THE SILENT RIFLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 183, 1 August 1908, Page 15

THE SILENT RIFLE.

IXVENTOR'S'DEMONSTRATION OF ITS POWERS. Mr Hiram l'ercy Maam created a profound sensation in New York on June 12 with his new noiseless rifle. The Inventor attended a meeting ot-man-agers Of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, one of whom- had offered a prize for the most humane Invention fitted to supersede the axe in the slaughtering of animals. Mr Maxim suggested the noiseless rifle. Ho took the weapon, which resembles an ordinary Winchester rifle of .32 calibre, out of its case. The spectators immediately proposed that the party should go into the country to witness an exhibition of the new invention. 'There Is no need to go into the country," replied Ml" Maxim, "I will'show.you in this room what the rifle can do." Heedless of the chorus of protests the inventor placed two city. directorlesTigainst the. wall, levelled the rifle at the outer one, and pulled the trigger.' There was a slight click and that was all. Mr Maxim dropped the weapon and turned to the spectators smiling. "Well," said the sceptics, "what happened?. Why did not the grin go off?" "Oh! it went off all right," answered the inventor. "Just look at tho outside directory." The sceptics picked it up and found the book was penetrated six inches by a soft-nosed bullet. 'I, . Mr Maxim declined to allow the gun to be examined, as he said it was insufficiently protected by patents. He announced, however, that a public demonstration would be Kiven next month at Sandy Hook under GoTCMiinent supervision, *I shall not," he added* "allow any ,t>utcher to use the weapon unless h<? sires the strictest guarantee that he will never remove it from' the eleughtechonse, for I shrtdder to think to what n»«!» the Invention might be pnt lot the bands of criminals. *"'