378 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OF 
The manufacture of gun cotton in Hirtenberg consists in a number of 
perfectly harmless operations ; and it is remarkable that, contrary to what 
happens with gunpowder, if fire be not actually applied explosion is impossible. 
All operations are so arranged, that the material acted upon is in a moist or 
wet condition—hence not explosive. Drying takes place in a capacious 
building, on every side open to the air. The last process of drying is carried 
out in the drying-chamber, where it is effected by a stove situated on the 
outside, distributing its heat to the building by earthenware pipes; drying 
being thus insured through a gentle warmth. The gun cotton next goes 
either into a magazine to be packed away in chests, or is at once prepared for 
ammunition. 
[There can be no question that the manufacture of gun cotton, according to Lenk’s system, is a far 
safer process than the production of gunpowder, and that, provided artificial heat is not employed in 
drying the finished material, the risk of accident in its manufacture is infinitely less than in the case 
of gunpowder. But these points do not bear upon the question of the possible spontaneous 
combustion of the gun cotton]. 
In this magazine Hirtenburg cotton has been stored for a period of twelve 
years, and not a single instance of explosion has taken place. How many 
powder-mills have exploded in that time ? In Prussia, however, a drying- 
chamber has lately blown up. 
Your Excellency has officially been informed, that in Prussia they have 
worked for eight years with gun cotton, and not a single explosion has occurred 
except the last-named P In the Prussian drying-chamber referred to, a stove 
with iron smoke-pipe was used—a sufficient explanation of the misfortune. 
During twelve years we have prepared gun cotton at Hirtenberg for 
ammunition, that is, for yarns, spun ropes, and threads twisted and woven. 
One single case of explosion has occurred in the course of Baron Lenk's 
manufacture, the result of improper speed of working the spinning machinery. 
Now, the circumstance hardly need be insisted on, that gunpowder as well 
as gun cotton can be exploded by friction. 
Gun cotton has been used for military purposes now more than twelve 
years: it has also been employed for mining and blasting. It has been 
subjected to every variety of transport. Packed in black wooden chests, 
it has been exposed to sunshine for months together : all this without one 
single accident. In the face of such testimony, it cannot be said that gun 
cotton manifests any tendency to explode spontaneously. 
Theoretical Proofs against the Spontaneous Combustion of LenPs Cun 
Cotton. 
14. Those who maintain the spontaneous combustibility of gun cotton, 
must surely be able to base their fears on scientific grounds. Let us now 
examine the most important of these. And, firstly, as regards cotton itself. 
Cotton is chemically affected by storage, if packed damp and in bulk. It 
then gets heated; and examples are not wanting of warehouses burned 
down through fire generated by the heating of stored cotton. This chemical 
change in ordinary cotton begins with hydrogen, this element affording to 
the atmospheric oxygen, the first point of attack : hereby occurs heating, 
with partial oxidation. The oxidation goes on until even the charcoal is 
