El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-17

TT UpSON MANN. world-famous
for his work in high explosives
q - and their application TO modern
ordnance. was born in Piscataquis
county, Maine, February :. lS53-of
sturdy English and French Hugenot
stock. His parents were poo- and I
have heard him tell how he walked
two miles to school barefooted, with
snow two feet deep. and how he
rubbed the soles of his feet with snow
to slide on the ice. I have heard him
relate how many d time there was
nothing to eat at nome. He worked
at odd jobs, went to Maine WesI, va I
SEMINARY, taught school and continual
his school DAYS until L.. vas 25
From 1883 to 1888, he va, success
fuIE engaged in the Subscription book
pun ming business. during which time
lie wrote and PUBLISHED -'I'ransanshIp
and Drawing. of which upward of
zion.
SmOkeIesS Powder.
He left the publishing business for
the more fascinating Occupat ton of in
venting and experimenting with ex-
plosiVes. In 1880 he developed and
manufactured the first smoIeless pow
der In the United States and was first
10 submit samples to the government
TOR trial; the smOkeless powder was
adopted by the government. The Du-
points purchased both his invention
ana manufacturing plant on Lake
Hopatcong, engaging him as consult
ing engineer and expert in the develop
ment of that company
Following the exhaustive and thrill
ing experiments by the United States
army at Sandy Hook, Mr.. Maxim sold
to the government in 1901, the secret
of his high explosive "Maximite," the
first high explosive to be successfully
inc oh f.
armor piercing projectiles.
Mr.. Maxim also invented a detonat-
ing fuze for high explosive projectiIes.
superior to all rival fuzes, as is evil
denced by its adoption by the gov
eminent Stabilize" a still later in
vention, is a smOkeless gunpowder,
which among other desirable qualities
mas the added advantage of Immediate
uSe-Which in view of the fact that
ordinary nitro-cells lose smOkeless
powder requires several months to
dry, renders Stabilize" of inestimable
value in case of war For the larger
guns year is often required to dry out
the solvent, a difficulty the Stabilize
has overcome.
Designs New Torpedo Boat.
Mr.. Maxim has also produced a new
conclusive compound. which he named
the "mOtorite" intended to be en-
ployed instead of compressed air for
the driving torpedoes, and it is also
applicable for driving small torpedo
boats during the run of attack. He
has also designed a new type of tor
pedo boat, which itself forms a YER
liable torpedo, driven by moUorite dur
ing the run of attack through the
gun fire of war ship. The boat will
carry ton of high explosive in the
warheard. which will be delivered
against the hull of the war vessel at
tackled.
The process of making Calcium car
bide continuously, by electrical resist
ance of a molten carbine conductor, re-
moving the carbide as fast as formed
and simultaneously supplying fresh
material to the heating fluid now in
general use in this country, was the
invention of Mr.. Maxim. During the
experiments in the manufacture of
Calcium carbide ne invented a process
for the manufacture of microscopic
diamonds by electro deposition.
His war game. game of skill, Al
Improvement on chess-the movement
of the pieces Stimulating field opera
lions of troops in battle, requires too
profound thought, ever to become pop-
uIar.
His Hand Blown Off.
In the development of high eXplos.
ives and kindred inventions he has
worked with dynamite. maximite
Stabilize and mOtorite, with torpedoss
and rams with prOjectiles and armor
plate. with automatic guns and 1e-
tCnating fuZes. grim agents of destruc-
ton which might have killed others
less ~aVticu-. nevertheless cost his left
hand. He had a gold cap put on a