upon Gunpowder^ &c. ' ^2^ 
and a fit bullet, I laid it down upon the ground, and dire&ing 
it againft an oaken plank that was placed about fix feet from the 
muzzle, I fired it oft by a train, and carefully obferved the 
recoil, and alfo the penetration of the bullet. I then took 
feveral of the filled cartridges that remained, and pouring out 
part of the powder, I put one or more of the little bladders 
filled with water in the center of the cartridge, and afterwards 
pouring back the remaining part of the charge, confined the 
water in the midft of the powder. 
With thefe cartridges and a fit bullet, the piftol was fuccef- 
fively loaded, and being placed upon the ground as before, aud 
fired by a train, the recoil, and the penetration of the bullets 
were obferved ; and I conftantly found, that the force of the 
charge was very fenfibly diminiflhed by the addition of the 
globule of water, and the larger the quantity of water was that 
was thus confined, the lefs was the effedt of the charge ; nei* 
ther the recoil of the piftol, nor the penetration of the bullet, 
being near equal to what they were when the given quantity 
of powder was fired without the water ; and the report of the 
explofion appeared to be leflened in a ftill greater proportion 
than the recoil or penetration. 
Concluding that this diminution of the force of the charge 
arofe from the burfting of the little bladder, and the difperfion 
of the water among the powder before it was all inflamed, by 
which a great part of it was prevented from taking fire, I re- 
peated the experiments with highly redtified fpirits of wine in- 
ftead of water ; but the refult was nearly the fame as before : 
the force of the charge was conftantly and very fenfibly dimi- 
milled. I afterwards made ufe of etherial oil of turpentine, 
and then of fmall quantities of quickfilver ; but ftill with no 
Vol. LXXI* X x better 
