Explosions A Mystery.

New York Times 100 years ago today, July 14, 1912:
Cause of Defects in French Naval Powder Still Unknown.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
    PARIS, July 13.— The question of the powder used in the navy has now reached a critical point. In a report drawn up by a commission appointed to study the recent explosion on the Jules Michel and published this week, it is merely stated that the disaster was undoubtedly due to a defect in the powder— no light being thrown on the exact nature of that defect.
    An elaborate series of experiments to ascertain what this defect is is announced by the committee, and until the results are made known gun practice in the navy will be practically suspended.
    It is pointed out by students of naval affairs here that other navies, notably that of the United States, employ powders composed, like the French, of pure nitrocellulose, but that such accidents do not occur in them.
    Since the disaster on the Jena five years ago a long series of similar explosions has been occurring on French vessels, and on each occasion the committees appointed attributed them to different defects in the powder. In fact, it is said that the more the powder is studied the less is known about it.