The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-06-26
A NEW EXPLOSIVE
Which Means Revolution in Naval
Warfare
AND STYLE OF WAR sHlPs.
Tho Nsw Engine of Destruction
has bsen Adopted by
the United States
Oovsrnmsnt.

Maximite, the new explosive invent
ed by Hudson Maxim, has been adopt
ed by this country after q series of
succ ,ssful tests which were. completed at
tho Sandy Hook proving grounds. The
secret of the explosive has been sold to
he government by tho inventor, aud the
explosive itself is expected to rcvolu-
tlonizs warfare. 1t is more deadly in
It's character than liddite, yet so safely
can 1t be handled that the danger at.
iaching TO its u. e is less than that in
curred In tran sporting ordinary black
powder.
The tests made thus far have been
so satisfactory that naval officers be.
heve the day Of the big battleship is
passing, because the explosive will
pierce II inch Harveyized nickle steel
armor plate and, having passed through
II, will explode on the other side with
sufficient power to destroy everything
with which it comes in contact. Never
before hasa plate Of this strength and
thickness been pierced.
WHAT TESTS SHOWED
The tests have been made by the
Ordinances Board and have been con-
Quoted with the usual secrecy which
attends govern ment tests of this kind.
1he result far surpSsI anything here
totore attained in any country, and the
opinion is expressed by experts that il
may reyolutioniz, the building of ba..
tloships aud Notifications.
Prof jactiies charged with this explo.
slve were fred through Harveyiz ID
nlokle steel armor plate twelve inches in
thickness, the shell exploding after
passing through the plate-that is to
say, on the inside of the ship or fort.
The lhsensitiveness of this explosive
Is SO great tha: red hot iron msy be
thrust into mass of it without c.us.
lug sn explosion. The explosion Of the
compound after passing through the
plate is accomplished by means Of q
fuse, the invention of an army officer.
The explosion is controlled absolutely
by means of this fuse, SO that it takes
place the instant the shell passes
through the armor plate Shells filled
with lyddite, the high explosive adopted
by the British government, filed in the
same way as was maximite, into the
same shells, and fired at a plate an inch
sns = half i, thickaeas, a!i piodeJ on
Impact, and In every sest fell far short
OF the results obtained with the new
explosive.
AT AMERICA S MERCY.
These tests of maximite are regar led
as having demonstrated that there is no
war ship Of any navy capable of with
standing its destructive effects when
thrown fron modern high power guns.
Mr.. Maxim conducts thsse ~ peri ments
IN person, there being no one present
except the ordnance Off oers and experts
representing the government. Mr..
Maxim feels elated over the tests.
which he says:
Should the United States now be-
come involved in war with any other
power, We will be able to throw high
explosive projectiles through the thick.
est amor of enemies to explode inside
their wsr7hips, while they in turn
would be able only to penetrate our
armor with solid shot, or at least carry
Ing no bursting charge whatever. 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 ponderous battleship
must go, and be replaced by the smsll,
swift torDeSo boat or torpedo guuboat
and cruiser, and practically uuarmored,
no protection whatever can avail
against missiles such as we have been
firing at Ssady Hook New York
Press