The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-06-28
IA NEW EXPLOSIVE
Which Means Revolution in Naval
Warfare
AND STYLE OF WAR SHIPS.
Tho Nav Engine of Destruction
has been Adopted by
tis United s.as5s
g Government.

MaAlmlto, inc now exposlyo invont-
ed BY Hudson Maxim, has boon adopt
ed by this country aftor sorios Of
successful tests which woro completed at
tho Sandy Hook proving grounds. Tho
soorot Of tho explosive has boon sold to
tho government by tho inventor, and tho
explosive itsolf is oxpooted to revolu-
tionizs warfare. 1t is moro doadly in
it's character than liddito, yet 80 safely
canit be handled that tho daugor at
taching to it's u.o is loss than that in
Cured in transporting ordinary black
powder.
The tests mado thus far havo boon
80 satisfactory that naval offioors be-
lieve the day Of tho big battloBhip is
passing, because tho explosive will
picrce o IL inch Hsrvoyjzod nioklo stool
armor plate and, having passed through
it, will explode on the other side with
suihoient power to destroy everything
with which it oomos in contact. Mover
boforo has Ia plato Of this atrength and
thickness boon pierced.
WHAT TESTS SHOWED.
Tho toBts have been made by tho
Ofdnanoo Board and hayo been CON
Quoted with the usual sooreoy which
attends govorn mont tosts Of this kind,
The result far surpas, anything here.
toforo attained in any country, and the
opinion is expressed by exports that it
may rovolutionizs tho building Of bat.
tleships and Notifications.
ProjectiloB charged with this explo-
sive 70 fred through Haryoyized
nioklo steel armor plate twolye inches in
thickness, tho sholl exploding after
passing through tho plate-that is to
say, on the inside Of tho ship or fort.
The ihsensitiveness Of this explosive
is SO groat thai q red hot iron may be
thrust into a mass of it without oaus.
ing an explosion. The explosion Of tho
compound aftor passing through tho
plate is accomplished by means Of
fuse, tho invention Of en- army officer,
The explosion is controlled absolutely
by means Of this fuse, 80 that it takes
place the Instant tho shell passes
through tho armor plato Sholls filed
with lyddite, tho hi Oh explosive adopted
by tho 3 sitish government, filled in tho
same way as was maximito, into the
sarSSe shells, and fred at plato an inoh
Q ana}- snl| g. belt, in thiokneaa, all cxplcded on
impact, and in every test foil far short
OF tho results obtained with the new
explosive.
AT AMERICAS MERCY.
These tests of maximito arc regarded
as having demonstrated that thcro is no
war ship Of any navy capable Of with
standing its destructive effoots when
thrown from modern high power guns.
Mr.. Maxim conducts these expert monts
IN person, thcro boiDg no QUO present
except tho ordnance officers and experts
tho government. Mr..
Maxim fools elatod ovor tho tests,
which no says:
Should the United States now be-
como involved in war with any other
power, We will bo ablo to throw high
explosive projcotiles through tho thick.
est armor of onemios to explode inside
thoir warships, while thoy in turn
would be able only to penetrate our
arnor with solid shot, or at least carry
ing no bursting charge whatovor. The
advantage on our side will turn any naval
battle our way in short order" He
thought the moral Of these new develop
ments is that the pondorous battloship
must 60, and be replaced by tho small,
swift torpedo boat or torpedo gunboat
and cruiser, and practically vnarmored,
mo protection whatever can avail
against missiles suoh as wo have been
firing at Sandy Hook Now York
Pross,