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[ RIFLE SHOOTING j

(By “TRIGGER.’) FIXTURES. November 29—Ashburton Defence Club’s seven-shot match at 300, 500 and 600 yards'. November 29—Christchurch Defence Rifle Club’s first long-range competition, Tai Tapu. November 29—Rankiora Defence Rifle Club’s sixth club competition, 200, 300 and 500 yards. December 27—Canterbury Rifle Association’s Annual Championships at Redcliffs. Xunckel'a Discovery. Kunckel’s discovery of fulminate in that .period between 1630 and 1703 is very ably described in a recent number of the U.S.A. Army Ordnance, by Lenney L. Davis. After the first use of black powder in a gun, more than five centuries elapsed before anything fundamentally new came into the explosives art, before the principle of the high explosive was discovered and applied. Substances now became available which, like nitro glycerine, were exploded by unintentional shock or were made to burn by firo without exploding, which were uncertain and unpredictable in their fiction. Others, like picric acid, were incapable of exploding from fire or from ordinary shock. It was found that these substances could be exploded regularly by the shock which resulted from the explosion of a small quantity of mercury fulminate. This primary explosive or “ initiator ” would explode from fire, invariably, whether confined or not, and the great local shock which it would produce would initiate the explosion of the high explosive. The discovery of the peculiar properties of mercury fulminate showed that high explosives were possible. Its use made them tractable. The preparation of fulminating gold and silver by the action of ammonia on the salt of the corresponding metal is described in what purports to be the writing of Basil Valentine, Dominican monk of Erfurt, in the early part of the fifteenth century. These writings are spurious for there has never been a Dominican monastery at Erfurt and the records of that religious order do not contain the name of Basil Valentine. They were evidently written in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century by Johann Thplde (or Tholden), of Hesse, who first published then,?, and constitute altogether an excellent summary of the best chemical knowledge of the time, collected without acknowledgment of source. Fulminating gold and silver were, .perhaps discovered by the Dutchman, Cornelis Drebbel (15721633). Their composition does not yet appear to have been definitely settled, for they are difficult substances to handle and explode on very slight provocation. For a time after their discovery they attracted considerable attention as toys or chemical curiosities, but they have not been put to practical use. In his diary for November 11, 1663, Pepys describes a conversation with a Dr Allen, who told him about Aurum fulminans, “ of which a. grain—put in a silver spoon and fired, will give a blow like a musquett and strike a hole through the spoon downward, without the least force upward.’’ The striking properties of fulminating gold and. silver attracted the attention of Johann Kunckel (1630-1703) and led him to the discovery of fulminate of mercury. This man was an exceptionally able experimenter and an acute observer, and contributed many new facts to chemistry. He is best known for his studies on ruby glass and on phosphorus. He was employed by various German princes and finally by Charles XI. of Sweden, by whom he was made Baron von Lowenstern and Counsellor of Mines for the kingdom. His most impefrtant work, the “ Laboratorium Chymicuni," was published after his death, under the editorship of Engelleder. On pages 213-214 he says: “ Further evidence that Mercury is cold is to be seen when you dissolve it in Aqua fortis (nitric acid), evaporate the solution to dryness, pour highlyrectified Spiritum Vini (alcohol) over the residue, and then warm it slightly so that it begins to dissolve. It commences to boil with amazing vigour. If the glass is somewhat stopped up, it bursts into a thousand pieces, and, in consequence, it must by no means be stopped up. I once dissolved silver and mercury together in Aqua fortis and poured over it an excess of Spiritum Vini, and set the mixture to putrify in fimum , Equinum (horse manure) after having stopped up the glass with mere sealing wax onjy. When it happened a few days later that the manure became a little warm, it made such a thunder-crack, with the shattering of the glass, that the stableservant imagined, since I had put it in a either that someone had shot at him through the window or that the Devil himself was active in the stable. As soon as I heard this news, I was able easily to see that the blame was mine, that it must have been my glass. Now this was with silver and mercury, 2 loth of each. Mercury does the same thing alone, but silver not at all. “ No Fulmina are produced unless hot and cold come together and have an wholly subtle earth between them. Now mercury consists for the most part of such a Terra viscosa (viscous earth), for otherwise it would have remained water, and it is therefore called also a dry water which does not moisten the hand. Likewise all Fulmina which are made artificially must have such an earth, as is seen in the case of fulminating gold, and fulminating Mars, Mofln, and Saturn (iron, silver and lead), which all must be precipitated with a frigidus (coldl, like Salt of Urine (ammonia), C. C. (cornu cervi, or hart’s horn, i.e., ammonia), etc., or otherwise they give no fulmen." This astonishing experiment, no doubt, became one of the standard exhibits of street fakirs and mountebanks, along with Kunckel’s phosphorus. Liebig, who was born in 1803, saw a fakir prepare and exhibit fulminate of mercury in the market-place at Darmstadt when he was a boy. He watched the .process with interest, recognised by its odour the alcohol which was used, went home, and succeeded in preparing the substance for himself. In 1823, when he was working with Gay Lussac at Paris, he studied the fulminates and isolated fulminie acid. Silver fulminate, as Kunckel says, is not produced by pouring alcohol alone on to silver nitrate. Brugnatelli, however, prepared it later by pouring on to one hundred grains of powdered silver nitrate, first an ounce of alcohol, and then an ounce of concentrated nitric acid. After the fulminate had precipitated, the mixture was diluted with water to prevent it from dissolving again, and immediately filtered. Edward Howard, who described the preparation of mercury fulminate in a paper before the Royal Society of London in 1800, has generally been regarded as the discoverer of the substance. He dissolved mercury in warm nitric acid and poured the solution, after cooling, into alcohol. This mixture was then

