A Noiseless Firearm

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13673, 15 August 1908, Page 3 (Supplement)

A Noiseless Firearm

Mr. Hiram Fercy Maxim, eon of the famous "Sir Hiram Maxim, has made himself the talk of. America by inventing a rifle, attachment; that makes the firing of the weapon practically noiseless.Recently. Mr. Maxim triumphantly demonstrated ! the remarkable qualities ,of hisi invention in New York at the head-quartei-s'for the Prevention of Cruelty;to Animals, ; -which have been seeking a weapon to -'.kill;- horses and cattle huinanely. Mr; Maxim disgharged the rifle,., a 32-calibre. Winchester, several times,- in absolute i silence, except for the click of the hammer.and tiie impact of the, flatnosed, bullet nn thg.taxget. Persoris.iri an adjoining room failed to hear a -sound: Witnesses to the demonstration were; delighted with-thfe invention. . ' ifr. Slaxini's: .silencer compr&es a : series of aliuriihiuriv cells,, fitted, with an interior equipment-that automatically cuts off the gases .from sudden escape. After, the bul-' let has passed from.the rifle the gases;escape slowly, :'iand ■ sonsequently without noise, through the cells fitted to the rifle- . According.'. to • one account, when the inventor, took the- rifle out of its case, -tjje spectators': rniniediately proposed Vthat; trie patty should, go' into the-"■ country .to'; witness he exhibition. •. " There is no need, to go into "the-country," replied 'Mr Maxim, " I will •shpst r yon in this room what the rifle'can; do:" V; ■; '■'.'''

Heedless of the chorus 'of protests the inventor placed two City directories against.:the'wall, levelled, the rifle.■ at thei outer one, ;v and prilled the trigger.-.;'■.'. • There > was'^a/slight click arid that was 1 all, ,th4ii-;M^V;Maxim';;dn) ; pge4''tib6 weapon and; turnfid :to the spectators.'; khiiling. "Well," skid /the- sceptics,":*'what pened?'VWhy)did not the ; gun go, off?" ,' "'Oh.!, it Jyrent off allright;""answered the inventory '* Just look ■'. at. the outside 'directory/' ';.' \ : ■'' '-■ ■ .-.;;." TheTsceptics picked, it up- and found the hook. was penetrated six inches by a spft-uqs*d ■ bullet. '-'. ,' v '■■';.'■'.*■ " Bebause I have not pbtained - patents in Europe," said Mr .Maxim,; according to scribe in .dfet-ail niy noiseless" : ";'. firearm, which I am jierfecting for- our army-teste. I can say this much,, however: The.. rifle will differ from the present rifle only in the .barrel. The same 'ariimrinltiqn, in clips of six shots,, can be wd iis in the present weapon. There, need; be no change in - either the amount; or the quality'-' of the. explosive behindT'ihe-'projectile.. ' '.' The Ordinancei Bureau.- of the. .Army ' stipulated tlirit r l must not; make' an army rifle any longer than; ths. one now iised. It is conceded that' I ;inay ■ sacrifice ten per turn; out a. noiseless Weapon. I shall: have . a noiseless rifle, , required, including . : 0f,... the.; clicic-haminer,"• when the' official tests' occur in a few month's at Sandy Hook." , : ''. Mr Maxim.; also 4«*« d t uat e -? lj -^ n approached; nnbfficialiy .'.-on- behalf of the

tcvobtain the owe of his invention, which, so far, has been patented; only in 'America.