DICTIONARY OF EXPLOSIVES

BY
ARTHUR MARSHALL
A.C.G.I., F.I.C., F.C.S.
CHEMICAL INSPECTOR INDIAN ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT

PHILADELPHIA
P. BLAKISTON’S SON & CO.
1012 WALNUT STREET
1920

Printed in Great Britain

INTRODUCTION

It is a generation since a dictionary of explosives has been published, and, in the meantime, many new explosives have been introduced. It is hoped, therefore, that this small volume, giving concise information about these special materials, may prove useful to those who have to deal with them. In Cundill and Thomson’s “Dictionary of Explosives,” issued in 1895, there are many entries of the names of inventors and of mixtures which had been proposed but have never been used commercially, nor are likely to be. As modern explosives were then in their infancy, it was no doubt wise to insert all the available information whether it appeared to be important or not; but now it seems to me better to restrict the scope of the dictionary so as to keep its size within moderate limits. Practically only explosives with special or proprietary names are therefore dealt with here. For information concerning chemical substances, such as the nitro-toluenes and other nitro-compounds, reference should be made to the textbooks on explosives and chemistry.

A few words may, however, be said here about the nitrocelluloses. These are made by treating cellulose with a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids, and then purifying the product by washing it thoroughly with hot water. The variety of cellulose most used for this purpose is cotton, and the product obtained from it is frequently called nitrocotton, three special varieties of which are collodion cotton, pyrocollodion and guncotton (q. v.). The only other form of cellulose which is nitrated on a commercial scale is “chemical cellulose” obtained by the treatment of wood or straw. Nitrated wood cellulose has long been used for the manufacture of smokeless powders for shot-guns, and during the War the Germans made powders for rifled fire-arms from it.

No trouble has been spared to make the dictionary complete and accurate, but there must inevitably be omissions and errors in it, especially as regards the explosives of foreign countries. The author will be grateful for any additional information that may be sent him.

Explosives may be classified in various ways, according to the purpose of the classification, but the great majority of them fall naturally into two main divisions: propellants and high explosives. Propellants explode comparatively slowly, and are used to propel projectiles from fire-arms. High explosives are much more rapid in their action, and are used for bursting and shattering. Propellants are of two sorts, according as they are intended for use in shot-guns or rifled fire-arms. Those for shot-guns burn more rapidly than those for the latter, but both practically always contain a considerable proportion of nitrocellulose, gelatinised by means of such solvents as acetone or ether-alcohol, according as it is of high or low nitration. Some contain also nitroglycerine, and are then called nitroglycerine powders, whereas those that do not contain this substance are termed nitrocellulose powders. Many powders also contain other ingredients, as may be seen from the compositions given in this dictionary.

Of high explosives an important class is used for charging shells and bombs. As a rule, but not necessarily, these are not the same as the explosives used for mining operations and other general blasting purposes. Another important class is that of the coal-mine explosives, which are designed to give only a short and comparatively cool flame so as to diminish the danger of igniting fire-damp and coal-dust. Nearly half the explosives in this dictionary are coal-mine explosives. The reason for this large number is that no finality has yet been reached as to the best and safest explosives to use in coal mines. When more experience has been gained it is probable that the number of these explosives on the market will be reduced. In England the Permitted List has recently been cut down considerably.

In Great Britain these coal-mine explosives have to be submitted to the Inspectors of Explosives, and are subjected to tests for safety and strength. If they pass they are placed on the list of “Permitted Explosives,” and the compositions are published in the Explosives in Coal Mines Orders. In these Orders the upper and lower limits of the percentage of each constituent are given, but in this dictionary intermediate percentages are given so that the sum for any explosive amounts to 100. In the Explosives in Coal Mines Orders the percentage of such a substance as wood, meal or starch, is given in the dried condition, but here it is given in the air-dry state on the assumption that it then contains about 10 per cent. of moisture.

In France and Belgium also the compositions of the coal-mine explosives are published, but in Germany, as a rule, only a list of the constituents is given, and sometimes an upper or lower limit for one or more of the principal constituents. Moreover, it is not stated explicitly whether the explosives are intended for use in coal mines or for general blasting purposes. In the United States of America, explosives intended for use in coal mines are examined by the Bureau of Mines, which, however, has no power to prevent the use of others because regulations on this matter are made by the individual states. If they pass they are placed on the list of “Permissible Explosives.” The compositions are not published, but the class of composition is stated.

Until the second half of the nineteenth century, gunpowder was practically the only explosive used on a considerable scale, and it was employed for all purposes. Consequently it does not fall into any of the classes mentioned, or rather it could be placed in several of them.

Another class of explosives that has not yet been mentioned is that of the primary igniters, of which fulminate of mercury may be taken as typical. The characteristic of these is that they can be exploded or ignited by a spark or moderate friction, and consequently they can be employed to fire other, less sensitive explosives. There are, however, practically no explosives of this class which possess special or proprietary names, and consequently they are not dealt with in this dictionary.