warmed to excite effervescence, and filtered for the ‘removal of fulminarte as soon as precipitation appeared to be complete. ■ Howard’s method is essentially the method which is now in use on a factory scale. The use of fulminate caps for priming the black powder charges of muskets soon came in. Sixty years elapsed after Howard’s paper before the observation was made by Alfred Nobel and his father, that nitro-glyoerine could he detonated by means of fulminate. After that, the development of high explosives was rapid. SYDENHAM v. CHRISTCHURCH. The annual match between the Sydenham and Christchurch Defence Rifle Clubs was held at the Tai Tapu range last Saturday afternoon. The conditions were very tricky owing to the strong north-easter which was blowing, compelling the competitors to make constant changes, and many promising scores were spoilt through, the choppy nature of the wind. ' Opening Range. Scoring at the opening range was very even, and at the conclusion of the 300yds distance only one point separated the two teams. Sydenham opened mUch better than their opponents, H. Barker 32, J. Buschl 32, and L. Pimm 32, all shooting well. These three were top scorers for the range, and only D. W. Sandford, with 31, shot well for Christchurch. At tire conclusion of the 300yds shoot, Christchurch (259) led Sydenham (28S) by one point. At 500 Yards. As usually is the case, scoring improved at 500yds, although the wind was very tricky. Christchurch opened well this time, S. Nelson 33, O. W. Sandford 33, and D. Harries 33, all shooting- well, scoring two points off the possible. J. Chapman, with 32, was the next best. A. Webb 32, and P. Morgan 32, were the best scorers for Sydenham at this range. On going back to 600yds, the totals were Christchurch 300 and Sydenham 304. Pinal Range. The wind proved a severe handicap to both teams at 600yds, and twos and threes were plentiful. Sydenham did not shoot so well and gave the Christchurch fleam an easy win by 22 points. S. Nelson, for the winners, put on a splendid shoot of 33, his score card reading 5555454, total 33. Under the conditions ruling, Nelson shot well and was very consistent throughout the day, notching 96. 11. Harries, with 30, was the next best for the winners. H. Barker 30, and J. Btischl 30, were the best scorers for Sydenham. The scores and totals were as follows: CHRISTCHURCH D.R. CLUB.

New Brighton Outdoor Club. The New Brighton Ladies’ Outdoor Miniature Rifle Club will commence the summer season next Saturday at 2 p.m. The range is nor. quite completed, although the committee hope to complete arrangements on shoot days. A good programme has been drawn up for the season, with an increased prize-list. Should the weather not permit on the dates arranged, the programme will b© carried out on the following Saturday throughout the season. Ashburton Club. * The Ashburton Defence Club had a good muster on Saturday afternoon. Several good scores were registered, most notable being H. Cromie 47, E. R. Truman 46, F. Clark 45, and J. Yeandle 45 (all at 300yds). G. Cromie, with 45, was top scorer at 600yds. The scores were as follows:

300 600 Hep. Tl. yds. yds. G. Cromie 42 45 7 94 R. Harle 41 4 3 0 93 H. Cromie 47 43 2 92 F. Clark 4 5 44 3 92 E. R. Truman 46 41 5 9 3 J. Yeandle 4 5 4 3 1 SO f-I. Donaldson 42 39 S 89 A. Donn 30 3 7 12 88 F. Porter 44 39 3 80 L. M’Natty 37 40 8 85 N. Bauerle 39 40 5 S 4 J. Clayton 40 3S 6 84 H. F. M’Elrea 36 3S 10 84 H. R. M’Elrea 3 7 36 10 83 C. Glassey 40 39 2 81 R. Bramley 35 41 scr 76

Jottings. Next March, the Victorian Rifle Association will stage their annual championship meeting, carrying a prize list of £3OOO. It is stated in an English journal that the wonderful precision of modern rifle sights is due to a Liverpool man. It appears that the B.S.A. aperture sight, which revolutionised shooting a few years before the war, is the invention of Mr William M’Cubbin, a one-time sergeant of the sth Rifle Battalion, the King’s Regiment. The Division were indulging in manoeuvres for the benefit of the funds, and everything was being let loose at once. A pretty girl was eagerly watching the performance when a rifle volley crashed out. With a surprised scream she fell back into the arms of a young corporal who was standing just behind her. “Oh, beg your pardon,” she gasped, blushing, “I was frightened by the rifles.” “Don’t mention it,” responded the corporal, hopefully, “Let’s go over and watch the heavy artillery for a bit.” Since the war, many women have competed in open competition against men, most notable being the recent success of Miss Foster at Bieley. There are several good women shots in Australia. A Miss Hatton, of Melbourne, recently put on 49 points out of a possible 50. Her shots were 5555555545. The inner was just missing by a narrow margin. It was the only 49 for the day, and the best the crack riflemen could do was 48. i s h a si @ h is s s m s a s is h a h ® si if

300 600 yds SK Total a. Ktelson 30 O. W. Sandford . 31 33 i II p H Bmkl eS . 20 II 30 1 iTuHri II 2S 27 84 G. Crimp 27 2S 28 S3 S. Loader 20 2S9 304 2SS SSI SYDENHAM D.E. CLUB. 500 yds 600 Total II II II A. Webb 30 32 29 91 30 32 II S7 \V. R? r Barret"t" '' 27 31 30 25 27 St V. Timms .... 2S II 29 2S 22 79 .. 2S i 300 271 859

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19301125.2.155

Bibliographic details

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19236, 25 November 1930, Page 13

Word Count
2,087

[ RIFLE SHOOTING j Star (Christchurch), Issue 19236, 25 November 1930, Page 13

[ RIFLE SHOOTING j Star (Christchurch), Issue 19236, 25 November 1930, Page 13