New-York tribune., 1910-12-29
SIR HIRAM MAXIM WRONG
Knows Little About Smokeless
Powder, Mr.. Meyer Intimates.
GENERAL CROZIER AGREES
Gun Explosions in American
Navy and Army Not Due to
Form of Powder.

Washington Dec. 23-Statements relatlnf
| to the kind of smokeless powder used bl
| this country made by Sir Hiram Maxim
who wrote to the President on October 2
| that gun explosions In the United states
army and navy were due TO the form OF
powder grain in use, are characterized a.
| "unworthy OF serious consideration III
letter to President Taft from Secretary
Meyer, made public at the White Hous'
to-day.
Appended to Secretary Meyers letter Is
a memorandum from Brigadier Genera
William Crozier, chief of ordnance. to the
Secretary of War. refuting SIR Hiram
criticism, as we'll as an article In Engineer
Ing" a London periodical. frequently re-
ferred to by Sir Hiram in his letter.
''It is coneidered," says Secretary Meyer
''unwarranteds to carry out further expert
ments desired by Sir Hiram MAXIM aho
that his statements in relation 10 oui
smokeless powder are unworthy CT serious
consideration. except as to their misrepre-
sentations and to the evil effects or theii
wide publicity on those unacquainted WIFI
this subject
In regard to Sir Hiram's statement that
he has had great experience and knows
what he Is talking about" Secretary Meyer
says he is Ignorant of the type OF smoke
less powder used by the United States gov
ernnent, and II is quite probable that M
has had very little or no experience WITT
it, however familiar he may be with miro
glycerine or cordite powders"
The letter also says that although Ell
Hiram claims to be the inventor Of mod
ern smokeless powder he is 'in no sense
the inventor Of the type OF smokeless pow
der developed by tho United State navy
at tho navel torpedo station. Newport
r T. and used in the naval service since
1899.
THE broad statement OF Sir Hiram
| Maxim" Secretary Meyer continues, "tha'
the gun accidents Of tho United States
navy are due to multi-perforated powder
grains is shown to be untrue from evi-
dence not at all connected with the de-
| tails of the grain. When the composition
Of the powder and the details OF the grain
are considered there is additional evidence
| to show that these elements are not al
| fault"
A tabu1ated statement Of gun accidents
| IN the United States navy since srnokeless
| powder was introduced Is contained In
Secretary Meyers letter, with details Of
the caIibre and mum Der of tho guns, pre-
vious rounds fired, damage to guns and
| cause Of explosions. In no case, the Sec
| retary declares, has the evidence shown
that tho smokeless powder in use at the
time Of the explosion waa at fault in any
degree.
General Croziers memorandum supports
| the contention of Secretary Meyer with
regard to military experiments with
| smokeless powder. It Is indicated that
| since tho Introduction of smokeless pow
der in the military service only one large
gun has burst, and only two or three field
guns have exploded from accidents ascrtbed
to other causes.
Many illustrations of the successful fir
ing OF hundreds OF thousands of rounds
containing multi-perforated grains at the
Sandy Hook proving ground and the sea-
coast Notifications generally of the United
States and the Philippines are cited by
General Crozier.