A WONDERFUL GUN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 175, 18 April 1908, Page 10

A WONDERFUL GUN.

FIRES WITHOUT NOISE, SMOKE, OR \ SMELL.

2,000,000 SHOTS AN HOUR. Following on tlio invonfcion of a noiseless rifle which Mr. Hiram Percy Maxim, son of Sir Hiram Maxim, considers will revolutionise warfare, comes the announcement of the construction of an automatic gun that will discharge'2,ooo,ooo bullets an haul', and that without noise, flash,'smoke, or smell.

This terrible machine,' which, because of its destnictivonoss, is expected to prevent war, is operated by only two men. , The gun never gets overheated, and it cannot explode because powder is not used. The cost.pf firing 1,000,000 bullets, half an inch in diameter, by the now gun would be about £2. Tlio; oxpenso .of 'firing 1',00t1,000 bullots requiring powder and shells is more than £4000. , - SIXTY-MILKS-AN-HOUR CARRIAGE., The gun works automatically. If the operators were to placo, 2,000,000 balls in the magazine and turn' on the ikhvtM', the men could take.a Walk for an,hour, confident that in 'their absence.the gun would colitihuo to |liurF._bullets bo 'long' as one was left'. . Tlio 'plan" of. the inventor is to 'mount" the inow-gun on a truck similar to a to'bb'- run by !a. lOp-li-p..' motor,' which would; give- tho carriage V: speed- of isixty miles an hour. The outfit, ready for action, would weigh' about 50001b. ' •.t '.; *'■' There.are to be two clutches on the motor —0110. to start' and stop .the carriage,' the other to .operate.the gun..'.Tlio same motor that runs-the carriage; furnishes the. power' to fire the gun,'-.which can bo worked while tho car is in motion, as weir as when. it" is" standing still. ■ . ■„ As no shells, powder, or otlier ammunition apart from the balls aro usoll, all'that the 1 gun-truck is called upon to transport aro; tlio gun, the crew of two men, the bullets, and the petrol; or .-storage batteries—whichever maybe used in furnishing power.-'' ,f • Tlio itivehtor claims that ten of his halfilicll guns,' firing'in the aggregate: 20,000,000 bullets ,an hour, would sweep away au'arriiy of:200,000 men-within sixty, minutes,.-if ohly 1 pel* oSilt. Of. the -missiles '.'found: liUlriaii' targets. ■ ; .•' ■

: .. .SECRET WILL DIE 'WITH HIM. ; :: ' f"Mr.vFred :Baugert®iy inventor of the so-called.- prevention , of war,, ;is : - a . practical' engiiieor, 'a&d lias invented, and: built many ; automatic machines that are. in'use to-day in different parts of the'world;Ho is a'native ofi'Swtzetlaiid', 'and is-thirtyrnirio yeart old.. •Ho says' that ho will soli ■ the secret- of liis; gun' 1 to.jatij" .Government that will pay ail' adequate. price . for .it, but if.: . satisfactory' arrangements be. not mado' he ■ Will. preserve tho secret and v iiot reveal it even-in his will. When' he . is satisfied ; that. ho./cannot-make-the terms lie desires, he will destroy the gun; JTho' attention of President- Hoosereit- having been'called to tho Bangerter pm, a correspondence has. been ,- opened .with .a' vieti- -to' having a demonstration- made in the prteico of. representatives; of- tho Government.: The Frehbh Government.. has..also written to Mr.' Bangerter. requesting' information' regarding the gun.: -A model of' the gun is now ill Now York. ; -' : v

.When ( asked : how much mohevi he expected for his secret, Mr. Bangerter roplifcd tliit he '£1,000,000 would' b©'a reasonable sunt, for a Government to pay for what ho.-had -to offer. • ■<, | -