DEATH DEALING BOMBS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1156, 27 April 1894, Page 29

DEATH DEALING BOMBS.

ENGINES OF HUMAN DESTRUCTION. It ia interesting to note the means by which the hot gospellers of Anarchy prosecute their crusade. The engines of human destruction which they use depend for their effect upon ihe instantaneous exp.maion of gas developed in their highly explosive contents, and in the frightful concussion that ensues not only killing or maiming human beings, but destroying solid structures. The unfortunate cheapness, and the now well-understood use of dynamite, have made it a favourite explosive of the " propagandists' of fear."

The canister used by Vaillant in his attempt at wholesale assassination on the members of the Chamber of Deputies in Paris ho bought for sixpence at a shop opposite the Hotol de Villr. Ho said ho wanted to carry his lunch in it when he went to work. It was small enough to put in the pocket without being detec od. This canister Vaillant loaded ffith a mixture of what is known in Paris as green powder, or powder of chlorates, which waa mixed with a solution of prusaiateof soda and picric acid. The explosive quality was auppHod by an infusion of sulphuric aoid, saturating a ball of cotton. The interior of the bomb was filled with nails having pentagonal heads, called in France diamond tacks, which are used by upholsterers. Orsini, who several years ago threw a bomb charged with fulminate among the guards surrounding Napoleon Hi., made use of the early methods of exploding shells, and relied upon the object striking in a particular way in order to bring about its explosion, and consequently its result. Since that time great improvements have been made in tho matter of assassination by bombs While the bomb used in the Barcelona theatre reproduces the same method of bursting as was rcled upon by Orsini, yet it has been vastly improved, and, as that result showed, was quite certain of explosion upon whatever point it may have struck, because it was one entire mass of susceptible points. Amongst the extraordinary methods employed by the Anarch'sta to destroy those against whom their enmity is directed are canes and umbrellas that hold concealed in their handles a deadly bomb, quite small it is true, but with sufficient power to destroy. The plan is to take the cane or uinbrel a into the theatre or hail, and lay it upon the floor or counter. The sitting of it upright in its natural poa tion will cause it to explode with fatal result. The explanation is that the head of the cane holds two glass vessels, oblong in shape, and each filled wish an explosive liquid, harmless in itself ao long-as it is kept away from the other. The cane is carried by the Anarchist in perfect safety by being held horizontally. But, when lifted up and placed against the wall the fluid in the upper bottle runs into the lower, and the explosion takes place. A bomb recently used to destroy a house in Paris was concealed in the centre of a tin can filled with green peas, the ordinary grocery article that is found on every housekeeper's shelf. Its perfectly harm less appearance excited no suspicion, and thus the infernal machine within it had ample time to work and blow everything to pieces. Another ingenious machine is to all appearances merely a lady's handbag. But look inside, and you find it to be a death dealing weapon of terrible power. The interior of the bag is divided into several compartments. One space ia filled with small jagged pieces of iron. In the compartments is a quantity of fulminate necessary to explode dynamise. Communicating with these, and end-

ing in thokey hole of the bag, is a glass tube filled with sulphuric acid. The bag may be carelessly left in some public place, and when it comes 'v be thrown about, a Blight fall, or the f« i rc ng open of the bag will cauco the glass tube ;o break. The acid then flows into the fulminate chamber, a concussion is caused, aud the dynamite occupying the remaining space explodes with terrible effect.

A hat box contained another powerful machine. The hat case is lined with metal. A cross insido is made with metal tubes, inside of which are tubes of glass. The metal tubes aro filled with chlorate of potash, and the glass tubes with sulphuric acid. If the hat case is thrown on tho ground one of the glass tubes must break. The fusion of the potash with the acid causes instant ignition, and the flames run along until they reach the fulminate contained in the little case. The dynami'e, which occupies all the remaining space, then explodes English paper.