Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-06-28
A PEACE PROMOTER
is ANOTHER DISCOVERY OF THE
GREAT MAXIM.

GREAT MAXIM.
A New Explosive. Already Sold to Our Gov
ernment. Gives Us the Most Powerful Nav,
in the World-It is a World Beater-Wi
Make the Most Powerful BattIeshps of N,
Avail When Arayed Against It.
A Pennsylvania paper of the 13tl
inst says that startling revelations ar,
promised in the near future when Ger
tain secrets now jealously guarded b,
War department officials are revealed
For some time past the proving
grounds near Sandy Hook have beer
the scene Of mysterious tests OF new
explosive, the product of the brain o.
Hudson Maxim, who was the inventor
OF smokeless powder, and SO successful
have these tests proven, it is asserted
that it is believed that the possession
of the secret, which has been sold to
the Government, places the United
States in position to command the
politics of the world. In other words
If the claims Of the War department
officials are borne out, this country
can defy and overcome the combined
armies and nav:es OF the world. The
new compound will in short effect a
revolution in naval warfare and make
the boasted naval prowess OF England
almost matter OF jest.
Warships and Notifications which
have heretofore been regarded impreg-
nable will be at the mercy of Ameri.
can guns. 1t has been demonstrated
that the thickest Harveyized armor
will not withstand the new projectile
when hurled by one OF the great guns,
and, what is more important, that the
explosive with which the projectile is
loaded will be discharged Immediately
the armor is pierced.
The explosion of the compound
after passing through the plate is con.
trolle'l by fuse, the invention of an
army officer. 1t is claimed that this
fuse can be set 30 that the explosion
can be absolutely controlled to occur
Immediately after the armor is pierced.
There is much that is unique abou,
the new explosive. For instance, it is
asserted that its insensitiveness is &C
great that rsd-hot iron may be
thrust into mass of it without caus.
ing an explosion. Safety in carriage
and handling is another virtue claimed
for maximite over all other high ex.
plosives.
The inventor may be over -sanguine
but the mystery with which ordnance
officers endeavor to conceal the knowl.
edge OF results of the Sandy Hook ex.
periments, and their statement that
these experiments have been highly
successful, are taken as indicating
that something important has hap.
pened. 1t is announced that the Sc
cret of manufacture has been formally
transferred by Mr.. Maxim to the gov.
ernment, which would seem to mean
that it is worth having.
Mr.. Maxim believes that his discov.
cry is going to revolutionize naval ar.
chitecture. He believes it will mean
the passing of the battleship. These
great men-of-war would be too easy
targets for the deadly maximite shells,
which could pierce any armor plate
yet made and would explode inside.
He thinks that the inevitable result
will be no more bsttleships, but rather
high speed unarmored boats of the
class now called torpedo boat destroy
ers. Ii the explosive will do all that
is claimed, the revolution in naval
construction is inevitable.