Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-17
MAXIM STORIES.
interesting Gossip About a Famous
Maine Man.
Why the Great Inventor Became a Subject Of
Great Britain.

Hiram 5. Maxim, as everyone knows.
was born in the State of Maine, but
now he is a naturalized British subject,
| SAYS writer in Mainly About
| People" \ good deal has been said in
| the papers, and especially in the
American papers, about his having be
come q British subject. Some of the
| latter. indeed. were not very compli-
| mentary in their remarks al the time
| and seemed to infer that unworthy
motives prompted the step. At one
! time. however. Mr.. Maxim was as
thoroughgoing an American as could
| be found. In those days he was a
| member of the American st. George
| Society. and did what he could to get
| Englishmen, Scotchmen and Canadians
naturalized as American citizens, in
| order to enable them to vote in the
States, telling them that if they lived
| in a country it was their duty to be-
| come citizens. AS he has now lived in
| England IL years, and will, in all prob
| ability spend the remainder of his
days here, in becoming a British sub
jcct he is only doing exactly what he
recommended Englishmen to do in tho
States--he has become a citizen and
assumed full civic rights and response
blities.
Most people are aware of the great
number of inventions for which Mr..
| Maxim is responsible. and everyone
| must have heard, at some time or
another. the story of his World-famOus
| gun. Equally, of course, most people
| know how the Maxim automatic gun
has Outstripped all others, 50 that its
inventor has not only produced for the
| British government really service
| able machine gun, but has obliged the
whole world to come to England for its
quick-firing weapons. When Mr..
Maxim had succeeded in this, the next
thing was to attempt to make a
smokeless powder. and that also he &C
complished, providing powder which
was at least, according to Mr.. Maxim :
modest version of the story, as good
as any that has ever been produced be-
fore or since.
Much comment has been excited in
various quarters by the fact that the
very latest of Maxim guns should have
been supplied to the Beers for use in
the present war. The Beers have the
same kind Of Maxim guns as ourselves
guns which weigh, with the carriages
on which they are mounted, about 700
pounds, the projectiles being, perhaps,
IL pounds in weight and the rate of
firing 800 rounds a mnute-and this
is how they got them: When the order
from the Transvaal authorities was re-
ceived in London by Messrs. Nickers,
Sons & Maxim (of which firm Mr..
Hiram Maxim is a directory a letter
was sent to the war office by that firm
asking for permission to fulfill the con-
tract. The answer was unhesitating
ana to the point.
by all means" it ran. supply the
guns to the Beers direct: Tor if you do
not sell to them they will undoubtedly
manage to get what they want some
how or other"
In the days VIXEN American tools and
machinery were almost unknown in
England Mr.. Maxim. ever on the
watch for improvements. had invested
largely in some of the very finest
products Of American invention and
manufacture. When the tools Were
set w. his men, never having used
anything one-half 50 delicate. natur-
. ally did not understand how to work
r them. and Mr.. Maxim found it neces-
sary to instruct personally his staff in
their construction and use. 50 one day
he would be initiating a man into the
intricacies of n new brass finishing
lathe, or milling machine: another
day he would be demonstrating the
proper use of a pattern making plant;
Il third he would be writing his own
specifications, and making drawings;
while yet again, he would himself set
to work to forge special tools for par
ticular purposes.
The climax came when one day he
required something in the way of glass
implements. He could not purchase
what he wanted, but nothing daunted
he blew the glass himself. The men
had never seen anything in glass
blowing of this sort before. and the
foreman, who all along had been much
amused at the variety Of work Mr.
Maxim had done, and who was q little
more outspoken than the rest. was 50
struck with admiration for the clever
ness of the boss" that he took off his
cap, and. flnging it on the ground,
exclaimed:
, well. I'll be hanged, There ,aint
anything the old man can't turn his
hand to, He's beaten US out and out
at our own jobs on every tool in the
place. He is a draughtsman. a black
smith. a pattern maker a scholar, and
now" he wound up, ''he has turned
glass blower"
One often hears accounts of the
benefit public men have derived from
the possession of a clever wife. In this
respect Mr.. Maxim is not behind his
fellows. for in Mrs. Maxim he has not
only a. splendid helpmeet in his labors.
but gracious companion. well fitted to
attend to his social duties. BY birth a
Bostonian. she is very highly educated.
Among other things she has a compe-
tent knowledge of shorthand; indeed.
1t was her good fortune to graduate
higher in this subject than anyone else
in The school where she studied the
subject. but she has never used it for
anyones benefit save her husbands.
Tall, with pleasing taste in dress.