This comparatively great safety of wet gun-cotton, coupled with the fact that its detonation in that state may be readily accomplished through the agency of a small quantity of dry gun-cotton, termed a "primer," which, by means of a fulminating fuze, or detonator, is made to act as the initiative detonating agent, gives it important advantages over other violent explosive agents, when used for purposes which involve the employment of a considerable quantity of the material, on account of the safety attending its storage and necessary manipulation.
From experiments conducted by engineer officers in Austria, it was found that if boxes containing dry compressed gun-cotton are fired into from small arms, even at a short range, the gun-cotton is generally inflamed, but never exploded, the sharpness of the blow essential to effect an explosion, which the bullet might otherwise give, being diminished by its penetration through the side of the box before reaching the explosive. Wet gun-cotton, containing even as little as 15 per cent. of water, is never inflamed on these conditions.
Dynamite, on the other hand, is invariably detonated when struck by a bullet on passing through the side of the box.
Gun-cotton is insoluble in and unaffected by water.
The firing point of gun-cotton is about 360° F.
The temperature of explosion of gun-cotton is about 8700° F., being more than double that of gunpowder. Gun-cotton is not sensitive to friction or percussion.
If not perfectly converted or thoroughly washed, gun-cotton is liable to spontaneous decomposition, which under favourable conditions may result in explosion.
Compressed gun-cotton is free from such danger, as it may be kept and used saturated with water. It is stored in the wet state, care being taken that it is not exposed to a temperature that will freeze the water in the cakes, as if this occurs they are liable to be disintegrated by the expansion of the water in freezing.
Gun-cotton is the agent most extensively used for all kinds of military engineering and submarine operations in Great Britain, it being especially manufactured by the English government for that express purpose; but in other countries it is not so manufactured, and therefore, as it is little used for other than military purposes, it is not to any extent privately manufactured, as is the case with other explosives, such as dynamite, dualine, lithofracteur, &c., and thus, in case of war, would be somewhat difficult to obtain out of England.
Compared with dynamite, it is not so violent, and occupies more space, weight for weight, and also requires a more complicated means of detonating it. On the other hand, gun-cotton is infinitely safer to store and manipulate, and is not so subject to detonation by concussion (not being so sensitive) as dynamite.