Transactions of the Manchester Geological Society (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ...Mr. Smethurst: I can say, having gone very carefully into the question, that such a cartridge as I have mentioned charged with 3 ounces of dynamite can be fired with safety, that, however, is as far as you can go; beyond that it becomes unsafe. Mr. Tonge said that he had made a considerable number of experiments, but with powder only, and he had found as Mr. Smethurst said, that the larger the proportion of water used to the powder, the better was the result. A large number of shots were fired without any flame. Sparks were seen, but these, we felt convinced, were from the fuse employed. Mr. Smethurst: Several times, when'using powder in the pit, with the water cartridges, we thought we did not see flame--only a sort of incandescent matter coming from the hole; but the question was, would it fire the gas? I went into experiments on the surface to try if it would, and I found in almost every case (there were only about two exceptions) that the powder fired the gas. And in every case in water, where they have been trying it, and their system of trying it, has been certainly better than mine, for they had the water cartridge put in the floor and over it a cubical wooden frame, covered with canvas, and filled with an explosive mixture--in every case, or almost every case, upon the cartridge being discharged, the gas was ignited, and not only has the gas been ignited, but they tried a piece of cotton saturated with benzoline, which likewise was set fire to. There is no doubt, however, of the success of dynamite fired by electricity, with a detonation. The water cartridge will add somewhat to the cost. Mr. Penman said that he gathered from Mr. Smethurst that the conclusion he had arrived at was that by using water cartridges combined with...