A NEW EXPLOSIVE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 290, 15 August 1888, Page 2

A NEW EXPLOSIVE.

On Saturday morning last a trial of a new explosive known as "Bellit, " the invention of Carl Lamb, a Swedish chemist, was conducted on the To Aroha S. and G. M. Oo's property, Waiorongomai, under the direction of Mr L, Mac Brair, a director of the Belli! Safety Explosive Co., who is about to intro* duce the compound into this colony. Mr H. H, Adams (manager of the Te Aroha S. and G. M. Co.), Mr W. J. Prime (T. and S. Morrin), and a representative of the News, together with a number of minors and others, assembled to witness the experiments. Thefirstrocks operated on were large boulders adjacent to the Co's office of a very hard nature. In these Mr Adams had three holes drilled, two of the holes being about three feet deep and the third about two feet. In the deep holes a charge of three, and in the other one and a half Bellit cartridges wero placed. Tin larger charges when fired sont some of rock flying high in the air, besides breaking and renting up several tons more. The small charge also did good execution ; and Mr Adams expressed himself as pleased with the result of the experiment. The absence of injurious fumes (such as always follow the firing of dynamite charges) was very noticeable. The cartrages are cylindrical in shape and hard, but can be easily crushed to a powder, it docs not freeze and therefore the necessity of thawing never crops up. At one end of each cartridge is a hole in which the cap is inserted with fuzo attached, as in dynamite. The following is the manner in which the holes were charged : The first two cartridges were pushed down one at a time to the bottom of the drilled hole and pressed po as to fill up the entire diameter of the hole ; the cartridge having cap and fuze attached was then let down so as to rest upon the others, a little fine sand or clay was gently pressed over the cartridge so as not to break it, after which soil was tamped tightly over it in the ordinary manner. In the case of the principal test, in addition to displacing about ten tons of rock, large fissures were opened in several directions in that which remained standing. The result was considered highly safHf.ir»torv. The power of the new ronhu-.tible having be. j n demonstrated, an adjournment was then mnde to the office, where Mr Mac Brair eleaily proved its harmlessness by throwing a quantity into the fire, where it slowly smouldered awny without foice of any kind. Mr Mne Brair then gave n fnrtln r proof of its safety by pounding a portion info minute particle*: by mean? of a <*1<» \vo hammer. After these emeial tests the numerous advantages of the new fiplosive over dynamite were then de^ennfp.l upon by Mr Mac Biiar, who =tated that :—(1): — (1) It is ns «*afp to handle a- ordinaiv merchandise, enn be stored with other goods, .'i ml is carried in the culinary way by tr.iin or s( earner, as it docs not come under thn Explosives Act. find need not ho stowed in n in 'cazinf ; ('2) It cannot be exploded bv concussion, blow, fire, or heat ; (?>) It will not explode except with the Bellit detonator; (4) It is lighter in weight and stronger than dynamite ; ([)) Its fumes after firing are not injurious. That its fumes are not injmious is a matter of the greatest importance, as with dynamite the utmost caution has to be exercised, miners using it being always liable to indisposition fiom the re-nit of ils fumes. The detonator is a cap an inch long, so that a number may be safely stowed' in small space. Altogether the now explosive bids fair to be a strong rival to dynamite, which up till the present had but few powerful opponents on the fHil. Mr Adams obtained some cartridges for the purpose of experimenting iiuhc mines. At present Mr Mac Biviir has only a ft small quantity in the colony, but expects to be fully supplied in about two months hence. He states that he has already taken orders for 200 50lb cases in New Zealand alone ; Messrs Foresight nnd Masters, (Reefton) ; Gallagher Bros. (West port) ; and E. TV, Mills & Co. (Wellington), being some of the firms mentioned by him that have ordered large supplies. We undot stand that Messrs T. and fc?. Moirin will be the local and Auckland agents, MiMac Brair has left with us one of the cartridges, which may bo seen at our office. We are given to understand the price per pound of Bellit is about the same as that of dynamite, but that in consequence of its being much lighter according to bulk, it will really come considerably cheaper.

At the Thames Warden's Court on Thursday last, the following were amongst the applications dealt ■with „• — J. A, James, Silver Star, Whangamata, adjourned 23rd inst.; A, L. Gihb, Silver King, Murototo, granted ; W. "Y. Ralph, Mariposa, Waite kauri, adjourned 23rd inst.; D. B. McDonald, Silver Corner, Maroioto, granted ; 11. C. Wick, Grand Junction, Marototo, granted ; J. B. Smith, Shotover, Karangahake, granted ; J. Neal and E. R. Edwards, Saxon, Waitekauri, adjourned 23rd inst. ; 11. Blair, Kowhia, Marototo, granted ; G. Caldwell, Aladdin, Marototo, adjourned 23rd inst.; C. Forrester, the Appeal, Marototo, granted. An application was made that the license should he issued in the names of H. S. Meyers and C. Forester, which was also granted. L. Melhosc*, Silver Hill, Marototo, withdrawn ; F. C. Dean, The Chimes, Marototo, withdrawn ; IT. C. Dean, Peal of Bells, Marototo, withdrawn ; J. B. Smith, Silver King, Karangahake, granted ; P. <J. IJansenj Agnes, Maiototo, withdrawn ; F. C. Dean, Tarn o' Shanter, Marototo, withdrawn. Cr Williams stated at last Pinko County Council meeting that Mr Rich had carried out the road contract, Patetcre Hiding, recently undertaken by him in a first class manner ; and Mr Rich's account of £108 for this work was passed for payment.