Why higher-yield explosives could be safer than black powder

Why were some higher-yield explosives regarded as safer than black powder?

They could be less sensitive to ordinary friction, impact, and heat even though their deliberate detonation released more energy.

The answer distinguishes an explosive's power from how easily handling can initiate it. A participant recalls reading accounts of powder igniting through friction and heat during transport in a moving barrel. That is offered as an illustration, without identifying the account or its conditions. The discussion then frames the change as choosing a less sensitive material rather than assuming that greater explosive power must mean greater accidental danger. It provides no general test results for particular substances or handling methods.