1. The nitre, sulphur, and charcoal are first reduced, separately, to very fine powder. This operation is performed in barrels, which are made to turn upon their axis, similar to the barrel-churn, and the substances are introduced gradually. Balls, made of an alloy of copper and tin, are then put in, which by their action reduce the substances to powder. 2. The second operation has for its object, the intimate mixture of the ingredients. The quantities to be mixed are weighed, and put into a drum with a quantity of shot, which is made to revolve during an hour and a quarter. In this manner, three hundred pounds of the mixture are at once operated upon. 3. The mixture is then moistened with water. About fourteen per cent. is added. It is then passed through a sieve made with round holes, and then put into a drum, and submitted for a half hour, to a rotary motion. A number of small round grains are thereby formed, which are separated from the mass by means of a sieve, the holes of which are very small. 4. When a sufficient quantity of these grains are procured, they are put into another drum, of a suitable size, with one and a half times their weight of the original mixture. The drum being put in motion, some water is added, which serves to make them increase in size, by constant rubbing: at the end of a certain time, the whole becomes granulated, or perfectly round. The density of the grains depends on the mixture, and the time they were kept in motion. 5. The powder being thus grained, is passed through sieves, whose holes are of different diameters; and hence it is divided into three kinds: _viz._ cannon powder, musket powder, and fine grained powder. 6. Finally, the powder is dried, and preserved in the usual manner. Its strength is equal to that made by the old process, and is perfectly round. It may be proper to observe, that this process presents many important and decided advantages. Although, in our description, we have not gone into details, yet the whole operation will be seen at one view. It was practised in France, by its inventor, M. Champy, and, besides being introduced into the United States, it has also been adopted in Prussia. M. Proust endeavoured to show, that charcoal made of shoots or branches, makes the best powder, and will mix with more facility with the nitre and sulphur; and in employing the ordinary charcoal, two hours beating is necessary to obtain a perfect mixture. The pestles, as Chaptal observes, usually make fifty-five strokes in a minute. Their weight is various; he gives them at eighty pounds. M. Carney discovered a new process for the fabrication of powder, and although Chaptal himself made some advantageous changes in the process, yet the merit of the discovery he gives entirely to Carney. The process of M. Champy, is in some particulars the same. It will be sufficient, however, to observe, that it is reduced to three heads: _viz._ 1. The pulverization, and sifting of the materials;