NEW EXPLOSIVE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 231, 4 July 1872, Page 8

NEW EXPLOSIVE.

A new explosive compound of which we have already heard something, and is specially worthy of the attention of our reefers, is thus noticed by the " Spectator " :—

" A form of nitroglycerine has been discovered — it is" called lithofracteur — which is perfectly safe for all purposes of carrying or even firing, yielding no explosion whether it is subjected to a violent shock like a heavy fall or the fall of a heavy body upon it, or whether it is actually set on fire, but as explosive as ever when it is ignited 'by a percussion cap fuse, the fuse being inserted in the lithofracteur.' The manufacturers are the Brothers Krebs arjd Co. of Cologne. The experiments conducted recently" by a committee of our own War Office at Mr. Frant's limestone quarries, Nant Mawr, near Shrewsbury, seemed to answer perfectly. The lithofracteur was heated to 370 deg. Fahrenheit (further above boiling point than boiling point is above freezing), and no explosion or even ignition took place. The heaviest shocks were given in the lithofracteur in every form, and no explosion took place. Even when ignited in the ordinary way it only burned slowly, without explosion. But when ignited by a percussion fuse imbedded to the lithofracteur, explosions were as forcible and as violent as those of ordinary nitroglycerine. Thus it seems that nitro-glycerine may be carried about (in this form) without any danger of accidents, and yet without any loss of its enormous explosive power." ________