Naini Tal, India.
1920.

CLASSIFICATION

DICTIONARY OF EXPLOSIVES

ABBCITE.—A coal-mine explosive made by Kynoch, Ltd. The original composition which passed the Woolwich Test was—

To enable it to pass the Rotherham Test sodium chloride was added, and a little dinitro-toluene was also introduced—

Abbcite No. 2.

The permit has now been repealed.

ABELITE.—A coal-mine explosive made by the Lancashire Explosives Co. Two formulas were approved—

The permits have now been repealed.

Abelite (without distinguishing number) is simply a mixture of ammonium nitrate and trinitro-toluene—

It is therefore a variety of [Bellite] in which the dinitro-benzene has been replaced by trinitro-toluene. It is used for filling grenades and general blasting purposes, but is not permitted in dangerous coal mines.

AEROLIT is a Danish ammonium nitrate explosive, e.g.—

AETNA COAL POWDER is an American coal-mine powder on the Permissible List. Brands A, B and C are nitroglycerine explosives. AA and No. 2 are ammonium nitrate explosives.

AETNA POWDER.—A variety of American dynamite containing 15 to 65 per cent. of nitroglycerine mixed with wood pulp and sodium nitrate. Roasted flour has sometimes been substituted for wood pulp.

AJAX POWDER.—A coal-mine explosive made by Nobel’s Explosives Co.

In 1914, 329,000 lbs. were used in coal mines, but the permit has now been repealed.

ALBIONITE.—A mixture of [gelignite] and ammonium oxalate. It was formerly on the Permitted List.

ALBIT.—A German chlorate explosive introduced in 1915 in consequence of the scarcity of nitrates due to the War. It is defined as consisting of not more than 80 per cent. sodium or potassium chlorate, not more than 4 per cent. nitroglycerine, and mono- or dinitro-hydrocarbons. It may also contain inorganic salts and carbon carriers such as vegetable meal, oils, soaps or carbohydrates. A variety made for use in coal mines is called Wetter-Albit or Kohlen-Albit.

ALDORFIT. See [DORFIT].

ALKALSIT.—A German chlorate or perchlorate explosive made by the Dynamit A.-G. of Hamburg. It contains not more than 80 per cent. sodium or potassium chlorate, or not more than 80 per cent. sodium, potassium or ammonium perchlorate, and 19 per cent. of aromatic nitro-hydrocarbons and nitrocotton, also coal, hydrocarbons or carbohydrates, and nitrates. The chlorate mixtures must not contain ammonium salts. Alkalsit I contains not more than 27 per cent. of potassium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, not more than 24 per cent. of sodium nitrate, not more than 8 per cent. of trinitro-toluene, also wood meal, flour and nitro-naphthalene. Alkalsit A contains not more than 55 per cent. of potassium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, not more than 31 per cent. trinitro-toluene, and not more than 5 per cent. of a neutral liquid mixture of nitrated toluenes. Alkalsit B is similar except that it contains also ammonium nitrate.

ALSILITE S.G.P.—A Belgian coal-mine explosive on the list of Explosifs S.G.P. It is of the [Ammonal] type—

ALUMATOL.—A mixture of ammonium nitrate, trinitro-toluene and a little aluminium powder, used for charging trench-mortar bombs, etc.

AMASITE.—A coal-mine explosive formerly on the Permitted List—

It was made by the Société Anonyme de Vilvorde in Belgium, and was originally called Ugolite.

Rock Amasite and S.T. Amasite are non-permitted explosives of composition somewhat similar to the above.

AMATOL.—A mixture of ammonium nitrate and trinitro-toluene. The composition is shown by the figures placed after the name; thus Amatol 40/60 contains 40 per cent. ammonium nitrate and 60 per cent. trinitro-toluene, and Amatol 80/20 consists of 80 parts ammonium nitrate and 20 parts trinitro-toluene. These explosives are used very extensively for filling shell and other projectiles. The mixtures rich in trinitro-toluene can be cast after being heated to temperature above the melting-point of this constituent, but those rich in ammonium nitrate are stemmed into the projectile hot or pressed. Similar mixtures are used by the Germans and other powers under various names. In Germany it is called Füllpulver (q. v.).

AMATOXOL.—A mixture of ammonium nitrate and [Toxol], which consists of trinitro-toluene and trinitro-xylene.

*AMBERITE.—A smokeless shot-gun powder made by Curtis’s and Harvey at Tonbridge. Amberite No. 1 contained nitroglycerine as well as nitrocotton and various other substances. According to “Arms and Explosives,” 1917, p. 78, a sample of Amberite No. 2 had the composition—

This is still on the market. It is a fibrous 42-grain bulk powder.

