Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-09-08
NoISELESS GUN AWES.
Official Tests Show Fearful Possioili-
ties-Inaudibe at $50 Feet.

ties-Inaudibe at $50 Feet
In the presence of a committee OF
United States army officials, Hiram
Percy Maxim, the veteran inventor,
last week at Springfield, Mass demon
strated beyond all doubt that the
noiseless gun which he has contrived
is a success. He proved during the
tests held today in the armory and in
the fields near North Wilbraham that
his new gun can be fired within $50 feet
of a person without detection by him.
To make clear to the minds Of the
officers the tremendous revolution
which this gun would cause in war
fare, Maxim utilized a little cricket
which was found in bush. The off,
GERS could hear the cricket chirp at a
distance Of fifty yards. And they heard
it chirp even when the Maxim gun was
fired.
Those present at the test, which was
the official government one, were Mr.
Maxim, Major Morton, Capt. Allen,
Lieutenant Meals, Henry Southey, city
engineer of Hartford, Conn, and six
enlisted men.
The party went to the armory, where
tests for penetration, noiselessness and
accuracy were conducted. One of the
soldiers, a crack-shot with the rifle,
fired. the regular army gun several
times, the explosions ringing out above
the noises of the factory where Uncle
Sam makes small arms. Then Maxim
adjusted his noise killer to the wea-
pom.
The sharpshooter took aim at tar
get far down the yard and pulled the
trigger. From the white plate, more
than a hundred yards away, there came
a sharp metallic ring. The bullet had
ploughed into the steel-but not a
sound excepting a soft one, as Of fin
gers swapping, came from the gun.
Then, showing, a slight kissing, 80
slight as to be hardly audible was
heard, and the officers looked at one
another in bewilderment. The soldier
who did the firing looked at the weap-
on in his hands and held it from him
an instant then laughed in childish
way.
The party adjourned to the fields.
Forty regulation cartridges were given
to the marksmen The officers posted
themselves 1000 yards from where the
sharpshooter stood, and he was given
the word to fire. Methodically he sped
bullet after bullet into a distant tar
get each time the service gun emitting
a roar that was audible 5000 feet away,
in the village.
After Maxim adjusted the noise
killer" the soldier fired again and
eight times he hit the target. All the
time the officers were coming closer to
him. They could hear the steel pro-
jectile smash against the target, but
nothing else. Finally, when within $50
feet Of the soldier, they heard a faint
sound. It was the hammer Of the gun
striking the cartridge. But they heard
nothing more, nor did they see either
smoke or fire coming from the weapon.
Not contented, Maxim invited the
experts to the lake near North Wilbra-
ham. One of the soldiers was posted
across the water five hundred yards
distant. A target was erected near a
little booth he occupied. Eight times
to heard the steel jacketed bullet
plunge into and flatten on the disc,
but he heard no other sound although
the place is a wilderness and even the
low murmurs Of the town do not pene-
trate 1t.
The officers made calculations and
agree that the gun is "A per cent noise
less. 1t was a moody, cogitating group
that returned to the armory late In
the evening. The men bore no air
If triumph. Each probably was think
ing of the dreadful possibilities shut up
In that little secret device which had
been adjusted to the ordinary service
guns.
An idea Of the severity Of the tests
may be gained from the fact that so
grains Of smokeless powder were used
in each cartridge, a charge capable OF
hurting a bullet more than 1,50O yards
with fatal results.