( XI4 ) 
of Nitre, which the Briraftone aad Charcoal by their 
fudden Acceniion do violei^ly expand and fwell to that 
degree, that like a ftorai of Wind it bears very heavy 
and refitting Bodies before it, efpecialiy when it it com- 
preiled or reftrained within juft Bounds. 
The Experiment juft above mentioned can only ac- 
count for that Explofion by charging it to feme little 
concealed Air our Fiery Mixture expanded in fo much 
that I doubt not that if a way were invented (which 
ftems to me not impradticable ) to make it go off as 
Powder does out of a Gun, it would projeit a heavy 
Body a great way. 
We further made an Experiment in Plenij or after 
this manner : 
We put a fmall quantity of the Oyl in a Gally-Pot, 
and fome of the Spirit in an openGlafs, and fixed a 
Plate of Copper upon the Ga!Iy-Pot, fo as to cover it 
pretty exactly, and then fet a Weight upon the Plate , 
and pulling a firing, made the Spirit to mix with the 
Oyl, which did at that inftant blow up the Cover, and 
throw off the Weight. 
But though it doth in fome refpecbs agree with Gun- 
powder, yet: in others you fee a great diiparity : For 
Gun-powder will not be made to take Fire, or make 
any Explofion in racao^ both which this Mixture per- 
formed with the fame Celerity it did in the Air. 
Gun-powder is a Compofition of the moft dry and 
Combuftible Materials we can pack together ; in our 
mixture of two Fluids, one of them is not eafily made 
to burn by it felf, ahd the other will exflinguifh Com- 
mon Fire. 
Gun-powder requires aftual fire to bring it to an Ac- 
cenfion, whereas in this you have only two Waters or 
Liquors, both cold to the Touch, that do prcdisce Fire 
and Flame by the bare joyning and mixing them toge- 
And 