*AMIDE POWDER or Chilworth Special Powder was an early attempt at a smokeless powder. Under the name of Amidpulver it was used by the German artillery for some years in the ’eighties of the last century. Its composition was—

See also [Ammonpulver] and [Hebler Powder].

AMMONAL is a blasting explosive containing ammonium nitrate, aluminium powder, charcoal, and generally trinitro-toluene. It was patented in 1900 by G. Roth of Vienna, and the following are some of the compositions made by his firm at Felixdorf in Austria—

More violent mixtures made by the same firm are—

and modifications of this have been used largely in the British service. It is not suitable for use in underground workings as it forms on explosion the poisonous gas carbon monoxide, unless the proportion of ammonium nitrate be large. It has been used for charging grenades, and by the Austrians for trench howitzer bombs.

When the explosive is detonated, the aluminium is converted into the oxide, evolving no gas, but a considerable amount of heat, which increases the power of the explosive. The aluminium powder also renders the explosive easier to detonate.

Three explosives of this type passed the Woolwich Test, and were on the old Permitted List for coal mines, namely, Ammonal B, Ripping Ammonal and Saint Helen’s Powder (q. v.).

No explosives containing aluminium are on the present Permitted List.

AMMONIAKKRUT was the first ammonium nitrate explosive. It was invented by J. Ohlsson and J. H. Norrbin, two Swedes, and was protected by English Patent 2766 of 1869. It consisted of ammonium nitrate together with 5 or 10 per cent. of charcoal, coal dust, etc., to which mixture was added 10 to 30 per cent. of nitroglycerine to make it less difficult to detonate.

AMMONITE is a coal-mine explosive of the [Favier] type, made by the Miners’ Safety Explosives Co. The original composition, which passed the Woolwich Test was—

To pass the more severe Rotherham Test a number of compositions have been made and approved, but some of them have been repealed. Those now on the Permitted List are—

Ammonite No. 1 is used on a considerable scale in coal mines. A non-permitted explosive called Ripping Ammonite is also made.

*[AMMONPULVER] is a propellant which was used by the Austrians from 1890 to 1896 in guns of various calibres—

It was superseded by a powder of the [ballistite] type, but has been reintroduced recently by the Germans to replace a part of the charge of nitrocellulose powder in their field gun. The advantages claimed for it are small erosion of the gun, absence of muzzle flame, chemical stability, and cheapness. On the other hand, it gives high pressures, and if used by itself requires a gun with a specially large chamber; but the most serious objection to it is that on keeping, physical changes take place in the pellets, leading to the production of very high pressures. It is said that moisture promotes these changes. See also [Amide Powder].

AMVIS.—A coal-mine explosive formerly on the Permitted List—

Neu ANAGON.—A German blasting explosive containing not more than 70 per cent. of ammonium nitrate, zinc-aluminium alloy and charcoal.

ANCHORITE.—A coal-mine explosive of the [Favier] type, formerly on the Permitted List. It was made by Kynoch-Arklow, Ltd.

ANILIT.—A German explosive containing not less than 70 per cent. of ammonium nitrate, not more than 5 per cent. of sugar, and copper sulphate-aniline or copper oxalate-aniline.

ANILITE.—A French liquid explosive of the Sprengel class used for aerial bombs.

ANTIGEL DE SÛRETÉ.—A Belgian coal-mine explosive—

The Charge limite is 900 grammes, which is equivalent to 524 grammes of dynamite No. 1. The composition is the same as that of [Ingélite]. It is a low-freezing nitroglycerine explosive.

APHOSITE.—A coal-mine explosive formerly on the Permitted List—

*APYRITE.—A nitrocellulose smokeless powder formerly made in Sweden by the Société Grakrut.

ARKITE.—A coal-mine explosive made by Kynoch, Ltd. The original composition which passed the Woolwich Test was—

The proportions were modified, and the following passed the Rotherham Test, and was on the Permitted List—

It has now been repealed.

ASTRALIT.—An ammonium nitrate explosive containing a little [blasting gelatine], made by the Dynamit A. G. Nobel of Hamburg. It has been used largely in Germany for a variety of purposes.

Astralit I and II are defined as consisting of ammonium nitrate, charcoal, vegetable meal, not more than 15 per cent. of aromatic nitro-bodies not more dangerous than trinitro-toluene, not more than 4 per cent. of [blasting gelatine]; also paraffin oil.

Astralit IV consists of ammonium nitrate, not more than 10 per cent. of aromatic nitro-bodies not more dangerous than dinitro-naphthalene, vegetable meal, and not more than 4 per cent. of [blasting gelatine].

Astralit V, which has been introduced recently, contains up to 10 per cent. of potassium perchlorate in addition to ammonium nitrate, also vegetable meal, not more than 16 per cent. of aromatic nitro-compounds, and not more than 4 per cent. of nitroglycerine.

