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6 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. [January 2, 1885. 3. Magnesium light. 4. Bengalic or pyrotechnic light. To all these sources of artificial lights my new system can be adapted, so that it is even possible for photographers ■who have not larger means to select, instead of electric light, the apparatus for gas light. NOTES FROM NEW YORK. Meeting ok the Amateur Society—A New Camera— Eastman’s Transfer Process—Enlarging on Argen tic Bromide Paper—Nxw Vignetting Device—Im proved Focussing Screen—The New Orleans Ex hibition. The activity of our Amateur Society here is so great that the management have found it necessary to hold two meetings a month, and informal social meetings every week, in order to satisfy the interest and desire of members to see novelties as fast as they appear. On the 25th November, at a special meeting, a set of Mr. H. P. Robinson’s handsome photographs was shown, also Mr. Cotesworth’s “ Awkward Lead,” and “ The Re voke.” Mr. Robinson’s views were specially admired for the naturalness of the grouping and artistic cloud effects. Mr. Walter Clark exhibited a model of his improved camera for taking instantaneous photographs, so arranged that the image is thrown non-reversed upon a horizontal ground glass by a mirror fixed at an angle of 45° in the box. At the moment of exposure, the lens, which is attached to a vertically swinging pivoted plate, drops suddenly, and at once transfers the image to the sensitive plate by automatically releasing, during its fall, a drop shutter arranged on the outside front of the box. Dia grams of the arrangement havebeen published in the News (1884, pp. 810 and 811). Owing to the weight of the lens, some noise or jar occurred during the fall. The idea is novel, and with some improvements, which I learn Mr. Clark contemplates making, his instrument will doubtless prove quite useful and practical. Specimens of the new gelatine argentic bromide film and’paper, with prints from the same, exhibited by Mr. Beach, attracted considerable attention. In a communica tion received from Mr. Eastman, who is preparing machinery to make this paper on a large scale, it was stated that many of the defects incident to coating gela tine emulsion on glass would be avoided. A very uniform coating was promised, and the process of taking the film off the paper was said to be very easy and simple. A machine has been made which will coat a strip of paper 2} feet wide by 3,600 feet long ; and in an improved rollerholder, which is being manufactured, enough sensitive paper can be stored to make fifty negatives, whose total weight would be 1 lb. less than two of our lightest double wood plate-holders loaded with plates. The paper is first coated with a soft gelatine, dried, rolled, and callendered, so as to be very smooth and hard. Next it is coated with an insoluble sensitive gelatine emulsion. After exposure, development, and fixing, the film side, while damp, is laid upon a sheet of glass, and the whole plunged for a minute into hot water. The paper is then pulled off, and the film, when dry, is next pulled off the glass. The film shown was very tough, and would bear rough handling. It is held by some that the amateur will not care to go to so much bother; this may be true ; still, if a uniform article can be manufactured, it will tend to materially lessen the labour and annoyance of carrying around a lot of fragile glass. Several questions from the question-box were discussed, two of which were quite interesting. One was :—“ What varnish can be flowed over a sensitive gelatine plate which will protect the film from the injurious action of salt water when in contact with the same ? ” The answer given was, to flow collodion over the film, which made it impervious to water of any kind ; then, after exposure, to remove the collodion, by dissolving same with ether and alcohol. Development of the film could then be made. The other question was:—“ Whether a picture could be made with the lens pointed directly towards the sun, or with the sun shining on the lens ? ” In answer, one gentleman replied that he had seen two negatives taken on the Greeley Relief Expedition to the Arctic region, where the Arctic sun was shown in the middle of the picture. Another said the reason was that the snow and surrounding objects appeared nearly as bright as the sun; hence, no injurious effects resulted. Still another related as his experience the possibility of taking a view with the sun shining on lens when it was nearly setting behind objects, such as houses and trees. On the 9th inst. a very large meeting was held, several ladies being present, at which Mr. Beach read a paper on Enlarging on Bromo-argentic Paper. [We shall publish this in a later number.—Ed. P.N.] He demonstrated very successfully, by apparatus and illustrations on the black board, some of the ways of enlarging, and went through the process of exposing, developing, and fixing an enlargement. Mr. 0. Roche made a demonstration on the glace process of coating a gelatine print with collodion, and afterwards with his improved enlarging camera (which has been shown in News) made a very quick enlargement on gela tine paper of his own make. Mr. John Carbutt, of Phil., enlarged upon some new opal porcelain plates which he has recently introduced, and also successfully developed a gelatino-chloride transparency before the audience, made on a plate of his own manufacture. It was quite clear and brilliant, and the result satisfied him sufficiently to commence immediately their manufacture on a large scale. A new camera, designed by Mr. George H. Ripley, was shown. It possessed great length of focus, was light and substantial. Mr. Traill Taylor, who was present, kindly loaned Mr. Beach the new incandescent platinum lamp which he had brought over from London. It attracted considerable notice, and I imagine in a short time several members will have the lamp in operation. Mr. H. V. Parsell showed an improved focussing-board for enlarging on. A vertical board was attached to the top of a stand moving on castors. To focus, the ground-glass end was kept up ; to expose, it was reversed by wheeling around, the board end being at top ; it was easily moved to or from the enlarging camera. Several excellent specimens of enlargements, made mostly by Morgan and Kidd, and sent to Mr. Beach, were very tastefully framed and hung upon the wall. One of the latest efforts made on their paper was a fine enlargement by Mr. H. V. Parsell, from a small tin-type head, inch in diameter to 4 inch life-size. It was neatly made, and enclosed in handsome frame. Messis. Walmsley and Company, of Philadelphia, ex hibited a great variety of English shutters, lenses, and cameras. It was a very late hour when the meeting closed, several things on the programme going over. At last we are to have an enterprising, practical, weekly photo journal in New York—the Photo Times henceforth is to appear every Friday. With the known ability of its editor, and the American enterprise shown by the publishers, I do not see why it will not prove a blessing to them, as well as the photo-fraternity. I hear Mr. G. G. Rockwood is overrun with holiday business, and by some new French process he is turning out some elegant specimens of porcelain work. The formal opening of the New Orleans Exhibition will occur on the 16th inst., but the latest reports indicate that it will be a month thereafter before it gets in working order. Amateur exhibits are going forward, and will attract atten tion in the Photo Department. The Boston Amateur Exhibition closed on the 27th ult.