The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-19
THE MAXIM DEATH DEALER.
1t POuTS Out Seven Hundred and
Fifty Bullets a Minute.

ing Machine Guns of the World In
vented by Americans.
From the Louisville CourierJoarnal.
''You press the button and we do the
rest may we'll be said of the Maxim ma
chine gun, for just as long as the supply
of cartridges is kept up all that needs be
done is to keep the thumb on the button
in the rear of the breech to pour deadly
stream of bullets into the enemy's ranks
This is the latest machine gun that has
been successfully tested on the proving
ground and in battle. AS compared with
the first attempt, the French mitrail-
leuse of twenty-five years ago, the prog
ress made is wonderful,
The British army adopted the Maxim
gun several years ago, after a severe and
extended trial Stanley took one of them
with him on the Emin Pasha relief expe-
dition. He seems to have been careful to
use it more as.a ''persuader0 than any
thing else. dreading the awful effect of
firing directly into the swarms of saw
ages he often encountered. OF its use IN
this way on one occasion he writes:
The terrible Maxim machine gun also
contributed a moral influence. y
During the day there were several efforts
made to annoy us, until at p. m, from
the north, east and south, appeared three
separate multitudes for a great effort 1t
was then the machine gun was prepared
The Wasulama Swayed closer up, but eau
tiousIy, and, it appeared TO me, reluctant
ly. In front of the mob coming from the
south, were several skirmishers, who
pranced forward TO within BOD wards
One of the skirmishers were dropped,
and the machine showered about $50
rounds in their direction Not one of
the natives were hit. but the great range
and bullet shower were enough. They
fed"
The next time the Maxim gun was used
it was aimed lower. The following ac-
count of the great battle of Oct. %, 1893,
between the British Chartered Company's
troops and the Natalie in South Africa,
is taken from press dispatch: The
troops were fully laagered when the
impis came. Just before daylight shots
from the outposts gave warning that an
attack was near. Within a few minutes
the sentries and native scouts had hur-
ried into the lager The tension for the
next few minutes was extreme. 1t was
still dark, and no enemy could be seen.
Only the whistling of assegais gave con
slant notice that warriors were drawing
near. Occasionally an assegaiC struck a
wagon in camp. Then the sounds of fall
ing weapons on every side told the troops
that they were being surrounded. AS day
broke, crest masses Of black figures could
be seen advancing upon the lager No
better opportunity for the use of the
Maxim guns could have been given. They
were fired with great rapidity on the ad
vancing regiments, which seemed to fade
away before them.
The third attack was made by the
Matabeles after it had become light
enough for the accurate use of rifles The
hin Qd fl ra Of tho Maviune aud riff
met the Matebeles in the first rush of the
| attack and they sank by hundreds. = y
The Generalization of the Matabeles was
complete. = LoBengula's best regi-
ments, which took part in the last at
tack, were almost e&terminated
1t is thoroughly in keeping with our
wide reputation as inventors that the
| only successful machine guns in the
world are the products Of American
brains. DR.. Calling, whose gun has been
famous ever since it was first employed
during the Franco-Prussian war, was
| born in North Carolina, while MIR. Max
i'm first saw the light of day in the little
town of Sangerville, Maine.
While yet a boy we find the latter
working at one of the lathes in the shop
| of his father, who was a wood turner.
Later he became a mechanical draughts-
man. and still later manager Of firm
which manufactured railroad supplies.
During all this time his leisure hours
were devoted to invention, which had
claimed his attention from youth. Some
of the products of this period, notably
the Springfield gas machine, are even
now extensively used In 1882 he de-
signed and made the first automatic gun
in the world, and has since taken out a
large number of patents on guns, mount
ings, etc. About the same time he in
vented cordite, the famous smokeless
powder used by the English, and later on
| made several improvements in the APP
paratus for its manufacture.
About two years ago Mr.. Maxim won
the prize offered by the Cosmopolitan for
the best essay on the subject of aero
nautics. In putting his theories into prac-
rical operation, he has succeeded in lift
ing about 5000 pounds without balloon,
and in generating one-horse power for
every ten pounds Of machinery employed
He is now So years old, and lives with his
family in the suburbs of London. He has
been for many years managing director of
the Maxim and the Maxim ordenfeldt
Guns and Ammunition Company, and is
at present acting in that capacity.
1t is conceded that the machine guns
will play most important part in the
next war between civilized nations and
that the one which appreciates their value
and develops their use to the utmost will
have vast advantage over its adversary.
The certainty of action, range, accuracy
and rapidity of fire of such guns make
them formidable weapons against any foe
| Their uses are multitudinous. They are of
special value in sweeping the TANKS and
bitches of permanent and field fortifica-
tlons; defending villages, roads, defiles
and bridges; covering the crossing OF
streams; protecting the rear Of an army
| in retreat; against mobs in our large
cities; defending block-houses and field
works; with infantry to silence an enc
my's batteries or repulse a charge; or to
accompany cavalry, where the lightness
of the gun makes it peculiarly adapted to
rapid movement
Where a small force is operating
! against one larger, the machine gun
makes up for lack of numbers. If Custer
had had one or two of them in the battle
of the Little Big Horn he would have
probably been alive today, and his COM
mand saved from defeat and massacre
I For concentrating a storm of bullets upon
any particular point the machine gun has
no rival. 1t is also peculiarly adapted
to night firing, the gun being
trained upon the desired point by
daylight. There being no recoil to the
carriage, the accuracy Of training would
not be disturbed. The moral effect of ma
chine guns is terrible
A great problem will be the supply OF
ammunition, point which has not yet
bapu wOrlypd ont although ba ,,,.aoa,,t