The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-02
BIC GUNS AND
FLYING MACHINES.
A TALK WITH MAXIM, THE INVENTOR,

LONDON, ENG, May 5, 1851 dined
with Mr.. Maxim few days ago at his house
at Baldwyns Park, Bexley, and could not
help contrasting as a significant feature
OF the affairs OF nations, the palace of the
gunmaker of to-day and his personal i'm
portance with the grimy quarters and the
humbleness of his predecessor of a century
ago. Mr.. Maxim is a private business man
not officially connected with any Govern
ment, yet he knows more about what is
going on in the war departments of the
nations of the world than almost any
other man. Were he not a good man and
true how valuable the information he
might be prevailed upon to impart would
be to any statesman in Europe.
Mr.. Maxim was born in Maine. His
age do not know, but judge him to be
so. His silver hair is brushed straight up
and back and corresponds in color with
his moustache and beard. He is above me-
dunn height and has frame of enormous
strength. His eyes and complexion are
beautifully clear, denoting mental and
physical energy. He never uses tobacco
and INDUCES only in little wine at din
ner.
Mr.. Maxim possesses in a high degree
lucidity and directness of speech, so char
acteristic of able inventors and can with
few sentences convey the idea of ma
chine or process with marvellous clearness,
which is wonderfully refreshing in this
age of pedantic affectation and of obscure
and complex phraseology.
He told me, incidentally, that he had
aimed above all things during his sojourn
in England to avoid acquiring the English
accent, and had flattered himself that he
had succeeded until couple of years ago
when ne and Mrs. Maxim, also a native of
New England, visited his old home. The
people there said: eve like them and think
they are nice people, but isn't it pity
they have such bad brogue." Then he
gave up in despair.
After dinner in the course of long, free
interesting talk Mr.. Maxim said:
II would not advise any young man to
take invention up as profession. was
not born an inventor. Early in life 1 be-
came a mechanical draughtsman, and as
was very skillful at drawing had oppor-
tunities of working on a good many differ
ent kinds of machines. First commenced
to make improvements in them and then
to make new machines and finally to take
out patents on new machines. Forty or
fifty years ago I think the majority of in
ventions came from illiterate workmen. A
man would be working on machine and
would discover some way to improve it and
then take out patent, but the day is past
when we may expect much from the I'M
scientific. / think you will agree with me
that all the late patents of merit have ema-
mated from highly trained and scientific
engineers"
"What is the actual length of life of
the biggest guns. and what is their cost?''
1.-THE latest high-power guns made by
Canet at the FORCES ct Chantiers de Ia
Mediterranee can only be fired sixty
rounds. The latest guns in the English
service also can only be fired sixty rounds
The cost of a thirteen-inch gun is about
$4,000"
is that the prevailing caliber?"
IN England they make them thirteen
inch. The States make them twelve and
thirteen inch. The English used to have
seventeen-inch guns, but they do not any
more"
"What is the cost OF single charge for
one OF those big guns on board ship?"
About $780,"
"And the wear and tear IS what?"
'If gun costs $4,000 and should fire
sixty rounds, that is 1888 a shot, the total
cost would then be $1433 shot,"
''Then war is becoming very eXpensive?' Pr
THAT is it. War becomes more and
more expensive every day. The cheapest