In 1886 Vielle in France produced the first military smokeless powder of the modern class, by gelatinizing a mixture of cellulose nitrates only, or these mixed with barium and potas sium nitrates as oxidants and sodium carbonate as a neutralizer, with ether-alcohol or some other solvent. When the solids and the solvents were intimately mixed and gelatinization was complete the plastic mass was rolled out into sheets, cut into strips and dried, by which a dense powder, which was hardened throughout, was produced. This powder was styled Poudre B when it consisted of cellulose nitrates only or Poudre BN when it consisted of these nitrates mixed with the inorganic salts named above. In 1888 Nobel in France discovered that by the aid of camphor or benzine he could effect the solution of as much as 40 per cent of nitro-cotton in nitroglycerin, forming a plastic mass which when rolled out into sheets and dried formed a mass resembling India rubber. This was cut in blocks or strips or flakes and was known as ballistite. As adopted in Italy the plastic mass was squirted through spaghetti machines forming cords which were cut into the desired length and the powder in this form was known as Filite.
In 1889 Abel and Dewar in England made a plastic mass from nitroglycerin, nitro-cotton, guncotton and tannin, dextrine or vaseline, and i as it was made up into cords, it was called Cordite. In making this powder the gelp•iniza tion was effected by using acetone as a Solvent. the mixture being kneaded to a dough in a wa ter-jacketted kneading machine. The gelatin ized mass was compacted in a mold by a prelim inary press, and the mold transferred to a spa ghetti machine, or stuff press, where the explo sive was squirted into strands. As these strands issued they were reeled on bobbins which were placed in the drying house so as to drive off the solvent. When dried the product of 10 pressings was wound from 10 one strand reels on to one 10-strand reel and then the cordite on six 10-strand reels was wound on a drum making a cord of 60 strands, which when cut in short lengths formed the 30.5 grains charge for the magazine rifle. For higher calibres the cords as squirted were of larger diameter and were cut into desired lengths as they issued from the stuff press, dried and made up into bundles or fagots. Cordite is an elastic rubber-like mass with a light to dark brown color. Other nitroglycerin cellulose nitrate powders are amberite. Maxim's powder, Maxim-Schupphaus powder, Leonard's powder, P. P. G., Peyton's powder and German smokeless powder. These powders differ in the proportions of their ingredients or in containing blended cellulose nitrates, or else castor oil or lycopodium or urea in addition to the other ingredients or they differ in the form of the grain. Thus Maxim perforates his grain, Mak
ing it a tube, or he makes several longitudinal perforations, getting umultiperforated grains,p while Gathrnann cuts slots in the sides of the multiperforated grain to serve as vent holes through which the gases accumulated in the longitudinal canals may escape, and the breaking up of the grains by the accumulated pressure be prevented.
In 1890 Richard von Freeden of Walsrode, Germany, discovered that gelatinized cellulose nitrate if immersed in water underwent a kind of coagulation and division into small lumps which latter was promoted by stirring, and he based upon this a method of manufacture by which dense small grained powders that are hardened throughout could be produced. This product is known as Walsrode powder. Later Dupont accomplished the same result by throw ing his pulped cellulose nitrate into a churn containing the gelatinizing solvent mixed with a large volume of water and containing potas sium and barium nitrates in solution, and thus produced the Dupont smokeless powder. Sim ilar to these, and likewise used for sporting purposes, are the Oriental and Hazard smoke less powders. In 1890 Charles E. Munroe pointed out that all powders, either gunpowders or smokeless powders made up to that time, consisted of mixtures of different materials, even the straight cellulose nitrate powders being made of mixtures of different nitrogen contents, and he set forth the novel principle of powder making that the finished powder should consist of a single chemical substance in a state of chemical purity and this was realized in the smokeless powder which he styled Indurite and which was popularly known as United States Naval smokeless powder. As made it consisted only of cellulose nitrate of the highest nitration in an indurated condition and resembled ivory. It was made in the form of flakes for small arms and in the form of macaroni for large calibres. The smokeless powder for the United States navy and army as made to-day consists of cellulose nitrate of medium nitration, gelatinized with ether-alcohol, a small per centage of diphenylamine being incorporated to serve as a stabilizer, the ether-alcohol evaporated and the plastic mass made into perforated cylindrical grains which are trans lucent and the color of amber. Because of the shortage of cotton during the Great War pulp wood was resorted to as a source of cellulose for smokeless powder, and very satisfactory powder was made from it in the United States and Germany.