The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-24


arms, died at home here carly today
Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim. Amerl
can-born, was one OF the most famous
inventors, civil. mechanical and cleo
trical engineers OF Great Britain. He
was most fidely known az the inven'
tor OF the Maxim machine gun. which
makes the recoil of the weapon serve
as the power for reloading. and which
is the weapon largely used in the Eu'
ropean war today.
He was born in Sangerville, Me-,
February >. 1870. the son of Isaac
Weston and Harriet NJ. Maxim. and
received only common school edu'
cation, but he acquired scientific
knowledge by reading and attending
lectures. He went to England in 1881,
md had resided there even since. He
was knighted by Queen Victoria in
; 1901.
His son, Hiram Percy Maxim, is a
we'll known inventor in the United
States, known particularly as the in
;ester of the Maxim silencer.
For many years Sir Hiram was a
director In the firm of Vickers Sons
and Maxim, but resigned that post
In 1911. For more than thirty years
The experimental In aeronautics and
Invented flying machines. In the light
ofsthe present war, with its numerous
German airship raids on England, II
is remarkably interesting to recall
that eight years ago Sir Hiram took
The British nation to task for its small
interest in aeronautics. and pointed
hen, at time when aeroplancs were
in their infancy. that England was in
grave danger OF bombardment by air.
ships.
Does any one doubt for a moment
said he. that in case we find our
solves at war with continental pow
err. airships will he used for lombard
ing English towns. both on the coast
and inland? The city of London with
in years time can he attacked with
out our enemy needing TO fear the
boosted British fleet"
Following the success of the Wright
biplane. Sir Hiram renewed his long
continued interest In aviation and in
1910 perfected n machine which he
declared had certain advantages over
the Wright's. II was he who. with
others. interested the British govern
ment in beginning its organization OF
an aerial navy and though he was
then 70 years old he lived to see the
great war bring air fighting to pass
in even greater measure. probably
than he himself had dreamed.
In addition to his gun an aeroplane
he patented many electrical invcn
tions, including incandesent lamps
self-regulating current machines. sew
eral pieces of ordnance. and smoke
less powder.
The aged inventor took keen in
terest in the war, and from time to
time there were unconfirmed reports
of his invention OF devices to meet
the needs Of the war. one of them be
ing an apparatus to countcract the
. effects of the poisonous gases which
Z the Germans were first to bring into
use. In 1915 he was appointed mem
Der OF the Inventors Board of the Brit
! lsh Munitions department under Lloyd
George.
Sir Hiram applied himself so siren
uously to science throughout his long
life that even his recrcations were Civ.
on by him as reading scientific books
and studying the abstract sciences
He wrote many important articles and
an autobiography, my Life" in 1915
He was chevalier of the Legion
7 OF Honor, a member of the American
I, Society Of Civil Engineers, the Royal
Society OF Arts. tho British Associa
ton for the Advancement Of Science
and numerous other scientific bodies