Mr. Gale, who believes that he has discovered the secret
of making gunpowder innocuous, has patented and revealed his plan. He mixes glass, ground very fine, with the powder in the proportion of four to one, and the powder will then bear to be stirred with a red-hot poker without exploding. There is, we believe, no question whatever of the facts, the only donbt being as to their value. Clearly the mixture will want five times the room of the simple powder, and even if that can be provided two or three questions have to be answered. How long does the powder take to sift, and what must it be sifted through, powder being usually wanted in a hurry ? Will the glass shake down from the rolling of the ship, and will not the, glaze of the powder be gradually injured, thus materially injuring its force? It is stated that the invention was tried in 1835 by M. Piobert, a Frenchman, who employed fine sand, but was not found practically valuable.
Previous page