Gelatine-Astralit is a gelatinised or powdery mixture of the nitrates of ammonium and sodium (or potassium), not more than 50 per cent. of dinitro-chlorhydrin, not more than 5 per cent. of nitroglycerine, not more than 2 per cent. of collodion cotton, vegetable meal, aromatic nitro-bodies such as nitro-toluenes or nitro-naphthalenes, but not more than 4 per cent. of trinitro-toluene; also hydrocarbons.

Wetter-Astralit is a coal-mine explosive, and differs from Astralit in that part of the ammonium nitrate is replaced by sodium chloride.

Wetter-Gelatine-Astralit is also a coal-mine explosive, and differs from Gelatine-Astralit in that it contains also fatty oils and neutral salts, such as potassium chloride, sodium chloride or an oxalate.

The following percentage compositions have been given—

Explosives of the Astralit type have also been used extensively by the Germans for filling trench howitzer shell and similar projectiles. The following is approximately the composition used for this purpose—

This explosive was authorised in England under the name of Australite.

ATLAS POWDER.—A brand of American straight dynamite.

AUSTRALITE. See [ASTRALIT].

*AXITE. A smokeless powder made by Kynoch, Ltd., and used for sporting rifles. It is a sort of [Cordite MD], with a little of the guncotton replaced by potassium nitrate, and is in the form of flat strips. A sample had the composition—

*B.—Poudre B is the French service propellant. It consists of nitrocotton gelatinised with ether-alcohol, in which it is partly soluble. A little diphenylamine is added to increase the stability. Formerly, various other additions have been made. A letter or letters are added to show the size of the powder and the purpose for which it is used—

Further letters and figures are added to show other particulars about the powder; D₂ means 2 per cent. of diphenylamine has been added as a stabiliser, or AM₈, 8 per cent. of amyl alcohol. The place and date of manufacture are similarly indicated.

BAELENITE.—A Belgian mining explosive—

It is authorised for manufacture in, or importation into the United Kingdom.

*BALLISTITE.—One of the first military smokeless powders, invented by Nobel. It consisted of about equal parts of nitroglycerine and soluble nitrocotton incorporated together under water, then passed repeatedly through rolls and cut into flakes. It was adopted by a number of Continental powers, but in consequence of the severe erosion of the guns which it caused, it has been modified or abandoned. The percentage of nitroglycerine is reduced, and consequently it is necessary to use a solvent such as acetone. A little mineral jelly or other stabiliser is sometimes added.

BARATOL.—A mixture of barium nitrate and trinitro-toluene.

BARBARIT.—A German chlorate explosive made at the Sprengstoff-fabriken Kriewald bei Gleinitz.

The petroleum has a flash point not below 105° C., and commences to boil not below 242°.

Gelatine-Barbarit has the composition—

BARKING POWDER.—A mixture of ammonium perchlorate and nitrated naphthalene, formerly used in coal mines.

BAUTZENER SICHERHEITSPULVER.—A German coal-mine explosive containing not less than 70 per cent. of ammonium nitrate, barium nitrate, and not more than 15 per cent. of trinitro-toluene.

BAVARIT.—A German coal-mine explosive similar to [Grisounite]. It contains 90 per cent. of ammonium nitrate together with nitrated naphthalene; charcoal may be added.

BELLITE is essentially a mixture of ammonium nitrate and metadinitro-benzene. It has been used extensively as a coal-mine explosive, and was patented by C. Lamm of Stockholm in 1885. Two varieties passed the Woolwich Test and were on the old Permitted List—

No. 1 contains just enough oxygen for complete combustion, and No. 3 contains a large excess of oxygen. To enable the explosive to pass the Rotherham Test sodium chloride has been added. There were four varieties on the present Permitted List, but all except the following, No. 1, have been repealed—

BENTAL COAL POWDER.—An American coal-mine explosive on the Permissible List. It is an ammonium nitrate explosive.

BITUMINITE.—There are several coal-mine explosives of this name on the American Permissible List. Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 L.F. are nitroglycerine explosives. No. 5 is an ammonium nitrate explosive.

BLACK DIAMOND.—There are several coal-mine explosives of this name on the American Permissible List. Nos. 2A, 3A and 6 L.F. are nitroglycerine explosives, whereas Nos. 5, 7 and 8 are ammonium nitrate explosives.

BLACK POWDER is a name for ordinary gunpowder, a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal.

BLASTINE is a high explosive having approximately the composition—

As the sodium nitrate in the above is not equivalent to the ammonium perchlorate, part of the chlorine is given off in the form of the poisonous gas, hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid).

BLASTING GELATINE.—Nitroglycerine, stiffened by having collodion cotton dissolved in it. Discovered by Nobel in 1875. It contains about—

and also often a fraction of a percentage of calcium or magnesium carbonate to increase its stability. This is the most powerful of all the explosives in common use.

