The explosive power of gun-cotton has been greatly increased by recent experiments. In No. 21 of The Alarm, the manufacture of gun-cotton was published in a precise manner. The following taken from Johnson Turner's work of chemistry will prove an invaluable appendage. It says: "After the gun-cotton is washed clean in a light soda lye, and after being well rinsed out in clear water, it should, before being dried, be well soaked in a solution of chlorate of potash. Such a process will greatly increase its explosive power and make it the equal of dynamite. The cotton after being soaked in the acids and then put into the solution mentioned will increase in weight 75 per cent. i. e. one pound of cotton will then make one and three quarter pounds of gun-cotton. In washing and preparing it great quantities of lye and clean water should be used."

A. A.