

. 





( 2^6 Mr. E. Howard on a new fulminating Mercury. 



enclosed in paper, was placed in the centre of a shell 4,4, inches 

 in diameter, and the vacant space rilled with dry sand. 



The shell burst by the explosion of the powder, and the 

 fragments were thrown to a considerable distance. The charge 

 of gunpowder employed to burst shells of this diameter, is 5 

 ounces avoirdupois. 



Exp. 6. A sea grenade, 3,5 inches diameter, charged like the 

 shell in the last experiment, was burst into numerous fragments, 

 by \ of an ounce avoirdupois of the mercurial powder. The 

 fragments were projected with but little force, and only to the 

 distance of eight or ten yards. The charge of gunpowder re- 

 quired for grenades of this size, is 3 ounces. 



Exp. 7. A sea grenade, of the same diameter as the last 

 mentioned, and charged in the like manner, with \ of an ounce 

 avoirdupois, or 57-- grains, of the mercurial powder, was split into 

 two equal pieces, which were not thrown ten inches asunder. 



The report in the four last experiments was very sharp, but 

 not loud in proportion. 



It seems, from the manner in which the swivel was burst, in 

 the fourth experiment, that a smaller charge would have been 

 sufficient for the purpose. We may therefore infer, both from 

 this instance and from the second experiment made with the 

 gun, in Section v, that any piece of ordnance might be destroyed, 

 by employing a quantity of the mercurial powder equal in weight 

 to one half of the service charge of gunpowder ; and, from the 

 seventh and last experiment, we may also conclude, that it 

 would be possible so to proportion the charge of mercurial 

 powder to the size of different cannons, as to burst them without 

 dispersing any splinters. But the great danger attending the use 

 of fulminating mercury, on account of the facility with which it ex- 

 plodes, will probably prevent its being employed for that purpose. 



