The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-11-27
BANGOR is TALKING
About Hiram Maxim, His Inven-
tions and Company.

BANGOR, November Zb.-ln0 announce
ment that the Maxim-N Nodenfeldt Company
might establish factory in Veazie for the
making Of their rapid fire guns and other
implements of war naturally causes no end
of talk here, ana Bangor people are learn
ing all about the famous concern and its
work abroad
The Maxim Nordenfeyt is one of the lar
gest and most important arms companies
in the world. Its stockholders and direc-
tors include such well known capitalists as
Lord Rothschild, Vice President Symon Of
the Mexican Central railroad, Lieutenant
General Sir Gerald Graham, Charles Ed
win Barnett, Admiral Henry Bays, Will
lam Broderick Cloete, Hon. Algernon
Henry Miles, Captain Acla1d and former
Bangor man, who has, by his wonderful Ia
yentIon. gained world wide renowD. Hiram
stephen Maxim. The company has sew
eral manufactures in England, Sweden
and Spain, making guns of all sizes, from
the small. rapid firing machine guns up to
40 Founders. Their arms are in use among
all the nations of the earth, and a recent
large order from the United States has
been the inducement to establish factory
here, the contract stipulating that the
guns be made In this country. A great va
riety Of ammunition, under the patents of
Mr.. Maxim, and without which modern
guns cannot be used, is also made by the
company.
During Mr.. Clergue's examination of
the acknowledgements factory at Firth,
near London. where over 800 men are en-
ployed, he discovered the interesting fact
that nearly all the tools of greatest precis-
ion were not only of American invention
but OF American manufacture, and had
been Imported by the company for three
important reasons: First, they we're bet
ter than the English; second, they were
cheaper than the English, and third. their
delivery could be procured in about one
half the time required by the English
manufacturers.
The managing director of this large
company informed Mr.. Clergue that he
expected to be able to manufacture all
classes or arms and ammunition at an
American factory at less cost than was
possible in England.
Inc Maxim gun was invented in 1888 by
Hiram 5. Maxim, born at SaDgerville, Me-.
In 1910. Of late the gun has been greatly
improved, and all that Is required to oper-
ate ltd It Is to to- press the trigger IN order to
been done the gun will load and fire as
| cartridges are fed to it. Two-thirds of
| the gun barrel Is encased In a metal
| jacket. and by each discharge water Is au-
tomatically injected into the jacket TO
| prevent overheating. The remaining one
| angular shape. The operating mechanism
| OF the gun, chiefly consisting of a main
| spring and tumbler, the firing pin and a
lever, Is enclosed in the steel case. Six
| hundred nd slxty-six shots can be fired in
a minute, or an average of little more
than 10 shots per second. One such gun in
| action Will discharge greater weight of
proJectlles than regiment of infantry.
| The small gun weighs but 80 pounds,
While the gun to be furnished our govern
ment weighs 365 pounds. The latter
throws a projectile 8 36-lOo inches in
length, aud one pound in weight, and $50
OF these neaVy shells are fired each minute,
| The proJectile will penetrate three inches
| OIL iron armor phase. But Its power Of
| penetration Is by no means its most PEN
| etratlon IS by no means its most destruc-
tive quality. The projectile itself has a
solid steel c0nical head and hollow body.
| This hollow space Is filled with charge Of
high explosive, closed in at the base of the
| she'll by Maxim patent fuse. The con-
| tact of the prOjectile with armor or any
| other object puts the fuse In operation ana
discharges the bursting charge. A suffi-
| cleat quantity OF high explosive can be en-
| closed in one of these shells to DESTROY a
small craft or blow a building to pieces.
The second order from the United States
government is for the Maxim automatic.
| six-pounder guick-fring gun. This gun
| weighs about 600 pounds. and is In length
| ITO inches. The powder charge is one
ponnd 10 ounces. the length OF the shell
pounds. The projectile will penetrate
about five inches Of iron armor, and mas a
range of accurate firing Of over three miles.
| This gun can be fired at the rate of 80 shots
| q minutes and four different kinds of pro-
| iectiles can be used-frst, the steel shell
| for penetrating armor and carrying also a
common she'll. also carrying charge
third, the shrapnel. which contains a
charge of 70 small bullets, and fourth. the
case Shot. containing 1856 small bullets. In
| action the shrapnel is discharged by an au-
tomato time fuse, invented by Mr.. Maxim,
at any required position in its trajectory.
| Tne bullets, at the moment Of the bursting,
fiy in cone-shaped mass, still having the
jmpeiling force Of the original discharge.
| The results of projectiles Of this character
| showered upon unprotected troops at the
| rate of 20 or 30 per minute would be most
| inconceiyably destructive.
The plant Of the public works company
| at Veazie is an immense one. The water
| power is practically unlimited. The build
| ipgs have accommodations for a great
manufactory. Veazie is on the Maine Cen
trail railroad, four miles from tidewater at
| this port.