Say It With Gunpowder!

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 12 (Supplement)

Say It With Gunpowder!

BEFORE gunpowder made the world safe for plutocracy, it had its humble origin in the manure heaps of India. Natural deposits of nitrates in the soil. The wise men of the East turned their discovery to the making of fireworks, that youth might be harmlessly amused. There is no precise date for the "invention" of gunpowder. It jnst grew. Archaeologists, according to their habit, take refuge ,in Chinese origins. The stuff was first called "Chinese Snow," and later, "saltpetre." It took many hundreds of years of progress to make gunpowder really annoying. When the Saracens used incendiary materials offensively, the business still resembled our idea of fireworks rather than of artillery. Pitch, oil, camphor, and resins could discomfort the besiegers of a city, but real "frightfulness" had scarcely begun. Firing at besieging Crusaders, it took infidels the best part of a day-to load their big, bamboo cylinder. If; the gunner missed, he had 12 hours' steady work before him. And he was probably an unpopular man, with his own side. Artillery hardly frightened anyone —except generals—until the French substituted iron cannon balls for the inaccurate stones, and produced a light, mobine cannon. Even then enterals found tkey «nM still =fc»ld their jobs. The time taken to load was of strategic importance. When the French officer raisedhis liftt and courteously invited Messieur les Anglais to "fir® first," his politeness was suspect. There was a definite advantage a firmg .lest.

By Marten Cumberland Gunpowder has never been a complete debit on the social balanoe-sheet. In a lot of ways it helped European science to serve the community. The fact that a cannon ball could be seen travelling hopefully did more than encourage' activity among the infantry. It did much to settle the "flat earth" theory—an-obstin-ate conception which had long infuriated simple mariners and seaside dwellers. The world, now had a definite curve, which artillery muet take into account. Also the study of explosive gases assisted men of the 16th century to find out how the air became foul and dangerous in mines. In 1566 a chief topic of debate was how to make life wafe and tolerable for men engaged in the new, deep shaft mining for-metals and coal. Slavery was yielding to democratic humanitariaiusm. . ' With sulphur, charcoal and saltpetre, the people of the 14th century had made their own gunpowder. Working with pestle and mortar, "they earned money in their spare time, and Mlped to supply. His or Her Majesty's forces! But they grew careless. Fires broke out. Sometimes a desirable Tudor residence went higher than any cannon ball. It seemed to organise matters. The Tower of London-bo—led a "powder house", in 1461, and powder was manufactured at Porchester Castle. But thingß were not easy. In Europe nitrates do not accumulate freely in the sofl. Dry seasons are not sufficiently prolonged. Deposits are cashed away by tjf TjIM. — " "

Royal decrees and orders were issued. In 1540 France appointed officers (salpetriers commissiones), whose job it was to search for saltpetre. There was a war on. Searchings were thorough. The earth was turned over in staibles, sheep pens and cattle sheds. Cellars and pigeon houses were visited. With 6crapers and brushes the salpetriers were empowered to gather material everywhere. On uninhabited places they laboured with pick and shovel. No building might be demolished without notice first being given to these officials. They then stated which parts they wished reserved. In this way, under Louie XIII. (1610-1643), the French annual crop of saltpetre grew to three and a half million pounds. Later, however, it diminished. People got so naturally sick of such invasions of the home that they were prepared to forgo even gunpowder for the sake of a little peace. The last big adventure with gunpowder was the Germans' famous 75mile gun. Mixed up with its supreme modernity were quaint elements reminding one of the Middle Ages. For example, the rotation of the earth again became an important matter. The shells rose 24 miles and spent three minutes struggling with the laws of gravitation. So astronomers were once more called in to consider artillery. After the war all the secrets of this gun were discovered except one—the powder used. Plainly this powder could stmad higher pressures and develop greater explosive power than anything generally known. But, somewhere, there are people living who still possess the secret of that powder. The gun could be made again. Perhaps.a bigger gun? We have progressed far; from Chinese fireworks to German "Big Bertha." Shall we progress further, from "Big Bertha"

HAPPY ENDINGS . . .