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THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. [December 18, 1885. 17,602. Alexander Melville Clark, 53, Chancery Lane, Lon- don, W.C., for "Improvements in photographic apparatus.” Communicated by Henry Correja, United States.—Dated 29th December, 1884. Specifications Published during the Week. 1027.—Robert Galland-Mason, of Hambleton House, Douglas, Isle of Man, Schoolmaster, for “ Improvements in microphotoscopes."—Dated 23rd October, 1885. This invention relates to improvements in the optical instru ment called the “ Microphotoscope,” for which letters patent were granted to me dated January 8th, 1884, No. 912. The improved microphotoscope consists in arranging micropho graphs m spectacles, eye glasses, or hand glasses in concentric circular groups, so that each microphotograph may be brought separately under or before a single minute microscope, instead of each microphotograph being provided with a separate lens. The microscope may be placed in a radial slide. This radial slide is to enable the microscope to be moved opposite to any circle of microphotographs ; or it may be let into the rim of the spectacle glass and provided wrth a minute screw for focussing for varying sights. The microphotographs would be taken upon a piece of circular glass, gelatine, or any suitable transparent substance ; in photo graphing them it would not be necessary to take each micro photograph separately. If the models from which the microphotographs are taken were arranged in a circle, the whole circular group of miciophotographs could be taken on one negative. 1406.—John Urie, jun., of 83, Jamaica Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Photographic Artist, for “ Improvements in photographic printing, and in apparatus therefor.”—Dated 31st January, 1885. This very voluminous specification makes rather broad and general claims regarding automatic printing arrangements of the Fontayne typo. As several developments of the Fontayne machine have been recently described in the News, and as we find it rather difficult to gather the exact nature of the improvements claimed, we prefer to leave any readers who may be interested to refer to the specification itself. delightful phases of nature, are quite common ; but I must soberly acknowledge that under favourable conditions the old wet plate would produce work equal to the best I have ever done with the gelatine dry plate. I have taken good commercial portraits, equal to the best I have ever done in my life, by the old bath process, when the light was so weak I could not see the face on the camera screen, and had to focus by a piece of white paper or a candle held at the shoulder. The most rapid gelatine plate could do no more, but the latter will do this with a less expenditure of time and patience. What at one time were diffi cult subjects are now obtainable with comparative ease. Try, do your best, and the probability points to success. In the old time a high degree of success was possible, it is now probable. Who wiH show' us the possible in gelati no-bromide?—the exceptional, high-class, difficult work that a genius alone can produce ? —work that shall be as exceptional now as that of Breeze was in his time ? Very beautiful as the generality of work now is, I hope for still higher things, and that by reason of the generally high standard. Surely the multitude has not attained the highest possible ! If so, there is no further advance on these lines, and a new departure will have to be devised, for the approach of the probable and possible indicates the limit of progress. Not so very long ago the chief end of almost every negative was the stereogram, and everybody had a stereoscope ; the thing became wearisome ; there was too much of a good thing. But a good stereogram was a good thing, still is a good thing, and ever will remain so. I would plead that as good work can be done so easily now, some of it ought to be specially devotel to the production of this ueglected branch of picture making. Our Society might most appropriately reawaken an interest in ilns class of picture, for he who claimed to be the father of the stereoscope was at one time our President. 1 feci persuaded that if members would occisionally contribute some of their studies specially arranged tor the stereoscope, they would be among the choicest treasures in our possession, eagerly examined, borrowed, exchanged ; they would develop a healthy enthusiasm, and would certainly be of high educational value. WANTED—A BREEZE. BY WM. T. BASHFORD.* At first sight some of our junior members may think that Breeze’s pictures being stereos they are much out of date, and wonder why they are considered worthy of prominence. To such I Would say—it is their date, their historic position, that renders them so interesting. It will be noticed that they are from negatives that must have received very short exposures, similar to what are now called instantaneous views. Thanks to Mr. Bennett, it is in the power of almost anybody to take such rapid photographs nowadays, and if endowed with a cultivated eye, may select as charming views; but these negatives were made long before the advent of gelatine, in the very earliest days of wet collodion, before iron development had been adopted ; these were developed by acid pyro— therein is their wonder. Look at them :—Com pared with the work that was done at that time, these were like works of magic; remember all the disadvantages—gelatino- bromide unknown—wet plates from the old bath and iodized collodion — exposure extremely brief — no iron development! What does this imply? It means that Breeze exposed his [late, and then went into his dark room, poured on his developer, and sat down to watch and wait—waited by the hour, all that day, perhaps, and perhaps all the next night ; coaxing, warming, washing, developing, washing and again developing, and so patiently waiting hour by hour; and it means that he did sometimes succeed, for under these conditions ho produced these pictures. It was possible under those great disadvantages to get work that may be looked on with pleasure and profit at the present day—but the possible and the probable were very far apart. I have often expressed the notion that the good old wet collodion process did not get the credit it deserved except from a very few. I like the modern gelatine plate, it is so simple, so cleanly, the plate is ready at any moment, prepared for expos ure, and an intelligent worker can be sure of getting something satisfactory from extremely difficult subjects with a small expenditure of time and trouble, hence beautiful instantaneous views, representing • Read before the Edinburgh Photographic Society. THE ADVANTAGES OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN PHOTOGRAPHY. BY HENRY G. TEMPLETON.* When we look back upon the progress science has made during the last decade, we cannot help being struck by the fact that this is in no small measure due to the great increase of the means of gaining technical knowledge which have been afforded the masses. If we look at chemistry, natural philosophy, engineering, or any of the many other sections into which scien tific pursuits are divided, we find in almost all of them a thirst for more insight into the inner recesses of the subjects, which has, to a large extent, been supplied by the technical schools and classes scattered over the country, and the large attendances at which are a proof that they are supplying a long-felt want. But when we turn to our own science, “photography,” do we find the same longing for more knowledge on the part of its devotees, or the same facilities for gaining knowledge which we find in the other branches ? I am afraid our answer must be in the negative. True, photography as a science is yet in its child hood ; indeed, it may be said to be hardly out of the nursery. Yet this is, I think, all the more reason why it should be lovingly niirtured, and its future thoughtfully anticipated. Not many years since it was possible for a man to purchase a camera and the other requisites for the black art, and start almost at once as a photographic artist, and turn out satisfactory results. But now things are changed. It is now no longer looked upon as a “ black art,” but as a true science, and as such requires to be thoroughly and carefully studied, not only in its practical work, but also in its deeper and more important and subtle branches. What, then, is being done to advance this technical study ? Can we rest satisfied with the means at our disposal, or with the results they are bringing forth ? True, we have now many societies throughout the country, but in too many cases their papers and discussions are of a purely practical nature, and do not lead to a steady, systematic study of the subject. Photography may bo said to be made up of mysteries, from • Read before the Neweastle-on-T’yne and Northern Counties Photo- graphic Association.
