CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
The Tools,Machines, and other Appliances used in Rock Blasting.
PAGE
Section I. Hand-boring Tools.—Drills. Hammers. Auxiliary Tools. Sets of Blasting Gear[1]
Section II. Machine-boring Tools.—Machine Rock-drills. Borer-bits. Drill Carriages[23]
Section III. Appliances for firing Blasting Charges.—Squibs. Safety Fuse.Electric Fuses. Cables. Detonators. Electric Firing-Machines[42]
CHAPTER II.
Explosive Agentsused in Rock Blasting.
Section I. Phenomena accompanying an Explosion.—Nature of an Explosion. Heatliberated by an Explosion. Gases generated by an Explosion. Force developed by an Explosion[64]
Section II. Nature of Explosive Agents.—Mechanical Mixtures. Chemical Compounds[76]
Section III. Relative Strength of the common Explosive Agents.—Force developedby Gunpowder. Relative Force developed by Gunpowder, Gun-cotton, and Nitro-Glycerine[88]
Section IV. Means of firing the common Explosive Agents.—Action of Heat. Detonation[92]
Section V. Some Properties of the common Explosive Agents.—Gunpowder,Gun-cotton, Dynamite. Firing Temperatures[97]
Section VI. Some Varieties of the Nitro-Cellulose and the Nitro-GlycerineCompounds.—Nitrated Gun-cotton. Tonite, or Cotton-Powder. Schultze’s Powder. Lithofracteur.Brain’s Powder. Cellulose-Dynamite[103]
CHAPTER III.
The Principles of Rock Blasting.
Line of least Resistance. Force required to cause Disruption. Conditions of Disruption.Example of a Heading. Economical Considerations. Tamping[106]
CHAPTER IV.
The Operations ofRock Blasting.
Hand Boring.—Boring the Shot-holes. Charging the Shot-holes. Firing the Charges[128]
Machine Boring.—Boring the Shot-holes. Charging and Firing. Removing the dislodged Rock.Division of Labour[142]
Examples of Drivings.—The St. Gothard Tunnel. The Hoosac Tunnel. The MusconetcongTunnel. Headings at Marihaye, Anzin, and Ronchamp[157]
CHAPTER V.
Subaqueous Blasting.
Preparation of the Charge. Boring under Water. Submarine Rocks. Obstructions in Water-courses[164]

ROCK BLASTING.


CHAPTER I.
THE TOOLS, MACHINES, AND OTHER APPLIANCES USED IN BLASTING ROCKS.