THE PREPARED COTTON DISCOVERY
{"newspaper_name": "The daily union.", "edition": "01", "page": "p3", "byline": ""}
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| The letter which we laid before our readers or
Saturday evening, from our European correspondent
il calculated to shake the doubts of the skeptc in
relation to the extraordinary combustibity and


power of the prepared cotton. 1t appears wonder


ful, indeed but, perhaps, not more so than the dis
coyery Of gunpowder itself, when it was commune
Gated to the world. We should like to see some


account of the impression which this new and inn
portant composition produced upon the world, if
any trace Of it is to be found in the ancient
MS records But by way Of lending some
confirmation to the description of our cores


pondent, we subjoin the following extract which
appears in the Charleston Courier, from lis
Paris correspondent. He does not notice it's
cotemporaneous discovery by Professor Baltger, OF
Frapkfort-on-the-Maine


aSeyersl notices have lately met my eye Of n
marvellous mode of transforming common cotton


into detonating powder, recently invented by Pro-
fcssor Schonbein, of Baslc, in Swzerland. The


learned professor has ascertaned that, by subjecting
cotton TO particular process, (Which is still secret


with the inventor, il becomes transformed into new
substance, very slightly changed IN appearance, but
inAammabe from the smallest spark and detonat.
ing by percussion. Other advantages Of the cotton


powder are that it leaves hardly perceptible resi-


jne in the gun after discharge, for each load
ries off the residue of the preceding load and after
every discharge, the piece is az fit for service as
lv. and very unforny. 1t burns entirely, dis
charging very few solid particles, and producing
hardly any smoke. The danger Of transportation


is very slight for il expodcs only from the action Of
q violent shock or blows and burning without fame,
explosion produces no fire. Put up for transporta-
ton, il occupies more space than common powder,
but then It is much lighter II may be wet, but
when dried, it resumes all its original qualities and,


in damp weather, il is superior to common powder
being more infiammable Experiments will soon
decide whether this cotton powder is to supersese
the 'vanous satpetre.'


"The saysns Of Switzerland are bruiting, too, just
now, another invention, by virtue Of which paper,
and analogous vegetable tissues, are invested with
an extraordinary solidity, having the solidity Of
iron. Paper subjected to this process may be
washed without injury and is proof against acids and
alkalies" ...u . a...a.