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THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. Vol. XXIX. No. 1415.—Oetober 16, 1885. CONTENTS. PAGE The Photographic Exhibition 657 On a Means of Preventing Hardness in Gelatine Plates dur ing Development 657 Varnishing Gelatine Negatives 658 Photography for Wheelmen 659 Notes on the Gelatine Emulsion Process. By Dr. J. M. Eder 659 Photography and Medical Jurisprudence. By W. Mathews... 660 Influence of Light on Aromatic Substances. By Dr. J. M. Eder 661 Researches on the Chemical Action of Light. Bv Professor J. M. Eder .* 661 Notes 664 PAGE Practical Chemistry for Photographers. By Ralph W. Robin son 663 Patent Intelligence 665 A Visit to the North of Ireland with a Camera, and its Results. By J. Alexander Forrest 666 Paper Negatives. By T. G. Whaite 667 Ackland’s Scale of Photographic Equivalents 667 “Shots” in the Eastern Counties. By A. W. Beer 667 Correspondence 668 Proceedings of Societies 670 Talk in the Studio 672 Answers to Correspondents 672 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION. [Second Notice.] Since our last notice two more medals have been awarded : one to L. Warnerke, for paper as substitute for glass (nega tive taken on the patent double-coated sensitive negative tissue), exhibit No. 783 ; and R. Schuster, for specimens of photo-engraving, exhibit No. 800. In both these cases the awards are undoubtedly well deserved. No. 1, “Temptation,” by F. Hollyer, is a reproduction, and, therefore, of secondary interest; and the same remark applies to his other exhibits, Nos. 29, 115, 491. No. 2, by K. B. Murray, “Woman at Cottage Door,” is a little hard—the result, perhaps, of under-exposure—but the general effect is good. The same exhibitor has other exhibits, the best of which is a charming picture of “ The Mill at Pont Avon ” (No. 205). R. Slingsby always sends fine examples of the photo grapher’s art, and on this occasion he is well represented. Of his eight exhibits (Nos. 3, 4, 5, 31, 32, 33, 283, 471), the one which many will consider most pleasing is a pretty study of child-life called, “ Will it Float? ’ (No. 5). It represents the launch of a toy ship. J. Chester Jervis shows to best advantage in his wonderfully realistic “Market Scene at Nice” (No. 3G0) ; but his other ex hibits (Nos. G, 7, 8, and 436) are all meritorious, especially his “Nice Boy” (No. 8). T. B. Maguire shows a large portrait of “Mr. Shaw” (No. 9); also (No. 667) a portrait on opal, “A Jersey Lily.” “Tennyson” (No. 10), by 11. H. II. Cameron, is a good and expressive portrait, and the same may be said of No. 11, “ A Portrait of Dr. Jackson.” H. II. 11. Cameron has numerous other exhibits, most of which are good, but his “Boy’s Head, after Murillo ” (No. 80), is decidedly a failure. The photographer has been ambitious, and over leaped himself. A series of ten out-door pictures by J. P. Gibson is worthy of much admiration, technically good and artistic. That which strikes us as best is No. 12, " Old Mill.” Other works by the same exhibitor (No. 83, 628) are also good. B. Wilkinson, Junior, shows good work, Nos. 22-25, and 193. The best of his pictures is his “ Broom Maker ” No. 23. We already know that express trains can be photo graphed, and G. Mold’s “ Express Trains ” Nos. 26, 370, and 850, will excite but little interest. His other exhibits are meritorious. F. W. Edwards sends five exhibits, Nos. 27, 38, 68, 123, and 124 ; the photographs of Tinworth Fa iel are very note worthy. “ "Twixt Cup and Lip ” (No. 37), and “ Why Don’t Yon PPeak for Yourself, John” (No. 53) are by Ralph W. Robinson. This latter is a scene from Miles Standish, and we congratulate the exhibitor on his success in a difficult line of work. Both R. W. Robinson’s pictures show good promise for the future. B. J. E Iwards’s exhibits—no less than twelve frames, many of them sea pictures ; perhaps the best for effect is “ Coming Home ” (No. 41). Three pictures of “ London from the Adelphi,” by W. K. Burton, are exceptional in their excellence. They show a trace of that peculiar faint haze which we look upon as so characteristic of our capital city, and this softens the distance in a very charming manner. Of the three, that which pleases us most is No. 41, showing the dome of St. Paul’s and Cannon Street S ation—each admirably softened. To a paiuter this photograph should be a valuable study. _____o—_____ ON A MEANS OF PREVENTING HARDNESS IN GELATINE PLATES DURING DEVELOPMENT. The above is the title of a communication by Herr Eujen Himly to the Photographische Mittheilimgen of October. The writer points out the fact, which is unfortunately undeniable, that there is a tendency at times to hardness in negatives taken on gelatine plates ; that the high-lights become too dense before all the details in the shadows have been brought out; and that this deplorable state of affairs is liable to occur in landscape work, in portraiture, and also in the case of copying coloured pictures. Here let us say that in the communication referred to there appears to be some confusion, or at least not sufficient distinction, between two entirely different things. One is the hardness or flatness which may occur in a negative from the inability of the film to register more than a cer tain length of gradation of white light; the other is the incapacity of ordinary films to register the colour towards the red end of the spectrum. A plate may be an excellent one in the matter of registering a long gradation of white light, possibly show ing a difference of density between squares 1 and 2 of the sensitometer when a long enough exposure has been given to bring out figure 25, or giving good modelling in the high-lights of a portrait subject, whilst at the same time the details in the shadows of a black dress are well rendered. Although it may seem paradoxical, it is never theless the case that any light reflected from a black sub stance is white light. A plate may, we say, show all these qualities, and yet be quite insensitive to any less refrangible rays of the spectrum than the green. It will in such a case be almost the worst plate possible for copying a brilliantly painted picture in which there are blues, and also reds and yellows. On the other hand, a plate which is sensitive to the red and yellow rays, and which on that account is