Volltext Seite (XML)
as one of the “triumphs of photography, valuable both to art and science, for the photograph exhibits all the characteristic details of the lion at rest.” But we disagree in totothat “ the illustration tells its own story.” It does not tell, for instance, any more than the letterpress, who was the photographer, and to whose skill and cunning, there fore, the picture is due. We hope Nature will say some thing about this in its next issue; and it might add, too, that the picture is not a specimen of “ instantaneous photography ” at all, as the description makes it out. Photographers in this country will be glad to hear that Herr Fritz Luckardt, of Vienna, has been honoured with the title of Professor by the Dnke of Saxe-Meninigen, in recog nition of his artistic efforts in the domain of photography. Liquid oxygen is likely to become an ordinary laboratory agent, if not an article of commerce, for M. W roblewski has now discovered a much more easy method of production than that at first employed. He employs extreme cold in conjunction with high pressure in order to turn the gas into a liquid. M. Wroblewski found that by boiling ethylene, not at the ordinary atmospheric pressure, but in a vacuum, he can attain a temperature as low as —136° 0., and this suffices for his purpose. Sulphide of carbon and alcohol congeal at this low temperature, and both oxygen and nitrogen become liquid. On the 9th inst., in three experiments, liquid oxygen was successfully produced, respectively at —131°6C. tempera ture, and at a pressure of 26} atmospheres, at—133 Q 4O. and 244 atmospheres, and —135°8C. and 22} atmospheres. The liquid oxygen was transparent and colourless, and in this respect, therefore, different to ozone, which is intensely blue. Liquid nitrogen presents the same appearance; while alcohol at —130°C. is frozen into a white solid, and at —129°C. is a viscous liquid. This is interesting to photographers. In connection with the photo-chemical action of ferric oxalate, says Engineer, M. Victor Jodin has observed that when 162 parts of perchloride of iron and 63 parts of oxalic acid are dissolved in a litre of water, and exposed to sunlight, carbonic acid is set free, sufficient to supply the require ments of plants enclosed in a vessel with it. The absorp tion and decomposition of the carbonic acid by the plant is a second photo-chemical action, for sunlight is required to aid this also. A little while ago we promised in these columns to de scribe a few London studios “from the front.” That promise we are about to redeem. Next week we shall give the first of “ Half-a-dozen Portraits; ” they will be sketches written after as many visits to studios in London where we have sat for a portrait as one of the public. Obviously, the only value these sketches can have will depend upon two things : that we are unknown at the time of our visit, and that we pay our way like any other ordinary mortal. The studios we shall describe will range from those that exact a guinea fee, to others satisfied with the modest payment of five shillings. Although we shall omit the actual name of the firm, its standing will be indicated pretty well by its locality. We scarcely expect to find the same rosy tint shining over all things, as in the case of “ The Photographic Studios of Europe,” but we still hope our experiences will be of value and interest to working photographers. We shall be frank of speech, freely dis cussing such things that are praiseworthy, as well as those that are open to criticism. There is abundant scope for such work as the City and Guilds Institute for the Advancement of Technical Educa tion has been established to perform. The Institute, how ever, carries out the traditions of its origin, for, while considerably increasing its managerial expenses, it has resolved to economise as regards fees to the examiners, the minimum honorarium being fixed at 25 5s. in future, instead of £10 10s. as formerly. We know of one examiner who has declined to act on these terms, and fancy that something like a general “strike” is contem plated. The board of one of the largest iron and steel companies in the kingdom is making arrangements for presenting each shareholder with a photographic album illustrating its works and property. The pictures will be about 12 by 15 inches, and printed by a permanent method—probably collotype—while a few pages of explanatory letter-press will be added. Public companies, especially when the works are at a distance from the financial centre, might well adopt a similar plan. An album could be issued each year. The St. Louis Photographer, now carried on by Mrs. J. H. Fitzgibbon, is doing very well under the new regime. Among other things, it contains some capital “ Notes,” taken for the most part from our pages. As we have said before, we like to be quoted, but we like still better to have the quotations acknowledged. We suppose we shall never get two people to agree as to what is a novelty. On Tuesday last a retouching desk was shown at the Photographic Society, the exhibitor spending some minutes in minutely describing its various points of originality. Yet one gentleman remarked that, although he had not seen very many retouching-desks, he had never seen one unlike that exhibited. This, however, was better than another observation, which, if we remember it aright, was to the effect that the speaker had never seen anything like it before in his life, and, what was more, he wouldn’t so much mind if he never saw anything like it again. Mrs. Burnaby’s book about the health-resorts of Switzer land has been announced as illustrated by photography. Such is not the case ; the pictures will be ordinary wood cuts taken from photographs, which naturally makes all the difference. It may be mentioned, in addition to what we announced