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828 ; PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. LDECEMBER 24, 1885. joint seams with a box to form a photographic plate-holder, substantially as described. 21. The combination of a wedge-shaped flexible bag with a box to form a photographic plate holder, substantially as described. 22. The combinaeion of a double wedge-shaped flexible bag with a box to form a photographic plate-holder, substantially as described. 23. The combination of a double wedge-shaped bag having break-joint seams with a box to form a photographic plate holder, substantially as described. 24. In a photographic plate-holding box or reservoir, the combination of a plate-holder with thin edges and a flexible cover, substantially as described. 25. In a photographic camera, a plate reservoir or plate changing box with a light-tight flexible cover, combined with a plate-holder having thin edges, substantially as described. 26. In a photographic camera, a plate-reservoir or plate changing box with a light-tight double flexible cover, combined with a plate-holder having thin edges, substantially as described. 27. In a photographic plate-holding box, a wedge-shaped flexible cover combined with a plate-holder having thin edges, substantially as described. 28. In a photographic plate-holding box, ih? combination of a light-tight double wedge-shaped flexible cover with plate-holders having thin edges, substantially as described. 29. In a photographic-plate-holding reseivoir, the combination of a flexible cover with a box adapted to contain one or more plates or plate-holders, and provided with a lining terminating so far below the top of the plates or plate-holders as to leave : pac; to insert the fingers between the top of the plates or plate holders and the inside of the box above said lining, and thereby grasp and withdraw a plate or plate-holder, substansially as described. 30. In a photographic camera, a plate-box or changing-box cover consisting of two pieces of opaque flexible cloth of the form shown, combined to constitute a wedge-shaped bag with break joint scams, substantially as described- 31. In a photographic plate-holder or changing-box, amovable screen or dummy plate, in combination with a flexible opaque bag, substantially as described. 32. In a photographic camera, a plate box or reservoir, smooth inside and having a flexible cover, combined with plate-holders and a compress, substantially as described. 33. In a photographic camera, the combination of movable lens-supports, a carrier, and a finder with a plate-reservoir or plate changing compartment, smooth inside, having a flexible cover, and containing plates in separate plate-holders compressed by a spring-compress. 34. In a photographic camera, a removable plate holding reservoir or changing-box with a projecting nose, a hinged or sliding bottom, and a frame forming one side of an exposing chamber, substantially as described. 35. In a photographic camera, a plate-holding reservoir er changing compartment having an inner reduced lining, a flexible cover, and a spring-compress, and open on one side toward an exposing-chamber, substantially as described. 36 In a photographic camera, the combination of a flexible cover with a plate-changing compartment adapted to contain separate plate-holders, ani reduced in size by an inner lining so arranged as to leave a space between the front and sides of the plates or holders near the top, substantially as described. 37. In a photographic camera, an exposing-shutter operated behind a false front and before the lens, and where it is visible before or after exposure, through the exposure aperture, coloured or ornamented to conform with the colour or design upon the front of the camera, substantially as described. 38. In a photographic camera, a flexible plate-holder cover constructed of two layers of flexible material glued together only at the edges, and not throughout, substantially as described. 39. In a photographic camera, a photographic lens in an exposing-charaber, and a finder-lens in a separate chamber, com bined with a finder-box and a plate-box united by a separable joint, and a device for moving both boxes forward aud backward, or by retaining them in any position, substantially as described. 40. In a photographic camera, a plate-holding reservoir or plate-changing compartment having a flexible cover and a spring- compress, and open on one aide towa P nsing-chamber, substantially as described. A TALE OF A DRY PLATE. BY W. S. GILBERT, Author of “ The Mikado,” “ II.M.S. Pinafore," “ The Pirates of Penzance," S;c. I am a junior partner in a large mercantile house. Certain irregularities had occurred in our Singapore branch, and I was despatched by the firm to investigate them, and to place matters on a more satisfactory footing. I need not go into details on this point, as they are irrelevant to my story. 1 sailed by the Itaiscr-i-Ihnd from Tilbury, accompanied by my valet. At the Liverpool-street terminus an elderly lady in widow’s mourning asked me some questions as to the conveyance of luggage from the Tilbury station to the ship ; she should have sent her luggage to the docks, but had omitted to do so. Asi replied to her question, I saw that she was accompanied by a very beautiful girl of eighteen. There is no need to beat about the bush. I fell in love with her, there and then. It is a common-place way of putting it, but I don’t know that I could make matters clearer by a more elaborate method of expression. As they and I travelled to Tilbury in the same compartment, we entered into conversation, as people will readily do who know that they are about to travel many thousand miles together, 1 learnt that the lady was a Mrs. Selby, widow of a Colonel Selby, who had died about six mouths since. Broken in health, and weakened by long weeping, she had been advised to take a sea voyage, in the belief that change of scene and beneficent sea air would do much to restore her to health, if not to happiness. As I happened to have met Colonel Selby on two occasions —once in London, and once in a country house— my acquaintance with his widow and daughter rapidly ripened into friendship. We sailed on a fine October afternoon, and by the time we were off the “ Start” I had almost established myself on the footing of an old friend. Pass over the voyage. It lasted five weeks, but it seemed like five days. I lived but in Clara’s presence. I scarcely spoke to anyone on board except to Clara and her mother. People see more of each other, if they care to do so, in a few weeks’ voyage than in a lifetime on shore, and before we reached Colombo 1 had declared my love to Clara, and she had accepted it. If there is unalloyed happiness on earth, it was given to us as we neared Ceylon. Unalloyed, save by the thought that we were about to part for a time; for Clara was to go on to Calcutta, where her lute father’s brother was quartered, whereas I was to remain in Singapore for three months. We were to return to England at about the same date, and it was arranged that as soon as possible after our arrival we were to be married. I have some little skill in photography, and I had brought with me a camera and some dry plates, intending to photograph any striking scenes that I might come across during the journey. By the aid of dry plates, photography, and especially travelling photography, is much simplified. The traveller can take a photograph, shut the plate in a light-tight box, and develop it twelve months afterwards if he pleases. There is no need to encumber oneself with chemicals; all the messy portion of the process can be done at home, in the seclusion of one’s own dark room. 1 had not intended to take any photographs on the voyage, for dry plates are extraordinarily sensitive to the action of the faintest ray of light, and it was practically impossile to make my cabin dark enough to allow of my transferring plates from the dark box to the slides without absolutely spoiling them. But I happened to have left two plates in one of the slides, and before we reached our destination I devoted one of these to Clara, and one to Mrs. Selby. , We parted tearfully, but not unhappily. We were to meet in three months’ time, and our lives wore then to be passed together. I believe we were too full of happiness over this prospect to grieve very much over our parting. As the Kaiser steamed away for Penanu, I kept the happiness of our next meeting steadily before me, and it served me in good stead. The time passed slowly, but it passed. I had received tn letters from Clara, written from Calcutta, full of life t. and joy at the prospect before us. She was going t month at Allahabad, and a fortnight at Bombay, ano then to return to Marseilles by a Messageries ship, the c which was an intimate friend of the uncle with whom been staying at Calcutta. By this arrangement si strive in England about a month before me. At length my sailing orders camo, aud on one of the lays of my lite set foot on board the good ship Muzapore,