BOBBINITE.—The only explosive of the gunpowder class the use of which is permitted in coal mines in England. In most foreign countries explosives of this class are not allowed to be used in them at all. The permission is only temporary, but has been extended to the end of 1920, and is restricted to mines that are not gassy or dangerous from coal dust. There are two definitions, but the second is the one that is generally manufactured apparently—

More than a million pounds of this explosive are used in coal mines every year. It shatters the coal less than high explosives do.

BOMLIT.—A German potassium perchlorate blasting explosive made by Wolff et Cie. at Walsrode. It contains also ammonium nitrate, trinitro-toluene and guncotton. Other ingredients that may be present are potassium and sodium nitrates, starch meal, vaseline, naphthalene and other hydrocarbons, charcoal and castor oil.

BRITONITE.—A coal-mine explosive of the [Carbonite] type, made by the British Explosives Syndicate, Ltd., Pitsea. The original composition passed the Woolwich Test and was on the list of Permitted Explosives, but on the introduction of the Rotherham Test it became necessary to add ammonium oxalate or sodium chloride. Nos. 2 and 3 were on the Permitted List, but have now been repealed.

BROWN POWDER. See [COCOA POWDER].

BRUGÈRE’S POWDER consisted of—

It was stated to give good results in the Chassepôt rifle, but picrate mixtures are liable to detonate, and are therefore dangerous to use as propellants.

BULL DOG Gunpowder Pellets were used in coal mines. They contained the same constituents as [Bobbinite], which superseded them, but in different proportions.

Explosifs C were mixtures of ammonium cresylate with ammonium or sodium nitrate. They were made in France at one time, but their manufacture was dropped, as they were more expensive to make than [Grisounite], and no more powerful.

[CAHUECIT].—This was invented in the ’seventies of the last century by R. Cahuc, and was manufactured at Dartford in Kent under the name of [Safety Blasting Powder] or [Carboazotine]. It is still made in Germany. The ingredients are—

to which are added a few per cent. of sulphate of iron. The incorporation is carried out with the assistance of a considerable quantity of water, which is afterwards evaporated off. The mixing is not very thorough. The explosive is a comparatively mild one, but is used sometimes for blasting basalt. In the German explosive the potassium nitrate may be replaced by the corresponding sodium salt.

AMMONCAHUECIT.—In this explosive the potassium nitrate is replaced mainly or wholly by ammonium nitrate, and it contains not more than 15 per cent. of trinitro-toluene or trinitro-naphthalene or other nitro-body.

The brand labelled “Fram” contains ammonium nitrate, not more than 25 per cent. of trinitro-toluene gelatinised with 4 per cent. collodion cotton, wood meal or other vegetable meal and neutral stable salts. The brand “Indra” is similar, except that it contains also not more than 10 per cent. potassium nitrate, and the percentage of trinitro-toluene may be raised to 20.

CAMBRITE is a coal-mine explosive of the [Carbonite] type made by Nobels at Ardeer. It consists practically of Nobel Carbonite, to which 8 per cent. of a cooling agent has been added. Unlike most of the explosives on the old Permitted List, it passed the Rotherham Test with practically no alteration—

Only No. 2 is now on the Permitted List.

CAMERON MINE POWDER.—There are a number of coal-mine explosives of this name on the American Permissible List. Nos. 1a, 2a and 2a LF are ammonium nitrate explosives, whereas Nos. 3a and 5a are nitroglycerine explosives.

*CANNONITE was a smokeless powder made by a firm called the War and Sporting Smokeless Powder Syndicate, Ltd. It consisted of about 86 per cent. of nitrocellulose mostly insoluble in ether-alcohol, and a few per cent. of barium nitrate, together with small quantities of some of the following: potassium nitrate, charcoal, lampblack, vaseline, rosin, stearine, dinitro-benzene, trinitro-toluene, potassium ferro-cyanide, graphite. For shot-guns the powder was of the forty-two grain type, dense and gelatinised. The rifle powder was colloidal. These powders were made in the ’nineties of the last century.

CARBITE D’ABLON is a sort of [Carbonite] made in France—

CARBOAZOTINE. See [CAHUECIT].

CARBO-DYNAMITE was an explosive patented by W. D. Borland. It differed from ordinary dynamite in that the nitroglycerine was absorbed in cork charcoal instead of kieselguhr. One part of the charcoal sufficed to absorb nine parts of nitroglycerine.

[CARBONITE] (or Karbonit) was one of the earliest and one of the most successful coal-mine explosives. It was first made by Bichel and Schmidt at Schlebusch in Germany in 1885, and after some modifications gave satisfactory results at the Neunkirchen testing station in 1887. It contains about 26 per cent. of nitroglycerine, 33 per cent. of a nitrate, and 40 per cent. of wood meal or starch flour, and small quantities of other substances. Nobel Carbonite passed the Woolwich Test and had the composition—

The Carbonite made at the works of the Carbonite Syndicate at Schlebusch, and imported into Great Britain, was practically the same as this, but they also made another explosive which passed the Woolwich Test, and contained 35 per cent. of nitroglycerine gelatinised with nitrocotton, and smaller proportions of nitrates and wood meal than are given above: this was called Extra-Carbonite. They have also made explosives to numerous modifications of this formula for use on the Continent. The essential feature of all of them is that they contain so much of the combustible constituents, such as wood meal, that most of the carbon appears in the products of explosion as carbon monoxide, and the temperature of the gases is consequently low.

