Chapter II: Preface: To the Second Edition

In the preparation of the Second Edition of this work, I have chiefly made use of the current technical journals, especially of the _Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry_. The source of my information has in every case been acknowledged.

I am also indebted to several manufacturers of explosives for information respecting their special products--among others the New Explosives Company Ltd.; Messrs Curtis's and Harvey Ltd.; The Schultze Gunpowder Company Ltd.; and Mr W.D. Borland, F.I.C., of the E.C. Powder Company Ltd.

To my friend Mr A. Stanley Fox, F.C.S., of Faversham, my best thanks are also due for his help in many departments, and his kindness in pointing out several references.

The chapter on Smokeless Powders has been considerably enlarged and (as far as possible) brought up to date; but it has not always been possible to give the process of manufacture or even the composition, as these details have not, in several cases, been made public.

P. GERALD SANFORD.

LONDON, _June 1906._

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.--INTRODUCTION.

The Nitro-Explosives--Substances that have been Nitrated--The Danger Area-- Systems of Professors Lodge, Zenger, and Melsens for the Protection of Buildings from Lightning, &c.

CHAPTER II.--NITRO-GLYCERINE.

Properties of Nitro-Glycerine--Manufacture--Nitration--Separation--Washing and Filtering--Drying, Storing, &c.--The Waste Acids--Their Treatment-- Nitric Acid Plants

CHAPTER III.--NITRO-CELLULOSE, &C.

Cellulose Properties--Discovery of Gun-Cotton--Properties of Gun-Cotton-- Varieties of Soluble and Insoluble Gun-Cottons--Manufacture of Gun-Cotton-- Dipping and Steeping--Whirling Out the Acid--Washing, Boiling, Pulping, Compressing--The Waltham Abbey Process--Le Bouchet Process--Granulation of Gun-Cotton--Collodion-Cotton--Manufacture--Acid Mixture Used--Cotton Used, &c.--Nitrated Gun-Cotton--Tonite--Dangers in Manufacture of Gun-Cotton-- Trench's Fire-Extinguishing Compound--Uses of Collodion-Cotton--Celluloid-- Manufacture, &c.--Nitro-Starch, Nitro-Jute, and Nitro-Mannite

CHAPTER IV.--DYNAMITE.

Kieselguhr Dynamite--Classification of Dynamites--Properties and Efficiency of Ordinary Dynamite--Other forms of Dynamite--Gelatine and Gelatine Dynamites, Suitable Gun-Cotton for, and Treatment of--Other Materials Used--Composition of Gelignite--Blasting Gelatine--Gelatine Dynamite--Absorbing Materials--Wood Pulp--Potassium Nitrate, &c.-- Manufacture, &c.--Apparatus Used--The Properties of the Gelatine Compounds

CHAPTER V.--NITRO-BENZOL, ROBURITE, BELLITE, PICRIC ACID, &c.

Explosives derived from Benzene--Toluene and Nitro-Benzene--Di- and Tri-nitro-Benzene--Roburite: Properties and Manufacture--Bellite: Properties, &c.--Securite--Tonite No. 3.--Nitro-Toluene-- Nitro-Naphthalene--Ammonite--Sprengel's Explosives--Picric Acid-- Picrates--Picric Powders--Melinite--Abel's Mixture--Brugere's Powders-- The Fulminates--Composition, Formula, Preparation, Danger of, &c.-- Detonators: Sizes, Composition, Manufacture--Fuses, &c.

THE FULMINATES.

Composition, Formula, Preparation, Danger of, &c.--Detonators: Sizes, Composition, Manufacture--Fuses, &c.

CHAPTER VI.--SMOKELESS POWDERS IN GENERAL.

Cordite--Axite--Ballistite--U.S. Naval Powder--Schultze's E.C. Powder-- Indurite--Vielle Poudre--Walsrode and Cooppal Powders--Amberite-- Troisdorf--B.N. Powder--Wetterin--Normal Powder--Maximite--Picric Acid Powders, &c. &c.

CHAPTER VII.--ANALYSIS OF EXPLOSIVES.

Kieselguhr Dynamite--Gelatine Compounds--Tonite--Cordite--Vaseline-- Acetone--Scheme for Analysis of Explosives--Nitro-Cotton--Solubility Test-- Non-Nitrated Cotton--Alkalinity--Ash and Inorganic Matter--Determination of Nitrogen--Lunge, Champion and Pellet's, Schultze-Tieman, and Kjeldahl's Methods--Celluloid--Picric Acid and Picrates--Resinous and Tarry Matters-- Sulphuric Acid and Hydrochloric Acid and Oxalic Acid--Nitric Acid-- Inorganic Impurities--General Impurities and Adulterations--Potassium Picrate, &c.--Picrates of the Alkaloids--Analysis of Glycerine--Residue-- Silver Test--Nitration--Total Acid Equivalent--Neutrality--Free Fatty Acids--Combined Fatty Acids--Impurities--Oleic Acid--Sodium Chloride-- Determination of Glycerine--Waste Acids--Sodium Nitrate--Mercury Fulminate--Cap Composition--Table for Correction of Volumes of Gases, for Temperature and Pressure

CHAPTER VIII.--FIRING POINT OF EXPLOSIVES, HEAT TESTS, &C.

Horsley's Apparatus--Table of Firing Points--The Government Heat Test Apparatus, &c., for Dynamites, Nitro-Glycerine, Nitro-Cotton, and Smokeless Powders--Guttmann's Heat Test--Liquefaction and Exudation Tests-- Page's Regulator for Heat Test Apparatus--Specific Gravities of Explosives--Will's Test for Nitro-Cellulose--Table of Temperature of Detonation, Sensitiveness, &c.