of success been attained.

To be smokeless, a gunpowder must yield only gaseous products of
combustion. None of the so-called smokeless powders are entirely
smokeless, although some of them are very nearly so.

The smoke of common black gunpowder is largely due to minute particles
of solid matter which float in the air. About one-half of the total
products of combustion of black gunpowder of ordinary composition
consists of potassium carbonate in a finely divided condition and of
potassium sulphate, which is produced chiefly by the burning in the air
of potassium sulphide, another production of combustion, as on the
outrushing gases it is borne into the air in a fine state of division.

Another cause for the smoke of gunpowder is the formation of small
liquid vesicles which condense from some of the products of combustion
thrown into the air in a state of vapor, in the same manner as vesicles
of aqueous vapor form in the air on the escape of highly heated steam
from the whistle of a locomotive.

Broadly speaking, an explosive compound is one which contains, within
itself, all the elements necessary for its complete combustion, and
whose heated gaseous products occupy vastly more space than the original
compound. Such compound usually consists of oxygen, associated with
other elements, for which it has great affinity, and from which it is
held from more intimate union, or direct chemical combination, under
normal conditions, by being in combination as well with other elements
for which it has less affinity, but which it readily gives up for the
stronger affinities when explosion takes place, the other elements
either combining with one another to form new compounds or being set