Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Temuka Leader, Issue 2404, 27 September 1892, Page 3

"Well, old fellow, it's all settled. 1 am going to be married in two months You will be one of the witnesses I hope ?" (i Count upon me. I never desert a friend in misfortune." Herculite is the name of a new explosive which, owing to its qualities of slow combustion and safety in handling, is claimed by its inventor, Mons. A. Palle, f,o bo superior to the best nitro-glycerine compounds. It is a yellowish-grey powder, and is said to be compound of sawdust, camphor, nitrate of potash, and several other substances which are maintained secret. Experiments conducted in a quarry with the new explosive ghqwed that a shot could not bo Jired by flparks, flame,detonation. When burning $ flame similar to that of dynamite is produced, which can only be extinguished with difficulty. In the tests a small quantity of the powder was placed on a Stone and struck with a hammer without »Ut explosion resulting. A half-pound charge, of the compound was inserted in a blast hole 4ft deep, which was then tramped with sand and earth, and the ujLpn.itive was lired by means of a special igniter. The result was that a block of Btone weighing some 30 tons was displaced without being fractured. By the addition of tteptha or ammonia to the ingredients of the powder it can bo made a nick-bur niiig. The price of herculite is Btatedto be only 3d per lb.