An explosive for such
purposes, and indeed for most military uses, should satisfy the
following conditions:
(1) Very shattering in its effects.
(2) Insensible to shocks of projectiles.
(3) Plastic.
(4) Easy and safe to manipulate.
(5) Easy to insert a fuse.
(6) Great stability at all natural temperatures and when used
in wet localities.
Neither blasting gelatine, dynamite nor gun-cotton fulfills all these
conditions; but they satisfy many of them and are more powerful than
other substances. For the destruction of walls, trees, rails, bridges,
etc., it is simply necessary to attach to them small bags of
explosive, which are ignited by means of blasters' fuse and a cap of
fulminate of mercury, or by an electric fuse.
We now come to the application of high explosives to warfare in the
shape of bursting charges for shells. This is the latest phase of the
problem, and it is undoubtedly fraught with the most important
consequences to both attack and defense. Difficult as it has been to
obtain an exact estimate of the force of different explosives under
water, the problem is far greater out of the water and under the
ordinary conditions of shell fire; the principal obstacle being in the
fact that it is physically impossible to control the force of large
quantities in order to measure it, and small quantities give irregular
results.
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