Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1896 — When Gunpowder Explodes. [ARTICLE]

When Gunpowder Explodes.

The explosion of ordinary gunjtowder is so sudden that for a moment 11 vit part of the grp around the powder charge bus to hold the big volume of gas squeezed down under enormous pressure until the shot can make a start to get out of the end of the gun 1o make roam for the gas. If, therefore, gunpowder could he made to burn mo-cl slowly, so that it would not all be burnt until the shot reached the muzzle the strain would be distributed ail along.the gum. Such powder was made first in Gernrepy, but in spite of the fart that its manufacture was secret other countries analyzed it and soon made ft better than Germany.