Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-04
| AERIAL TORPEDOES.
Hudson Maxim's Plan 10
Destroy Hostile Navies.
BY This Terrible Machine BattIeshipS
Can Be Annihi|ated.
Vessels So Armed Require No Armor and Can
Whip the World.
Hudson
DESTROY

Winthrop Me, May 3.-fSpecial. Sam
uel Maxim Of Wayne, brother of the great
inventors Hiram and Hudson Maxim,
/ has been seen by the Journal representa-
tive in relation to the new system of
/ aerial torpedoes just perfected by ms
| brother. Hudson The papers today
throughout the country announce the OF
| fer which Mr. Hudson Maxim has made
| to this government to furnish Tor $1po,VVo
d ship equipped with torpedo guns cap
| able of destroying all the ndVleS OF the
world. 1t will, therefore. be interesting
| to know just what this torpedo system is,
and just how the aerial torpedoes work.
The claims which are made Tor thtm
sound unreasonable at first, but as the
system is explained by Mr.. Samuel Max
| i'm it becomes quite clear, and one sees
readily why feats of torpedo throwing
| can now be done which We're never at
| tempted before. TO the question. What
| are the principal features OF HUDSON y
system?r Mr. Maxim replied:
| AT this time think it may be for the
! best to explain to the public quite fully
the secrets of the Maxim aerial torpe-
! does. These secrets lie first in The man
ner of locking the plunger which isnilrS
/ the illuminate causing the explosion -
! the gun cotton with which the TORPEDO"
| is charged. The second important feat
ure IS III the cylindrical perforated grams
of smoiIeless powder which burn in
such manner as to yield the greatest pos
/ Niolt @tiouiit 90 ''f''t'.'0 4N
! "These grains consist of cylinders 81
! crNStallizol powder 81 ttoou' 'lG i"il IN i'i't
size of NO. u carthage, lhcSe ~,
glazed upon the exterior sur ace an! ~ ;.
burn oniy from l"' ,,,,i int.ni in
/ porforauons. NJ PI'H 'p"i ." ia
This form OF powder EraH - 'h's- III 'il'
( past the only f"T'f N''CH h|S zen y"
4 tanned from powder httS hcNl toii ~ t it'
/ itiai impact. ti.it -, lae to"utt 'Hl l'','7
/ from the outslje surface mas ftdutsd ~
/ combustion surface HS thr nufhihS ~
| progressed and therefore ile pres az e
upon the proJerule mas dcrttaStH &% i.E
the first impact ana tofhl''tfa'lNeiE itIi'
| benefit mas pecn "ntdtileu ~ ny l'iN t.
| eninG OF the cannon Aud dEtih}' W
strain upoH N" sun lt@eH mas tVth ="
| great. because nI thiS sam" SuHo't w
side burning OF The po"Grr grams, "i'v
/ this first shock has n"l "hlF h'tf.79't 49,
the thckenirG q the gun lt5tiL 70 S'..uI
the strain ana also the waste OF h''11 -
in strengthening the bearings, hul u h4~
from cannon extremely dangerous !"
those attempting H.
But with the new Maxim system Nn1
powder grains commence to Darn from
the comparatively small surfaces "I iht
pvrforations. then rapidly these fvIi"r"-
tiuus enlarge and a steady rNhilIfJ thS
force is brought to bear upon me pFojyt-
tie which increases til the very mo
ment of its leaving the cannon $ moulin.
Bv this system one half the powder now
used will throw torpedo 10 a Instance
twice as great as formerly, and VIII he
50 safe that the destruction done Viii he
restricted 10 The enemy rather than to
those operating the gun.
locking the plunsrrs in ihr torpejors so
thar ali possible danger Of an accidental
rxpl0sion l.; removed This is accom-
Iplfshea in the most ingenious manner com
reiyahle Fun details OF the device can
M he given hut this | viii say. these
torpedoes can only be exploded when they
are, being RAPIDLY rotated as when thrown