Explosives

Under this head are classed dynamite, gun cotton, nitro-glycerine, fulminates, gelatine and picrates. The high explosive at present in use in the U. S. Navy is gun cotton, on account of its safety. It possesses as great explosive force as No. 1 (highest grade) dynamite. Gun cotton is used for torpedo charges exclusively, which may be employed for submarine work or in military operations on shore. Gun cotton can only be exploded by detonation, for which purpose a 30-grain detonator of fulminate of mercury is used.

A detonator is a small cartridge of fulminate of mercury employed for exploding gun cotton, it being a higher and quicker-acting explosive than gun cotton. (See Terrorite.)