Explosive Correspondence

You probably won't believe this, but this is advice given to teenagers in the 1890's in a popular publication.

ELECTRICITY (A. Beynon). – 1. You can ignite gunpowder etc. by using an induction coil which is made to give a spark, and so arranging the wires from the ends of the coil that the spark must pass across the gunpowder. Or, if you have two insulated wires, one point on one side of the gunpowder and the point of the other coming down to the other side, and connect one wire to the ball of a charged Leyden jar, on bringing the end of the other wire to the outer coating of the jar the spark will pass between the other ends of the wires and light the gunpowder between them….
(SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1891)