€8 
SUBSTITUTES FOR GUNPOIYDER. 
have been thus prepared (such as soda-gunpowder, and barytic powder, or poudre saxi- 
fragine), all mixtures of this class, hitherto produced, have exhibited important defects, 
when compared with gunpowder manufactured for propelling purposes. 
The well-known oxidizing agent, chlorate of potash, which differs from saltpetre only 
in containing chlorine in the place of nitrogen, is far more energetic in its action upon 
oxidizable bodies than any of the nitrates. Thus, a mixture of chlorate of potash with 
charcoal alone, deflagrates as violently as gunpowder, and is far more readily inflamed 
by percussion than the latter; while a mixture analogous to gunpowder, containing 
chlorate of potash in place of saltpetre, detonates violently when struck with moderate 
force, and acts far too destructively, on account of the rapidity of its explosion, to admit 
of its safe employment in firearms. 
Many years ago, a mixture known as German or w^hite gunpowder, and consisting of 
chlorate of potash, ferrocyanide of potassium, and sugar, was proposed and tried without 
success as a substitute for gunpowder; and since then many preparations of similar 
character have been suggested for employment either as blasting and mining agents, or 
for use in shells, or even for all the purposes to which gunpowder is applied. The most 
promising of these, claimed as discoveries by Mr. Horsley and Dr. Ehrhardt, are mixtures 
of chlorate of potash with substances of permanent character and readily obtained, con¬ 
taining both carbon and hydrogen; such as tannic and gallic acids, and some kinds of 
resins. These mixtures are much less violently detonating than most of the explosive 
mixtures containing chlorate of potash, while, if well prepared, they are decidedly more 
powerful, as explosives, than gunpowder. For blasting purposes, some of these mix¬ 
tures probably possess decided advantages over ordinary blasting powder, and possibly 
they may also be susceptible of employment for sporting purposes ^ but they are not 
applicable to firearms used for war purposes, because, in order to ensure the requisite 
uniformity of action, the ingredients must be submitted to proper processes of incorpora¬ 
tion, etc., such as are applied to the manufacture of gunpowder; and this treatment 
would render the mixtures far more violent, and consequently destructive in their action 
upon firearms, than if used in the form of crude mixtures. 
A comparatively very safe application of chlorate of potash to the production of a 
substitute for gunpowder was made about six years ago by a German chemical manu¬ 
facturer, M. Hochstadter. Unsized (blotting) paper was thoroughly soaked in, and 
coated with, a thin paste consisting of chlorate of potash, finely-divided charcoal, a small 
quantity of sulphide of antimony, and a little starch, gum, or some similar binding 
material, water being used as the solvent and mixing agent. The paper was rolled up 
very compactly and dried in that form. In this manner, very firm rolls of an explosive 
material are obtained, which burns with considerable violence in open air, and the pro¬ 
pelling effect of which, in small arms, has occasionally been found greater than that of 
a corresponding charge of rifle powder. Moreover, the material, if submitted in small 
portions to violent percussion, exhibits but little tendency to detonation. But as no 
leUance can be placed on a suflScient uniformity of action, in a firearm, of these explo¬ 
sive rolls, this alone sufficed to prevent their competing with powder. The same de¬ 
scription of explosive preparation, differing only from that of M. Hochstadter in a trifling 
modification of its composition, which is certainly not likely to lead to its greater suc¬ 
cess, has recently been brought forward in this country by M. Keichen and Mr. Melland. 
One or two other much cruder explosive preparations, containing chlorate of potash, 
alone or in conjunction with saltpetre, have met with some application to blasting pur¬ 
poses. One of these consisted of spent tan, in small fragments, which was saturated 
with the oxidizing agent, and afterwards dusted over with sulphur. When flame or a 
red-hot iron is applied to this preparation, it deflagrates very slowly and imperfectly; 
but when employed in blast-holes, where it is confined within a small space, it develops 
sufficient explosive force to do good w'ork. In addition to comparative cheapness, the 
great advantage of safety was claimed for this material by its inventor, a claim which 
was substantiated by the partial destruction by fire, on two occasions, of a manufactory 
of the substance near Plymouth, without the occurrence of an explosion. 
The accidental explosions of gunpowder which are occasionally heard of, occur, in most 
instances, at the manufactories, and in the course of some operations (especially that of 
incorporation) to which the explosive mixture is submitted. The only means of guard¬ 
ing against, or reducing as much as possible, the liability to the occurrence of these acci¬ 
dents, consist in the strictest attention to the precautionary measures and regulations 
