ll,\ (ail_\ more oi It ss complete actions 

 of the siime nature. 



PLn'ing determined these facte, it is evident that the mortar 

 test is a most excellent one to determine the true nature of 

 vtu-ious explo.sive compoun ' I 'i d, iiccording as the 



manifestations of fliiar i -]>1 i 's when tested with 



fuse aud cap. approximate tl., ,i. 1I..0 . , odro-irlycerine. or of 

 common black penvder, the compounds themsehes oughtto 

 be classed with the one or the other. If a powder acts in 

 the mortar essentially like gunpowder, it belonu's wi(h gun- 

 powder; if it acts like dynamile.it In lonus v. ith dynamite. 



The powder used in the nna-tar experimi nts was the '• C " 

 brand. The tests were made to determiue, first, the uniform- 

 ity of the pow iler ; st eond, I he different manifestations of its 

 detonating nature. The mortar was in each case charged 

 ■with t^\ CI pennyweights of the powder, and the greatest care 

 exorci.si'd to secure perfect uniformity Of conditions for each 

 exiOosion. 



1. Fired with a fuse. The shot was thrown in repeated trials : 

 1211.; 12ft. 6iu.;6It.t 2ft.; 5ft.; 8ft 6jn.; 6ft.8ki.j Sft.iin. Minimum, 

 att.; miiximtua, 12ft..; average, 7ft. 7>«m. 



2. Fired with a i)ercn8sion cap, medium strength. The shot ivas 

 thrown 'in repeated trials; 1-tft; 17ft.; 7ft. 6in.; 9ft.j Giu. ivrini. 

 nuini, Gin.; marimnm, 17ft.; average, 9ft. 7 l-5iii. 



8. I'ucd with eti-dug porousaion cap. The shot was tbrown in re- 

 peated triaii! 126ft. i 87ft. Jin.; llWt, 8iu.i IWtt.; lOWt; 146ft.; 



169ft. Minumim, 87ft.; nmxhnum, 169ft.; average 138ft. 11 5 Tin. 



Uonsidering first the imiformity o' no residts, or more 

 strictly speidung, the lack of unifprmitj', wc find notable 

 variations in the results gained in eacliwt of tests. Fired with 

 a fuse the distances which measmo the ballistic force range 

 from 2 ft. to 12 ft. in., (or iisl to C|.), a range which is fai' 

 exceeded when we conic to tbe (rials with a medium slrengtli 

 percussion cap. Here the variation is from 6 in. to 17 ft. (or 

 as 1 to 34), a dift'erence sufflcient at all events to give some 

 explanation why those who have shot this compoimd in a gun 

 have made so perplexingly different reports of its action. 

 These difl:'ercnt results are best explained by the theory that in 

 the second series of tests, the pfiwderniadc only a parfial man- 

 ifestatious of its detonating nature. 



In the third series, Iiy the use of a strongerg-ade of Ciijis, this 

 detonation was made each time more complete, and wc find a 

 less startling dill'erence of distance. Here the variation was 

 from 81 ft. 4 in., to 169 ft. Ilence, it would appear that to 

 secure the most uniform resultswith "Dill mar .'^porting Pow- 

 der," it must be exploded mider conditiims which will insure 

 its detonation. Those are not tlie conditions under which the 

 aver:e_T nitm cares lo discharge his gun from the .shoulder. 



Auaui. eomiiarin;,' the results of these three tests with the 

 results obtamed by the same tests with dynamite and black 

 gunpowder, we have : 



Dynamfle 



Inttmar 



Uliiek- 



— 230 



From this it appears that tlie " Dittmar Sporting Powder,'" 

 in respect to the dilference of its explosion under differenl 

 conditions, bears a (doser analogy to dynamite tlian to black 

 gunpowder. Were its (diaraefer to be inferred from these 

 tests, we sliindd be compelled to pkice it amongthe cxphisive.s 

 which may be detoiuncd, (Ud w<' not know already that it be- 

 longed just there and nowdiere else. 



