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II. Researches on Explosives. — Fired Gunpowder. By Captain Noble ( late R.A.) y 
F.B.S., F.B.A.S., F.C.S., Ac., and F. A. Abel, F.R.S . , President C.S., Ac. 
Eeceived May 18, — Bead June 18, 1874. 
Contents. 
Page 
A. Introductory History 49 
De la Hire. — Robins. — Hutton. — Rumford. 
— Gay-Lussac. — Chevreul. — Graham. — 
Piobert. — Cavalli. — Prussian Committee. 
— Mayevski. — Rodman. — Bunsen and 
Schischkoff. — Linck. — Karolyi. — Airy. 
Fedorow. — Noble. — Bertbelot. — DeTro- 
menec. — Roux and Sarrau. 
B. Objects of Experiments 60 
C. Methods of Experiment 61 
1. Explosion-apparatus 61 
2. Measurement of Pressure 62 
3. Measurement of the Volume of the Per- 
manent Gases ’ 63 
4 . Measurement of Heat 63 
5. Collection of Gaseous Products 63 
6. Collection of Solid Products 64 
D. Analysis of the Products of Explosion .... 65 
1. Gaseous Products 65 
2. Solid Residue. — Preparation of the Re- 
sidue for Analysis 67 
3. Analysis of Solid Residue 68 
E. Composition of Gunpowders employed .... 7i 
F. Examination of the Analytical Results .... 73 
G. Volume of the Permanent Gases 88 
H. Results of Explosion, deduced by calculation 
from Analytical Data 89 
I. Condition of the Products at the instant of 
or shortly after Explosion 93 
J . The possibility of dissociation among Gaseous 
Products considered 94 
Page 
K. Tension of Fired Gunpowder observed in a 
close vessel 95 
L. Determination of Heat generated by the 
Combustion of Gunpowder 99 
M. Determination of volume of Solid Products 
at ordinary temperatures 101 
N. Pressure in close vessels, deduced from Theo- 
retical Considerations 102 
O. Determination of the Temperature of Explo- 
sion of Gunpowder 104 
P. Mean Specific Heat of Liquid Products .... 106 
Q. Probable Expansion of non-gaseous Products 
between zero and temperature of Ex- 
plosion 106 
R. Observed Pressures in the bores of Guns . . 107 
S'. Effect of increments in the weight of the Shot 
on the Combustion and Tension of Pow- 
der in the bore of a Gun 121 
T. Effect of Moisture upon the Combustion and 
Tension of Powder 122 
U. Loss of Heat by communication to the enve- 
lope in which the charge is exploded . . 122 
V. Pressure in the bores of Guns, derived from 
theoretical considerations 124 
W. Temperature of Products of Combustion in 
bores of Guns 131 
X. Work effected by Gunpowder 132 
Y. Determination of Total Theoretic work of 
Powder when indefinitely expanded . . 134 
Z. Summary of Results 136 
Abstract of Experiments 138 
A. INTRODUCTORY HISTORY. 
The investigations which form the subject of this memoir have occupied our attention 
for a considerable time, having been commenced in 1868. They have been made 
MDCCCLXXV. H 
