This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

LECTURES ON EXPLOSIVES. A COURSE OF LECTURES PREPARED ESPECIALLY AS A MANUAL AND GUIDE IN THE LABORATORY OF THE U. S. ARTILLERY SCHOOL - 1897 - PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. - THE following course of lectures is intended to serve as a manual and guide in the practical laboratory-work in the course of explosives at the U. S. Artillery School. The aim has been to present the subject systematically and logically, due consideration being given to the sequence in which the various classes of explosives are arranged, so that a certain degree of familiarity may be acquired in manipulating the less sensitive and dangerous mixtures before undertaking experiments with the high explosives. Particular attention has been given to the service tests of the various explosives, in the description of which all technical terms have been avoided as far as possible. While the bulk of the matter here presented is the result of compilation, it is believed that a portion at least appears in print for the first time. In submitting these pages I wish to acknoivledge my indebtedness for assistance and encouragement to Professor Munroe, and Lieutenant-Colonel R. T. Frank, zd Artillery, Commandant of the Artillery School. With the permission of Professor C. E. Munroe, Chemist to the U. S. Navy Torpedo Corps, I have borrowed largely from his course of Lectures on Chemistry and Explosives, delivered at the Torpedo Station, the arrangement of the subject-matter being slightly changed to meet the requirements of the Artillery School. WILLOUGHBWYA LKE, s L t ie zrt., 5th Artillzry. U. S. ARTILLERYSC HOOL, FORTM ONROE V, A., November, 1891. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. IN preparing the present edition of Lectures on Explosives the same general outline of the previous edition has been followed. The subject-matter has been enlarged, and it is believed that the value and usefulness of the work have been considerably increased not only as a text-book but for purposes of reference. In addition to those friends who aided me in the preparation of the earlier edition I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness particularly to M. Berthelot, Membre de lInstitut, President de la Commission des Substances, Explosives, etc., with whose permission I have borrowed Chapter 11. from his work Sur la Force des MatiCres Explosives dapr s la Thermochimie and John W. Mallet, Professor of General and Industrial Chemistry in the University of Virginia. WILLOUGHB W Y A LKE, 1st Lieut., 5th Artillery. U. S. ARTILLERSYC HOOL, FORT M ONROE V, A., May, 1897. CONTENTS . . LECTURE I . GENERAL CONSIDERA TIONS A FFECTlNG EXPL OSZONS AND EXPLOSIVES . PAGE Explosive Reactions .................................................. Ihe Chemical Comp . o . s . it . io .. n . . of . . E .. x . p . l . o . s . iv . e . s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I The Orlgin of Explosive Reactions .................................... 2 The Propagation of Explosive Reactions .............................. 3 Influence of Physical or Mechanical Condition of the Explosive .......... 4 Infl enceof External Conditions ....................................... 5 Influence of Method of Initial Inflammation ............................ 6 Combustion, Explosion. Detonation .................................... 7 Bodies susceptible of Detonation .................... .................. 9 Products of Explosive Reactions ....................................... I I The Volume of Gas evolved ................