Nobels at Ardeer also made a low freezing explosive in which part of the nitroglycerine was replaced by a nitro-compound. This was called Arctic Carbonite—

Various manufacturers have made explosives of the type of Carbonite and placed them on the market under different names, such as [Tutol], [Kolax], [Kohlen-Carbonite], [Minite] and Colinite. These, however, do not pass the Rotherham Test for Permitted Explosives, unless ammonium oxalate or other cooling agent be added, as in the case of [Cambrite], [Super-Kolax] and [Britonite No. 2].

On the Continent, explosives similar to Arctic Carbonite have been produced under the names [Antigel de Sûreté] and [Ingélite].

There are several Carbonites on the American Permissible List. Of these Nos. 1 to 4 are in order of diminishing violence: Nos. 5 and 6 are low freezing varieties. There are also a number of other explosives of the Carbonite type on the List.

Ammonkarbonit is a German coal-mine explosive, containing about 80 per cent. of ammonium nitrate and 4 per cent. of blasting gelatine, together with 5 or 10 per cent. of potassium nitrate, and a combustible such as flour, starch or coal dust. Sodium or potassium chloride may be added as a cooling agent. It has been used for blasting clay.

Gelatine-Karbonit is a Carbonite containing ammonium nitrate, and a considerable proportion of nitroglycerine gelatinised with collodion cotton.

Halokarbonit is similar to Ammonkarbonit, except that a considerable proportion of the ammonium nitrate is replaced by other nitrates.

CARLSONITE was the first ammonium perchlorate explosive submitted to H.M. Inspectors of Explosives. It was proposed in 1898 by Carlson of Stockholm, and some of the mixtures were reported on favourably, but no licence was ever taken out in the United Kingdom for this explosive.

C.E. (Composition Exploding) is the same as [Tetryl].

CELTITE was a coal-mine explosive made by Dr. R. Nahnsen & Co., Hamburg, and formerly permitted for use in British coal mines, having passed the Woolwich Test.

It was also called Zeltit.

*CENTRALITE is not an explosive, but is a name given to a substance which has been used to modify the surface of smokeless powder, and make it burn progressively. The substance is dimethyl-diphenyl-urea. (See Brit. Pat. 29,882 of 1909.) It acts also as a stabiliser.

CHEDDITE is a chlorate explosive which has been rendered less sensitive by having the particles of chlorate coated with castor oil or paraffin wax. It is manufactured by the French Government at the Vonges Powder Works, and has also been made in other countries. The two types that have been most used in France are—

*CHEESA STICKS are sticks of [cordite] coated with powdered ammonium oxalate and shellac. They are used in South Africa as fuses for blasting charges. They are authorised in England only for manufacture and immediate export.

*CHILWORTH SMOKELESS POWDER. See [C.S.P.]

*CHILWORTH SPECIAL POWDER. See [AMIDE POWDER].

CHLORATIT is an Austrian explosive, which was permitted for use in coal mines during the War.

CHLORATZIT.—A German explosive containing potassium chlorate or perchlorate, aromatic nitro-bodies, resins and carbohydrates. For use in coal mines neutral salts are added as cooling agents, and the name then has WETTER or KOHLEN prefixed to it.

CHROMAMONIT was a coal-mine explosive formerly made in Germany—

*CLERMONITE.—A Belgian shot-gun powder made by the Cooppal Co. It is a 40-grain fibrous powder of the bulk type and coloured green.

CLIFFITE was a coal-mine explosive made by Curtis’s and Harvey, and formerly on the Permitted List—

SUPER-CLIFFITE differs considerably from this. There are two formulæ which have passed the Rotherham Test, but only No. 2 is still on the Permitted List—

CLYDITE was a coal-mine explosive formerly made by Nobels at Ardeer. It was similar to Nobel Carbonite, but the potassium nitrate was replaced by the barium salt, and it might contain up to 8 per cent. of ammonium oxalate.

COALITE.—There is a series of coal-mine explosives of this name on the American Permissible List. Varieties X, 3X, and 3XC are ammonium nitrate explosives; whereas 1, 2D, 2DL and 2MLF are nitroglycerine explosives.

COAL SPECIAL are American coal-mine explosives on the Permissible List. They are all nitroglycerine explosives.

