Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise   By: P. Gerald (Percy Gerald) Sanford

[Illustration: DANGER BUILDING SHOWING PROTECTING MOUNDS. ( See page 6. )]

NITRO EXPLOSIVES

A PRACTICAL TREATISE

CONCERNING THE

PROPERTIES, MANUFACTURE, AND ANALYSIS OF NITRATED SUBSTANCES, INCLUDING THE FULMINATES, SMOKELESS POWDERS, AND CELLULOID

BY

P. GERALD SANFORD, F.I.C., F.C.S.

Public Analyst to the Borough of Penzance; late Consulting Chemist to the Cotton Powder Company Limited; and formerly Resident Chemist at the Stowmarket Works of the New Explosives Company Limited, and the Hayle Works of the National Explosive Company Limited

~Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged~

PREFACE.

In compiling the following treatise, my aim has been to give a brief but thoroughly practical account of the properties, manufacture, and methods of analysis of the various nitro explosives now so largely used for mining and blasting purposes and as propulsive agents; and it is believed that the account given of the manufacture of nitro glycerine and of the gelatine dynamites will be found more complete than in any similar work yet published in this country.

For many of the facts and figures contained in the chapter on Smokeless Powders I am indebted to (amongst others) the late Mr J.D. Dougall and Messrs A.C. Ponsonby and H.M. Chapman, F.C.S.; and for details with regard to Roburite to Messrs H.A. Krohn and W.J. Orsman, F.I.C. To these gentlemen my cordial thanks are due. Among the authorities which have been consulted in the general preparation of the work may be mentioned the Journals of the Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry, the United States Naval Institute, and the Royal Artillery Institution. I have also referred to several volumes of the periodical publication Arms and Explosives; to various papers by Sir Frederick Abel, Bart., F.R.S., and General Wardell, R.A., on Gun Cotton; to "Modern Artillery," by Capt. Lloyd, R.N., and A.G. Hadcock, R.A.; to the late Colonel Cundill's "Dictionary of Explosives"; as well as to the works of Messrs Eissler, Berthelot, and others.

The illustrations have been prepared chiefly from my own drawings. A few, however, have been taken (by permission) from the pages of Arms and Explosives , or from other sources which are acknowledged in the text.

P.G.S.

THE LABORATORY,

20 CULLUM STREET, E.C.

May 1896.

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.