INCENDIARY MIXTURES are required for the destruc tion of buildings or material by fire. They are of two types: (I) mixtures of inflammable materials, such as pitch or resin, with oxidizing agents such as potassium nitrate, which on ignition pro duce much flame of long duration; (2) mixtures of the thermit type in which molten products at a very high temperature are scattered by a mild bursting charge. These mixtures contain aluminium and iron oxide, which on ignition form iron and aluminium oxide and produce a temperature of about 2,500° C.
(W. R. Ho.)