PETROLIT is a German chlorate explosive introduced during the War. It contains not more than 88 per cent. of potassium chlorate, nitro-compounds, kerosene, and neutral salts. (This is rather a dangerous mixture.—A.M.)

PFALZIT.—A German blasting explosive containing ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, not more than 13 per cent. of trinitro-toluene, not more than 1 per cent. of collodion cotton, meal, sodium chloride, etc.

PHŒNIX POWDER.—A German coal-mine explosive made by Dr. R. Nahnsen and Co., of Hamburg. It passed the Woolwich Test and was on the old Permitted List.

Nitroglycerine29·5
Collodion cotton0·5
Potassium nitrate  32 
Wood meal38 

PICROL.—See [Shellite].

PIERRITE.—A form of [Cheddite] which was made at Gamsee, near Brig, for excavating the Simplon tunnel—

Potassium chlorate  80 
Nitro-naphthalene11·5
Picric acid2 
Castor oil6·5

PIT-ITE was a coal-mine explosive of the [Carbonite] type, made by the New Explosives Co., Ltd. The composition, which was on the old Permitted List, was—

Nitroglycerine  26
Barium nitrate 33
Wood meal 41
  and a little sodium or calcium carbonate. 

In order to pass the Rotherham Test, the composition was modified to the following, No. 2, which was formerly on the Permitted List—