Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-31
HUDSON" MAXIM.
Exposure Of His Attempt to Steal
Brothers Fame.
An English Magazine Tells a Story Of Interest
to Maine Readers.

The war in South Africa and the use
| Of lyddite have awakened a great deal
of interest on the subject of high ex-
| ploslVes. This. taken together with
the daily accounts that one finds in the
public press relating to the use of the
Maxim automatic gun, makes COM
ment connected with the name of
| Maxim, or with high explosives. eX-
tremely interesting at the present mo-
ment. When therefore, an article was
submitted for publication, signed III. &.
F., relating to a big Maxim gun for
throwing high explosives, it was given
a place in the English magazine
known as The Spear. The article was
entitled 1.-The Deadliest Weapon in the
World" In the description in question
the work in attributed to one Hudson
Maxim. instead of to Mr. Hiram SteV-
ems Maxim, who, in reality, was the
inventor or the arm, and also Of the
| complete system for throwing aerial
torpedoes therein contained.
Rather more than two years ago, a
person who calls himself Hudson Max
i'm, but whose real name is, according
to The Critic, Isaac Maxim, wrote a
perforated smokeless powder, which he
read before the United Service Insti-
tuition. Among other things, this pa
rer describes an Old gun ana system Of
throwing torpedocs which had been
made and patented by Mr.. Hiram
Stevens Maxim in 1855 and 1856, and
also powder which had been invent
ed by the same gentleman some years
later. There was absolutely nothing
new in this paper, except the eXtraor-
binary statements made by its writer.
For instance. he went on to show that
one small cruiser. armed with one Of
these big Maxim guns. would be quite
Il match for 1000 first-class battle
ships; that money spent on this kind
Of gun or cruiser would be fifty thou
sand times as effective as on the ordi-
nary ships of war.
These extraordinary statements did
not. however, create much comment at
the time. 1t SO happened that on the
Very day that this remarkable paper
was read an exhibition OF Maxim guns
took place at Eynsford, which exhibit
tion was attended by about two thou
sand interested spectators. amongst
whom We're a great number Of Indian
princes and high potentates from her
Majesty's possessions all over the
world; in fact. 50 many attended this
exhibition that only a few We're left TO
attend the lecture of Mr. Isaac Maxim.
on the breaking out Of the Spanish
American war. Mr.. Isaac Maxim
caused to appear in the American
papers q statement to the effect that
Mr.. H. Maxim. Of gun-making fame.
London. had offered his services to the
United States government, and had
further offered to build one small
cruiser and to arm it with one large
gun throwing aerial torpedoes. one Of
which would completely annlhilate the
whole Spanish fleet at distance Of
nine miles. Had it been known that
this statement came from one who knew
nothing Of the subject. and who had
never made gun in his life, it would
not have excited any interest.
II may or may not be true that the
first letters which Mr.. Isaac Maxim
sent to the public press relating TO
this subject. were signed Hudson
Maxim" However. as it was general
" known that Mr.. Hiram stevens
Maxim was the inventor of the Maxim
gun. the greater number Of the news
papers. especially those which copied
from others. evidently overlooked the
name: orthought some mistake had been
made: 50. in commenting upon thes"
remarkable claims. they attributed
them to no other than Mr.. Hiram SteN-
ems Maxim. Of cun-maknE fame, Lon
don. Many believed without doubt
that this great inventor had made an
other great discovery. and various
parties in foreign countries telegraph
cd to London making inquiries.
Shortly after this. Mr.. Isaac Maxim
caused telegram to be sent to New
York that Mr.. Maxim, the great Lon
don gun-maker. had sailed for New
York. on a certain steamer. where ne
proposed to enter the service of the
United States Navy, and annihilate the
whole Spanish Navy. On his arrival
in New York. Mr.. Isaac Maxim was
at once besieged by numerous report
ers, and, as he is a glib talker and 4
clever and plausible writer, he soon
furnished them with al the copy they
required He at once found himself on
the very pinnacle Of fame-"MaXim.
the great London gun-maker." ''the
greatest inventor in the world" 'the
inventor of the most deadly instru-
ment Of destruction ever constructed,
the wonderful Maxim gun"
Mr. Isaac Maxim has been kind
enough to send to a London gentleman
considerable number Of newspapers
and periodicals containing articles
written by himself, and a careful eX
animation of these papers demon
strates beyond all chance Of dispute
that he claims to be the inventor of
what he calls the Maxim gun. Illus
trations Of a gun and system Of throw
ing tOrpedoes. which without question
was invented and patented by Mr.. Hi
ram Stevens Maxim many years ago.
appear as shown by him in many art
cles with the name Maxim gun
printed under them. Mr.. Isaac Maxim,
by representing himself to be the in
ventor and discoverer of the Maxim
gun and the multiple perforated, pro
gressive, smokeless powder employed
in it, soon found himself, at least with
the uninitiated, to be enjoying the
highest reputation as a great inventor.
He was. however, in daily dread lest
the real inventor of the Maxim gun
oh ,rfy-n hn CHI