A NEW EXPLOSIVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9131, 13 August 1888, Page 11

A NEW EXPLOSIVE.

TEST AT MOUNT EDEN QUARRIES. On the 7th August the test of a new explosive, useful for either mining', quarrying, or other blasting, or for war purposes, took place at the quarries, near the prison, at Mount Eden. There were present Mr. L. Macßrair (representative of the Bellit Safety Explosive Company, Sydney), Mr. Thomas Morrin, Mr. Adam Porter, Dr. Purchas, Mr. Reston (Gaoler), and Mr. Rutherford (Foreman of Works at Mount Eden Gaol). The new explosive is of Swedish origin, having been invented by Carl Lamb, from whom the company obtained it. It is named " Bellit," and in appearance resembles a yellow wax candle used for carriage lamps. In the centre is a small hole, into which at the time of fixing the charge a detonator, or cap, is fixed. When the cap is not in the Bellit " cartridge" the latter is perfectly harmless, and may be carried as ordinary baggage, knocked or kicked about in any way. In fact, without the cap "Bellit" is not an explosive at all. This was illustrated in a most striking manner by Mr. L. Macßrair, who in the presence of the gentlemen named took a cartridge, laid it down on a block of stone, and with a hammer pounded it into powder. The Bellit also does not come under, and is not included, in the Explosives Act. It is claimed to be harmless ; its fumes are non-poisonous, and its power is greater than dynamite or even gelatine. The quality of its fumes being nonpoisonous is a most useful one, especially to miners, or where it is used underground, as it is an admitted fact that one of the troubles with dynamite is these very poisonous fumes, and no one can, it is said, engage in work long where dynamite has to be exploded without suffering from this cause. In the experiments on Aug. 7 there were some seven charges fired, and all of them proved the explosive capable of doing its work satisfactorily. It shattered Initio blocks of stone and rock easily, and apparently as safely as could be expected, and we should judge Bellit to have from .'(0 to 50 per cent, more power than gelatine, which, in its turn, is more ' powerful than dynamite. The ordinary cartridge runs nine to the pound, while we believe dynamite runs seven to the pound. One cartridge was used on August? in each of the tests ex cept the last, when the cleft of an embankment of rock was tried, and about live cartridges, or a little over half-a-pound, of Bellit was used. In this trial it did all asked of it, and split the side, heaving apart a huge piece ready for breaking up. The trial of eight pounds of ordinary blasting powder in a shot seemed to do small work beside the Bellit. Wo understand that the new explosive has "been tried pretty extensively at the Thames, Reef ton, and South, and that miners, and everyone who has used it, or seen it tried, are greatly in love with it. It is also coming into use rapidly at home, and in Australia. The cost of Bellit is about equal to dynamite. Mr. L. Macßrair stated that if a quantity of Bellit were placed near to dynamite and the latter exploded, such explosion would not explode the Bellit. Summed up, then, it is claimed that Bellit is more powerful than any other explosive in common use, it is absolutely safe to handle, it cannot be exploded by concussion or fire (except when the detonator is inserted), its fumes are not poisonous, it will act equally well in cold or hot weather and will not freeze, and it is cheaper than dynamite. Messrs. T. and S. Morrin have the Auckland agency.