RE: [DL][OT-ish] Interesting Thought: World without Gunpowder

["Clint Black" <cblack@ohtinc.com>]

>Earlier today, a friend and I were discussing history, and I brought up the
>notion of a world where gunpowder was never discovered/simply didn't
work/etc.


Don't see why that would mean there wouldn't eventually be guns and cannons;
just that their creation might be delayed.  There are plenty of other
propellants besides gunpowder.  Besides cordite which is used today anyway
in lieu of gunpowder, there have been different designs of gas propellant
guns as well.  You ever see a potato gun?

I recall one very elegant design.  The trigger released the gas which pushed
the projectile into the chamber.  The end of the chamber that connected to
the barrel was composed of a substance that would spark when contacted by
the projectile.  The gas would ignite and bang.  Basically it was an air
pistol that used combustible gas to generate more thrust.


Clint Black

"You smell that? Do you smell that? ...Ghost Rock, son. Nothing else in the
world smells like that. I love the smell of ghost rock in the morning. You
know, one time we had a hill bombed, for twelve hours. When it was all over
I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' Yank body. The
smell, you know that sulphurous smell, the whole hill. Smelled like...
victory. Someday this war's gonna end..."