MODERN GUNPOWDER AND CORDITE. 
•275 
guns with which it is used in the services. 
The story of the unsuitability of the early powders to arms of preci¬ 
sion is a question of the past, outside the limits of time at our disposal, 
and more recent experience has shown that even the best black 
powders in very heavy muzzle-loading guns were found to strain the 
inner steel tubes, and had a tendency to split them. 
We are now in a position to consider the various steps which, within 
the last few years, have completely altered the character of gunpowder. 
If we look at the diagram to which I invite your attention, it will help 
us to form an idea of the manner in which gunpowder has been 
gradually developed from an uncontrolable and uncertain explosive, 
into a reliable propellant and servant. 
TABLE B. 
Progressive Steps towards obtaining Gunpoivders suitable for Modern Rifled Guns. 
System or method adopted. 
Powder. 
Result. 
Change of size (Increase in). 
R.L.G-., introduced 1866 
P. „ 1871 
P.2 „ 1876 
R.L.G.4 „ 1887 
Diminution in rate of burning. 
Reduction of shock or blow 
given by the powder on igni¬ 
tion. 
Change of density (increase in). 
Pebble. 
Prism 1 Black. 
Prism Brown. 
Prism S.B.C. 
Reduction of rate of burning. 
Reduction of initial strain in 
the bore of the gun. 
Change of form and moulding. 
Disc. 
Pellet. 
Sphere. 
Cylinder. 
Hollow cylinder. f 
Cube. j 
Perforated prism. 
Regularity of ballistics in units 
of powders manufactured 
undet the same conditions. 
Final break-up along the lines 
of least resistance, giving ad¬ 
ditional surface of combustion 
and production of gas as the 
projectile travels along the 
bore. 
1 
Change of texture, granulating 
and moulding. 
Masses or conglomerate 
lumps formed of compres¬ 
sed grain. 
Progressive or Fossano Prism, 1 
black, 1881 ; ditto, brown, 
1884; S.B.C, 1887 ; and 
E.X.E., 1887. 
Regularity of density. 
„ ,, pressures. 
„ ,, velocities. 
Change of composition. 
Prism 1 brown. 
„ S.B.C. 
„ E.X.E. 
Water recognised as an in¬ 
gredient. 
Additional control over rate of 
burning pressures and veloci¬ 
ties. 
Blending. 
P. and S.P. 
Prism 1 black. 
,, brown. 
S.B.C. 
E.X.E. 
Control over ballistics of lots or 
large batches. Regularity of 
results in batches, lots or 
charges of powder. 
