Editing Frederick Abel (section)

==Early career==
From 1854 until 1888 Abel served as ordnance chemist at the Chemical Establishment of the [[Royal Arsenal]] at Woolwich,<ref name="Greenwood-1999" /> establishing himself as the leading British authority on explosives. Three years later was appointed chemist to the [[War Department (UK)|War Department]]<ref name="Greenwood-1999" /> and chemical referee to the government. During his tenure of this office, which lasted until 1888, he carried out a large amount of work in connection with the chemistry of [[explosive]]s.