Christian Friedrich Schoenbein to Faraday   25 August 1846

My dear Faraday

I have just received your kind note¹ and am glad to learn from it that there is a chance of seeing you here². I shall not fail being at the Royal Institution Monday morning and most happy to witness some experiments and have some talk with you. The affair which has brought me over to England refers to my explosive cotton, which I have so much improved that it has all the appearance of becoming a dangerous rival to gunpowder³. As to its explosive powers, "gun cotton", as I call it, is very superior to powder; in given cases one part of it does the work of four parts of gun-powder and under the most unfavorable circumstances the force of gun-cotton is as 2:1 to that of gun powder. In the course of the two last months I have made many experiments with cannons, mortars, rifles &c. and obtained results which I am allowed to call highly satisfactory. The same may be said with regard to blasting rocks.

The residuum left by gun cotton amounts to nothing, it does not heat perceptibly the fire arms, nor produce any smoke, if prepared to its maximum. The way of preparing it is simple, cheap, and without any danger of explosion I myself and many friends who have seen the effects of the matter are inclined to believe that gun cotton will be made use of in many cases where gun powder is at present employed.

Now the object of my journey to England is to see, whether something might be done with that explosive matter and I shall take the liberty to take some quantity with me to the Institution to show you the effects. It is not unlikely that some experiments will be made at Woolwich to prove the power of my production. Herschel has already taken some steps to that effect⁴, and you will perhaps be able to give me some hints respecting the affair.

In hoping to see you monday next I beg you to present my humble compliments to Mrs. Faraday and believe me

Your's | very truly | C.F. Schoenbein

6, Golden Square | 25, Aug. 1846.

Address: Dr. M. Faraday | &c &c &c | Royal Institution | London.