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OcTOBER 16, 1885. J THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 669 swept away as rubbish. Only last night I was looking at specimens of some of Wedgwood’s experiments with chloride of silver on bibulous paper. Samuel Highley. SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT. Dear Sir,—In Col. Stuart Wortley's article, Photo graphic News No. 1105, 7th August, 1885, ho gives as his standard developer— Pyro, solution 1} ounces = 10 gr. pyro. Brom. ,, ... ... 30 m. = 1 ,, brom. Amm. „ 25 „ = 2} m. amm. Does be mean that this is to be used without the addition of any more water ? because this seems such an extravagant amount of pyro, to use for one plate ; for large plates at least 2} ounces liquid would be necessary = 20 gr. pyro. Ordinary developers are 2 to 3 grs. pyro, to the ounce. W. Hooper, Lieut.-Col., 1st Madras Cavalry. AN ITINERANT PHOTOGRAPHER AT THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION. Sill,—On Monday evening I resolved to treat myself to a sight of the show ; so, arming myself with the necessary sixpence for admission, and disguising myself within the folds of a clean collar, I sallied forth. To one accustomed to cater for the British public on the breezy heights of Highgate and elsewhere, the prospect of seeing some of the productions of those in the “ upper suckles ” of photo graphic art presented a mild form of excitement. Ar riving at the goal of my hopes, I paid m sixpence, almost expecting to hear the recipient reply, “Nice case for threepence extra; ’’ but he only said, “ Catalogue, sir ?” But, as I had come to see the pictures, and not to read about them, I declined. Entering the room, I was at once one of the throng. My eyes were almost at the first attracted by the apparatus, and I think any man who has to use tools in any form for the ultimate end of “ keeping the mill agoing,” will for give me for lingering a few moments. I saw, however, little that was fresh. My attention was attracted—I had almost said distracted—by an electric lamp obviously for use in the dark room, a small incandescent lamp being the source of light. But as the particular lamp shown would not work, and the other was giving a light equal to an expiring candle-wick, I grimly pictured the enthusiastic amateur with a plate in the dish—possibly the first he has produced — when the developed image shows some signs of doing other than flashing out, and greying over (some of my readers well know what I mean), then at this supreme moment out goes the light. He pulls away at the handle over the square box containing the four cells of the battery, vainly; meanwhile, things are going merrily on in the dish. This thought compelled me to move on, for I fancied I could hear slow music coming out of that dark room, the note D being forte. Ipassed to the other side of the screen. More apparatus— shutters in many forms—and the thought occurred to me, how many practical men used them in preference to the simple drop-shutter with elastic to increase speed. I gazed on cameras by good makers, and showing splendid workmanship. But is all this polish and bright brasswork necessary for making good pictures? Echo answers, “Ask the workmen in photography ; they can tell of shifts made with string, cardboard, and glue, and pictures resulting. Ah! that’s good. Boy holding piece of bread to a dog who looks like a dog, and a boy who looks like a boy when teasing. The Peripatetic salutes you as a master, Mr. Robinson. Art, I know, can take strides over the head of a humble “ brass and glass for sixpence ” man; but I think in “Dawn and Sunset" a leetle more light thrown in the top right hand corner over the old man’s head would have kept within the demands. I tremble at my temerity : mice should not question what giants do. The old man, and the woman and baby, are truly exquisite both in idea and execution. Then come some beautiful views of yachts, &c., perfect in their own particular way. Other pictures (on the floor, almost) I tried to see ; but as the place was pretty full, and my altitude is a trifle over six feet, I feared to stoop lest I should project some one over my back who was scanning the pictures placed so much higher up—fine case of views, with medal labelled on, and well deserving. I just managed to see a case of portraits taken “ at home.” Well, there! I get some attitudes at times, when I pitch my tent; but I expect “ ’Arry and ’Anner ” would demur at parting with the ninepence if I showed such straining after effect. Now my attention was taken by the announcement that the exhibition of lantern slides would take place. Some passably good, some ordinary, and a series of intensely comic “ scenes from the life of Mary, Queen of Scots,’’ were shown. That axe in the execution scene was sublime. The soldiers in their armour looked as though they were not used to it, and showed it at the knees. Oh ! Mr. Editor, here was art at last. By-the-bye, how is it that at a lantern show one always expects to hear children sing, “ Twinkle, twinkle, little star ” ? I saw a couple near one of the stands of pictures taking advantage of the occasion to get forward with their courting, and I breathed a friendly wish for propitious parents. May they be happy ! “Strengthening the Understanding” was almost the next picture I saw, and I can heartily endorse all you have said for it. I should like to have been the maker of it. Mr. Malby, you are an artist-photographer! An enlargement marked Hunt and Thornton took my attention, pleasing me with its clearness. More enlarge ments as good as this would tend to make the public appreciate the colour of bromo-argentic paper pictures better than they do at present. Warnerke's paper negative process has some exponents, a portfolio containing both negatives and prints by some military gentleman affording instruction, as the negatives had some particulars as to exposure, stop, &c., written on them. Some show-cases more suitable for the door-front, with price labels attached, were passed. Then came what I take to be the most interesting exhibit in the room. As the reproduction, mechanically, of photographic pictures is one great question of the day, and one in which, although much has been done, much remains to do, yet the picture labelled “Noel Paton,” and that to which the name of “Stuart Wortley” is attached, leave little to be desired. The “ Fairy Raid ” is deliciously delicate, and the little girl with the toy sheep has a delicacy of half-tone that kept me standing in rapt admiration. But closing time had come, and I descended, and, upon exposure to the cold night air, developed a shivering fit, requiring some fixing solution, which, being properly applied, towards the classic region of Camden Town bent the steps of the Itinerant Photographer. SPOTS ON PLATES. Sir,—Please excuse me taking up your valuable time in calling your attention to the following troubles experi enced in mountaineering. I took with me gelatine bro mide dry plates, which were, and still are, faultless in the studio, but after exposing them on the mountains, and developing them some three days after, I found them covered with curious transparent spots. The unexposed plates, used afterwards at home, showed the same spots. Any reader informing me of the cause and remedy of the above will greatly oblige yours truly, A Seven Years’ SUBSCRIEER,