Till' fin'ures acquired by our mortar experiments arc .tugges- 

 tivc It we were ignorant of the composition of the powder, 

 and ot its (|ualities aa determined by cliemislry. these figures 

 would be iminltlliii-ble, KeepiiM i'leail\ belore us th.' con- 

 ditions tdready ex].lained. under wliich e\iilosiVes ot ;i two- 

 fold nature may be exploded, by simple combustion or by 

 detonation, we may satisf.actorily account for each shot fired 

 from the m<irtar. The charge at one time simply hurneil, al 

 another it detonated, in others it partially burned and partially 

 detcmatcd. 



The "Dittmar Sporting; Powder," the manufacturer elauus.. 

 is twice as strong bj wciirht us black powder. If by tliat it 

 is meant that the powder, exploded under similar conditions,, 

 has greater ballistic f.uce. the claim is manifestly uiif. .untied. 



But just here il must be lememb.a-. d th.d d. loiaitnin- ex- 

 plosives arc not properly projectile tigenls. The mo; tar ex- 

 periments, which measure only the jnojectile work accom- 

 plished, are no true tests of the relative strength of 

 such widely diverse explosives as black trunpowder and 

 "Dittmar Sporting Powder." One is in its .aetiira gnidiial 

 and ballistic; the other may be insltmtaiieous and .shattering. 



Tlic chart;e of black jiowder employed was tour pcnny- 

 weiirbts. that bein- etiuivalent. aceortlinir lo Ihe'st.itemenI al- 

 ready referied to, to two pemn weights td' the Dittuiat nilro- 

 ctdlulose. But the latter, when given its greatest power, 

 failed to throw the .shot as far tis the bkick powder tlircw it 

 under like conditions. If the Dittmar jiowder is twice as 

 strong as the bkiek. ^slierc did tiil this strengfli expend itself? 

 Tlie answer is iilain. Tins liigbcst |)ossible explosion of 

 "Ditlm.u ^iiortin;; Powder" is by detonation. In detnua- 

 liiai the foiee ol I he explosion i,e\(rn(i instantaneously and 

 ine\er\ dm < I ton .ilike , im tune 1- allo\\ed for it to concen- 

 tiate itself in the line of the letist resistance. In this mortar- 

 exiieriment onl} a part of the force was Indlistic orprojoctiJjT.: 

 the rest was e\erted again.st the .sides of the confining cteam- 

 ber. The morlar had been constructcil to withstania/ just 

 such a trial, and the shallering force, which would have de- 

 stroyed an ordiiuu'y fireai'm, was expended in heating up the 

 si ilid mortar. If, instead Of firing tliat charge willi an electric 

 s]>ark and from a lieavy mortar, we had fired it from a gun 

 held to the shoulder, aud with om- finger to the trigger, il la 

 extremely questionable whether we wouhi now be writing 

 about the detonation of the "Diltmai Spurting Powder," or, 

 for that matter, about anything. 



Habits op Salmos. — A step in advance toward a correct 

 knowledge of the life history of our salmon has been made by 

 the Fish Commi.ssion of Maine, it having been decided ti) 

 label all the breeding fish in the hatching works at Bticksport 

 uith tags of platinum and then to liberate them and to con- 

 tinue this operation fur a sneeession ot ye.irs in the hope of 

 obtaining more light upon ci il.iin \e.\e<l inu'siionssuchus the 

 subject of biennial spawuiiitr Me. The similar ex|ieriments 

 which have been made in thi.s direeiion have been un.sntistac- 

 tory inasmuch as thej' were not continued in a systematic 

 manner, and the returns were meagre and added but little to 

 our knondedge. The Maine Commission may accomplish 

 much by following out their iirogramme in a systematic man- 

 ner, which we have no doubt will be done. 



Steamboats and Flsh.— The fishermen on the Rappaliau' 

 nock River account for the scarcity of sliad by the fact that 

 a steamboat runs up tbe river tlu-ee tunes a week. Tliis may 

 satisfy them, as they onlj' look at this one river and have no 

 other theor)^ to offer, but if tbey wUl get out their telescopes 

 and take a look at the amovmt of navigation, boUi steam and 

 sail, on the Hudson, where one is seldom out of the sound of . 