COCOA POWDER or Brown Powder was a variety of gunpowder made with a brown charcoal prepared from straw—

It was compressed to a density of 1·8 into prisms or grains of considerable size, and was used in guns of large calibre. E.X.E. and S.B.C. were special varieties of this.

COLINIT ANTIGRISOUTEUSE.—A Belgian coal-mine explosive of the [Carbonite] type. The ordinary formula is practically the same as that of Kohlencarbonite and Minerite. Type B consists of—

COLLIER POWDER.—There are a number of coal-mine explosives of this name on the American Permissible List. Varieties BNF, KN, X, XLF, 5, 5LF, 5 Special, 9, 11, and 11LF are ammonium nitrate explosives whereas 2 and 6LF are nitroglycerine explosives.

COLLODION COTTON is a variety of nitrocotton of low nitration, almost completely soluble in a mixture of ether and alcohol. It contains not more than 12·3 per cent. of nitrogen. It also dissolves in nitroglycerine and liquid nitro-compounds, rendering them gelatinous and so preventing their exudation.

*COOPPAL’S POWDER.—A Belgian smokeless shot-gun powder. Formerly it was much the same as [Schultze Powder], consisting of nitrolignin carefully purified, and mixed with nitrates with or without the addition of starch. The following analyses were published in “Arms and Explosives” for July 1917—

CORDITE is the principal smokeless powder of the British Services. It was originally adopted in 1888, and is made by mixing nitroglycerine with guncotton and mineral jelly (a sort of crude vaseline), and incorporating them together with the aid of acetone, which gelatinises the guncotton. In consequence of the severe erosion of the guns experienced during the South African War the proportions were altered, some of the nitroglycerine being replaced by guncotton. The propellant thus “modified” is called Cordite M.D., whereas that of the original composition is Cordite Mk.I. Both are still in use, especially M.D.—

During the great European War a further variety was introduced to extend the basis of supply of solvents. This is called Cordite R.D.B. (Research Department B), and contains a nitrocotton of comparatively low nitration that can be gelatinised by means of a mixture of ether and alcohol—

It is designed to give about the same ballistics as Cordite M.D. A further letter is sometimes added to show the form of the powder. Thus Cordite M.D.T. is M.D. pressed into tubes; S. stands for strip. The size is indicated by a numeral, which shows the diameter in hundredths of an inch of the die through which it has been pressed. In the case of tubular powder both the external and internal diameters are given approximately: e. g. Cordite M.D.T. 5-2.

Poudre blanche CORNIL.—A Belgian coal-mine explosive containing ammonium nitrate, potassium or sodium nitrate, dinitro-naphthalene and lead chromate, with or without the addition of ammonium chloride.

CORNISH POWDER.—A coal-mine explosive which passed the Woolwich Test and was formerly on the Permitted List, made by the National Explosives Co., Ltd.—

CORONITE was a coal-mine explosive of the [Carbonite] type, which was on the Permitted List at one time. It had also been called Permittite.

Picric acid has been called by this name in Sweden.

See also [KORONIT].

COSILIT.—A German coal-mine explosive of the [Carbonite] type made by Nahnsen. A published analysis gives its composition as—

COTTON POWDER. See [TONITE], also [CP].

CP₁ and CP₂ are varieties of nitrocotton (Coton Poudre) made in France, principally for the manufacture of [Poudre B] and other smokeless powders. CP₁ is a guncotton containing about 13 per cent. of nitrogen, and only about 10 per cent. of matter soluble in ether-alcohol. CP₂ is almost completely soluble in ether-alcohol, and contains about 12 per cent. of nitrogen.

CRÉSYLITE.—A French high explosive used for filling shell and other military purposes. Crésylite 60/40 consists of picric acid and nitrated cresol in about the proportions of 40 of the former to 60 of the latter. It melts below the temperature of boiling water. The nitrated cresol consists largely of trinitro-metacresol.
Crésylite No. 2 is simply crude trinitro-meta-cresol.

CRONITE is an American coal-mine explosive. There are two varieties on the Permissible List, Nos. 1 and 5, both of which are ammonium nitrate explosives.

*CRYSTAL is a smokeless shot-gun powder made by Curtis’s and Harvey. It is a non-solvent powder for cheap loading, and the charge is thirty-three grains.

C.S.P.² (Chilworth Smokeless Powder, No. 2) is a modification of [Cordite], containing a little sodium bicarbonate as a stabiliser. It is stated to have been adopted by the Brazilian navy (see “Engineering” for August 18, 1911, p. 237) and other powers.

CUGNITE.—A French blasting explosive manufactured by the Société Française des Explosifs—

CURTISITE.—A coal-mine explosive of the [Grisounite] class made by Curtis’s and Harvey. It was formerly on the Permitted List—

SUPER-CURTISITE was a modification of the above to enable it to pass the Rotherham Test—

The permit has been repealed.

