Mr. E. Howard on a new fulminating Mercury. 231 



used in fire-arms, unless in cases where it becomes an object to 

 destroy them ; perhaps, where it is the practice to spike cannon, 

 it may be of service, because, I apprehend, it may be used in 

 such a manner as to burst cannon, without dispersing any 

 splinters. 



The inflammation of fulminating mercury by concussion, 

 offers nothing more novel or remarkable, than the inflammation, 

 by concussion, of many other substances. The theory of such 

 inflammations has been long since exposed by the celebrated 

 Mr. Berthollet, and confirmed by Messieurs Fourcroy and 

 Vauquelin : yet, I must confess, I am at a loss to understand, 

 why a small quantity of mercurial powder made to detonate 

 by the hammer, or the electric shock, should produce a report 

 so much louder than when it is inflamed by a match, or by 

 flint and steel. It might at first be imagined, that the loudness 

 of the report could be accounted for, by supposing the instant 

 of the inflammation, and that of the powder's confinement be- 

 tween the hammer and anvil, to be precisely the same ; but, 

 when the electrical shock is sent through or over a few grains 

 of the powder, merely laid on ivory, and a loud report is the 

 consequence, I can form no idea of what causes such a report. 



The operation by which the powder is prepared, is perhaps 

 one of the most beautiful and surprising in chemistry ; and it 

 is not a little interesting to consider the affinities which are 

 brought into play. The superabundant nitrous acid of the mer- 

 curial solution, must first act on the alcohol, and generate ether, 

 nitrous etherized gas, and oxalic acid. The mercury unites to 

 the two last in their nascent state, and relinquishes fresh nitrous 

 acid, to act upon any unaltered alcohol. The oxalic acid, al- 

 though a predisposing affinity seems exerted in favour of its 

 quantity, is evidently not formed fast enough to retain all the 



