27S 
VARIETIES. 
lated by passing it through a sieve, or it may be used in 
fine powder. 
The Academy of Sciences at Paris, to whom Augendre 
addressed a communication with reference to this explosive 
compound, referred the subjest to a commission consisting 
of MM. Poibert and Morin, who reported thereon to the 
following effect : — 
The advantages of this gunpowder are : 
1. That it is formed of substances which have a fixed 
and determinate composition, which enables us to depend 
upon obtaining a product uniform in strength. 
2. That these substances are unalterable by the action of 
either dry or damp air, so that they may be kept for an 
indefinite period, which is not the case with the charcoal 
employed in the manufacture of ordinary gunpowder. 
3. That the manufacture requires less time, and that 
larger quantities of the ingredients may be stored away, 
and be combined as occasion may require, thus rendering 
large powder magazines unnecessary. 
4. The dynamic effect is much greater than that of ordi- 
nary gunpowder. 
5. That the product in fine powder being equally as 
effective as that in the state of grain, enables us to obtain 
the various substances of which it is composed in the state 
of an impalpable powder by means of ventilation, and 
mixing them in the dry state in a leathern barrel, turning 
on its own axis. 
6. That the prussiate of potash is not poisonous, but 
simply a saline purgative salt. 
On the other hand, the disadvantages are: — 
1. That the chlorate of potash contained in this powder 
causes the oxidation of steel fire-arms, and thus confines 
the employment of this powder to artillery. 
2. That it is more readily inflamed than ordinary gun- 
powder, although much less so than all the gunpowders 
which have hitherto been made containing chlorate of pot- 
ash — Pharm, Joam., May 1, 1850. 
