. St. Nicholas [serial]. h explosives, equaled in shattering force by only two othergiving practical demonstration of their power, known substances. In spite of its high explosive quality it is avery safe compound to handle, and is prac-tically unaffected by shock, and will not ex-plode by being set on fire — even if a mass of itis stirred with a white-hot iron. It will burnwith a bright green flame, and can be ignitedwith a match. All this Mr. Maxim demonstrated by lightinga piece of smokeless powder and dropping it ina dish containing some lumps of maximite. Healso melted lead and poured it
. St. Nicholas [serial]. h explosives, equaled in shattering force by only two othergiving practical demonstration of their power, known substances. In spite of its high explosive quality it is avery safe compound to handle, and is prac-tically unaffected by shock, and will not ex-plode by being set on fire — even if a mass of itis stirred with a white-hot iron. It will burnwith a bright green flame, and can be ignitedwith a match. All this Mr. Maxim demonstrated by lightinga piece of smokeless powder and dropping it ina dish containing some lumps of maximite. Healso melted lead and poured it over dry lumpsof maximite, and, while it burned freely, likesulphur or wax, it did not explode. In appearance maximite somewhat resemblessulphur, being yellow in color and quite hard. Itis easily melted, in which condition it flows likemolasses and is poured into steel projectiles. On striking and entering a fortification or thearmor-plate of a vessel, a cap or fuse, chargedwith fulminate of mercury, at the rear end of. LIGHTING A CIGAR WITH A MAXIMITE CANDLE. When he lights a fire in the stove, — for heneeds heat to conduct some of his experiments,— he will take a stick of smokeless powder in apair of long pliers, set it afire with a match, andthen hold it under the grate. You will expectto see the stove blown instantly into a thousandfragments, but, instead, your misgiving changesto surprise when the powder burns with a brightyellow flame like a pine-knot and does not makethe slightest bit of smoke. It takes but a few seconds for it to be en-tirely consumed, and as a result a roaring fire isstarted, so that in a few minutes the stove is hotenough for use. Mr. Maxim will show you one of his im-portant inventions, his powerful shell-exploder,known as maximite, which in explosive forceis about fifty per cent, more efficient than dyna-mite, and somewhat more powerful than pure
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
