[ 5 00 7 
I have made feveral Trials in order to fire Gun- 
powder alone, which I tried both warm and cold, 
whole and powder’d, but never could fucceed : And 
this arifes, in part, from its Vapours not being in- 
flammable, and in part from its not being capable 
of being fir’d by Flame ; unlefs the Sulphur in the 
Compofition is nearly in the State of Accenfion, 
This we fee, by putting Gunpowder into a Spoon 
with rectified Spirit, which, when lighted, will not 
fire the Powder, till, by the Heat of the Spoon from 
the burning Spirit, the Sulphur is almoft melted. 
Likewife, if you hold Gunpowder ground very fine 
ill a Spoon over a lighted Candle, or any other 
Flame, as foon as the Spoon is hot enough to 
melt the Sulphur, you fee a blue Flame, and 
inftantly the Powder flafhes off. The fame Effects 
are obferved in the ‘Pulvis fulminans , compos'd 
of Nitre, Sulphur, and fixed alkaline Salt. Befides, 
when the Gunpowder is very dry, and ground 
very fine, it (as you pleafe to make the Experiment) 
is either attracted, or repell’d 5 fo that, in the firft 
Cafe, the End of your Finger, when electrified, fhall 
be cover’d over with the Powder, though held at 
fome Diftancej and in the other, if you electrify the 
Powder, it will fly off at the Approach of any non- 
electrified Subfiance, and fometimes even without it. 
But I can, at Pleafure, fire Gunpowder, and even dis- 
charge a Musket, by the Power of Electricity, when 
the Gunpowder has been ground with a little Cam- 
phor, or with a few Drops of fome inflammable 
chemical Oil. This Oil fome what moiftens the 
Powder, and prevents its flying away : The Gun- 
powder then being warm’d in a Spoon, the electrical 
Flafhes 
