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JSitro- Glycerine. 



In 1864, four Swedes, the Nobel brothers, and especially 

 Alfred Nobel, a mining engineer, suggested its application 

 for blasting in the railway cuttings and tunnels then in 

 progress and radiating from Copenhagen, and here its im- 

 mense power was satisfactorily proved. Hurrying to the 

 United States, he procured a patent, which was disposed 

 of to the U. S. Blasting Oil Co., as glonoin oil, leaving it 

 to be inferred that it was the invention of Nobel, but this 

 assumption being discovered, the patent was surrendered, 

 and a reissued patent for its application to blasting pur- 

 poses, also a reissued patent for a peculiar method of 

 manufacture, were obtained. These two patents were sub- 

 sequently surrendered, and six reissues intended to cover 

 every point involving its use were granted to Nobel's 

 assignees. 



In every one of these patents, the discovery was claimed 

 and insisted upon, that it could only be exploded under 

 confinement, or pressure ; and for this mode of exploding, 

 viz. : when subjected to confinement, the patents were 

 granted. In 1868, 1 succeeded in exploding it in an open 

 saucer, also in ten open tubes each immersed in water, but 

 open to the air, which were instantaneously exploded by 

 the concussion of the water, caused by the explosion of 

 fifteen grains of fulminate mercury in another tube con- 

 taining a teaspoonful of nitro-glycerine. As all these tubes 

 were surrounded by water, and the nitro-glycerine pro- 

 tected from heat by a layer of water, as well as by the glass 

 of the test tubes, this experiment enabled the public to use 

 nitro-glycerine without tribute to the company holding the 

 six reissued patents. Sobrero's method of manufacturing 

 nitro-glycerine is the basis of all the modes of making. 

 And now I will state the circumstances which led me to 

 investigate the properties of this explosive. 



It has been my custom, when disappointments, vexations 

 or failures to achieve success in some particular pursuit, 