DAHMENITE is an ammonium nitrate explosive which has been used to a considerable extent in Germany. One variety known as Dahmenite A, made by De Gezamenlijke Buskruidmakers van Noord-Holland, was formerly on the British Permitted List for use in dangerous coal mines—

Ordinary Dahmenite contains up to 15 per cent. of potassium nitrate instead of bichromate, and has been used for blasting clay. Some varieties contain curcuma meal and other constituents. The following are some examples—

DENABY POWDER.—There was formerly a blasting explosive of this name, consisting of a compressed mixture of [Securite] and charcoal—

In 1914 a coal-mine explosive was introduced under the same name and passed the Rotherham Test—

It is made by British Westfalite, Ltd.

DENSITE.—A Belgian blasting explosive containing one or more of the following nitrates: ammonium, strontium, sodium, potassium; also trinitro-toluene, and sometimes dinitro-toluene and ammonium chloride. This explosive is practically the same as [Nitralite]. Varieties have been made for use in coal mines.
See also [Nitro-densite].

DETONIT V.—A German coal-mine explosive containing ammonium nitrate, charcoal, vegetable meal, neutral salts, and not more than 4 per cent. of [blasting gelatine].

DETONITE SPECIAL is an American coal-mine explosive on the Permissible List. It contains ammonium nitrate.

DOMINITE.—A coal-mine explosive made by the Westphalia Anhalt Explosives Co. in Germany, and formerly on the British Permitted List—

DOMINIT XI.—A German blasting explosive containing ammonium nitrate, dinitro-toluene, glycerine, and not more than 4 per cent. of [blasting gelatine].

DOMINIT XVIII, which has been introduced recently, contains up to 10 per cent. of potassium perchlorate, and is practically the same as [Astralit V].

DONARIT is a German blasting explosive of the [Grisoutine] type made by the Carbonite Co. of Hamburg. As a standard for the sensitiveness of ammonium nitrate explosives, the Imperial German Railway Commission use Donarit of the composition—

and this may be taken as the usual composition of the explosive, but the nitroglycerine is sometimes gelatinised with collodion cotton.

DONARIT A contains up to 16 per cent. of aluminium powder and no nitroglycerine.

DONARIT V, which has been introduced recently, contains up to 10 per cent. of potassium perchlorate, and is practically the same as [Astralit V].

Wetter-Donarit contains also sodium chloride or other cooling agent.

Gelatine-Donarit contains up to 20 per cent. of dinitro-chlorhydrin gelatinised with collodion cotton, in addition to the constituents of [Donarit], and may also contain sodium nitrate.

DORFIT is a German coal-mine explosive made by the firm of Allendorf—

ALDORFIT is a simpler mixture intended for use where there is no danger of fire-damp—

It is authorised in Great Britain.

PERDORFIT contains not more than 52 per cent. of potassium perchlorate, sodium and ammonium nitrates, not more than 29 per cent. of trinitro-toluene and vegetable meal or gums.

DRAGONITE.—A coal-mine explosive made by Curtis’s and Harvey, formerly on the Permitted List—

DREADNOUGHT POWDER.—A coal-mine explosive made by Roburite and Ammonal, Ltd., for a time on the Permitted List—

There is also Quarry Dreadnought Powder, which is not a permitted explosive.

DUNNITE.—A high explosive used by the United States for filling shell. It is stated to give dangerous compounds with iron, so apparently is a compound of picric acid.

DU PONT PERMISSIBLE.—An American coal-mine explosive. The following is on the British Permitted List—

*DU PONT SMOKELESS POWDER.—An American shot-gun powder of the fibrous 36-grain bulk type—

DUXITE.—A coal-mine explosive made by the Westphalia Anhalt Explosives Co. It passed the Rotherham Test, and was for a time on the British Permitted List—

Sicherheits Gallerte-DYNAMIT.—A German coal-mine explosive—

Wettersicheres Gelatine-DYNAMIT.—A German coal-mine explosive—

DYNAMITE is a name that has been given to various nitroglycerine explosives. Dynamite No. 1 consists of—

the explosive being held in the pores of the kieselguhr. In other dynamites the nitroglycerine is absorbed in a material like wood meal, and a nitrate is added to oxidise the latter on explosion.

In [Gelatine Dynamite] the nitroglycerine is gelatinised with collodion cotton. See under [Gelatine].

American Dynamites are not generally gelatinised with collodion cotton. They are made in a number of grades, depending on the percentage of nitroglycerine.

For further details about various dynamites, see textbooks on explosives.

DYNAMITE ANTIGRISOUTEUSE.—Belgian coal-mine explosive made at Baelen Wezel—

Of the above, IV. was found only to be safe in very small charges in the presence of fire-damp. No. V. has a “charge limite” of 700 grammes.

DYNAMMON.—The coal-mine explosive provided by the Austrian State monopoly—

DYNOBEL.—A coal-mine explosive made by Nobels. The first formula to pass the Rotherham Test contained potassium perchlorate—