The Portland daily press., 1890-11-14
MAXIM AND HIS FLYING MACHINE,
May He Have Better Luck Than
Darius Green.
a Maine Man Who Longs to Sail
In the sky,
And Believes Yankees VIII Do So
Bye and Bye.

New YORK, November 13.-Mr Hiram s.
Maxim. the inventor Of the Maxim automatic
machine gun and the Maxim smokeless pow
der. has written an entertaining letter to the
New York Times on the subject Of his expe-
riments with flying machines" In the let
ter, which is Published today, Mr.. Maxim,
says: 81 have been studying this question
about eighteen years, principally In the dr.
rection Of finding some powerful and light
motor, but during the last two years have
been employing myself largely evenings to
working out out the mathematical part Of
the problem"
The letter continues: II would say that
among the large numbers of societies TO
which belong in EOgland. the AerOnauti-
cal society Is one, and need say that I am
tine most active member? At the present
moment experiments are being conducted by
me at Baldwtn's Park, Bexley, Kent, Eng
land, with view OF finding out exactly
what the supporting power OF plane Is
when driven through the air at a slight an
gle from the horizontal. For this purpose
constructed very elaborate appartus, pro-
vided with great number OF Instruments,
and arranged IN such a manner that L can
ascertain accurately the efficiency Of screw
working In air, the amount OF power re-
quired to drive screw. the amount OF push
developed by a screw, the amount Of Slip,
and also the power required Tor propelling
planes through the air placed at different an
giles. as we'll a. 10 ascertain the friction and
all other phenomena connected with the sub
ject. / have been experimenting with mo-
tors, and have succeeded In making them so
that they will develop one horse
show that as much as i33 pounds
may be sustained in the air by the expendl-
ture OF cne-h0rse power. OF course 10 Is pre-
mature now to express any opinion. SUN, IL
am not very much mistaken, aud II some
new phenomenon which do not understand
does not prevent 1t, | think stand a fair
chance Of solving the problem, and think
can assert that within very few years some
one-if not myself. somebody else-will
have made a machine which can be guided
through the air, will travel with considera-
BILE velocity, and will be sufficiently under
control to be used for military purposes.
"In order TO c0ndust these experiments
rented large park-ln fact, an old manor
and erected a wooden shed Of large dimen-
sions. provided myself with every requi-
site, and employed two eminent American
mechanics to assist me-Mr. Henry A.
House and Mr.. Henry A. House, Jr.. both Of
Bridgeport, Conn. These gentlemen have
already been working with me more than a
year, and both seem very confident Of our
ultimate success.
81 feel satisfied that II such men as Mr..
Westinghouse, Mr.. Charles Brush and Mr..
Edison should seriously and earnestly at
tempt to solve the question they would sue
ceed 10 making some sort Of machine that
would fly, but they would have to do as
have dcne-0btain place where there would
be plenty Of room, provide themselves with
the very best of mechanics, and spend about
$4,000. l would say that the two motors
which / have made, and which weigh 600
pounds, cost their weight In silver, while an
engine OF very much less power, made by o
French experlmenter, cost more than three
times Its weight In silver.
81 may not succeed. The three gentlemen
whose names have mentioned might also
fall, but am satisfied that when the prob
lem is solved Ii. Will be an American who
solves 1t. IL 1t should happen to be solved in
England first, England would certainly be
entitled to some portion OF the credit. even
IL the experimenteI were an American"