human
How very awful! said my mother.
gpt
Pray, Mr Firebrand, what _is_ gun-worsted--I mean cotton.
human
He was going to add,
gpt
It contains carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, corresponding to--
human
Dear me, Mr Firebrand, is a _popular_ explanation impossible?
gpt
Not impossible, madam, but rather difficult. Let me see. Gun-cotton is a chemical compound of the elements which I have just named--a _chemical compound_, you will observe, not a mechanical _mixture_, like gunpowder. Hence it explodes more rapidly than the latter, and its power is from three to six times greater.
human
What is the difference, she asked,
gpt
Why, madam, he exclaimed, in modulated desperation,
human
Now, the next experiment, continued Firebrand, glad to have an opportunity of changing the subject,
gpt
Dear me, said my mother, with a perplexed air,
human
I should have thought, Mr Firebrand, that all torpedoes were offensive.
gpt
By no means; those which are placed at the entrance of harbours and navigable rivers are defensive. To protect ourselves from the offensive weapon, we use crinolines.
human
You play with the ignorance of an old woman, sir,
gpt
Indeed I do not, madam, I assure you, returned Firebrand, with much earnestness.
human
Every iron-clad is provided with a crinoline, which is a powerful iron network, hung all round the ship at some distance from her, like--pardon me--a lady's crinoline, and is intended to intercept any torpedo that may be discharged against her.