Volltext Seite (XML)
536 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. LAugust 24, 1883. dropping tubes os carefully as possible, and each plate was labelled with the exact description of the nature of the emulsion. In this way I was enabled to compare the pure bromide with successively varying proportions of the other haloids, upon the same plate, and, therefore, as nearly as possible, under the same conditions. When exposed, the plates were cut into pieces transversely, developed by various methods, and the results compared. When the different kinds of emulsion gave, under these circumstances, different quali ties of negative upon one and the same plate, it was assumed that the difference was due to the nature of the emulsion alone. The chief results obtained, arranged for convenience in a tabular form, are given on the preceding page. {To be continued.) Hotes. Dublin is to have a Photographic Exhibition in February next, to be held under the auspices of the Photographic Society of Ireland. Next Sunday, the 26th, is now fixed for the unveiling of the Daguerre memorial at Cormeilles, near Paris. The statue has been on view at the Salon during the summer, and seems to have met with general approval. In another column, Mr. William Brooks reminds our readers that the date of the annual Exhibition of the Corn wall Polytechnic Society is drawing nigh. The King of the Belgians has taken considerable interest in the International Exhibition at Brussels. On Friday last he spent upwards of two hours in carefully examining the exhibits, passing round the Gallery accompanied by the officers of the Brussels Society, and informing himself closely upon new processes and old processes alike. His Majesty proved himself a keen critic, and spoke particularly highly of the British section. “1 must request you to convey to Mr. Robinson, my high appreciation of his work,” was His Majesty’s remark to Captain Abney, who, as one of the jurors, was in attendance on the king. The august visitor spent some time in study ing the magnificent series of pictures by which the Tun bridge Wells artist is represented at Brussels, and has since, we believe, expressed a desire to be furnished with several of Mr. Robinson’s well-known studies. Mr. Robinson, we are glad to hear, takes the principal medal. Says VEtoile Beige, the principal Brussels journal, re viewing the International Exhibition:—" C’est l’Angleterre qui fournit les plus belles productions photographiques et pourtant ce pays se trouve, en apparence, dans les plus mauvaises conditions de production, a cause de la deplor able lumiere de son climat brumeux.” Praise from Sir Hubert is praise indeed. The fine art aspect of photography is now thoroughly recognized in Belgium, and it must be remembered that the exhibition is held in a building especially constructed for national fine art displays. When shall we see a photo graphic exhibition in the rooms occupied by the Royal Academy ? The free course of lectures delivered annually at Brussels by M. Rommelaere is attended by about one hundred and fifty students, and includes heliochromie, photo-engraving, photo-micrography, and carbon printing. M. Fournier thus describes an ingenious method of print ing designs or tracings. Albumenized paper is floated from the back on a solution of bichromate of potash, and, when dry, exposed under a negative. Washing in cold water suc ceeds, whereby the non-solarised albumen is of course removed ; the faint impression is now put into a water bath containing three per cent, of sulphuric acid ; and further, into a ten per cent, aqueous solution of sulphate of iron. After a rinsing in water, the impression is finally placed in a solution of gallic acid, which turns the image a deep black. The bichromated albumen, of which the image consists, by first absorbing the iron salt, and next the gallic acid, assumes a very black tint, especially if the iron solution has been permitted to act for some time. By washing the prints in water containing a little chloride of lime, the whites are speedily cleared, and the pictures becomes very presentable. M. Fournier employs this method of printing in the Government Engineering Office at Dijon, and speaks very highly of its results. Albeit seemingly complicated, it is a most simple and straightforward method, but only suitable for black and white. Human nature, as time goes on, does not change much. The popularity of individuals as determined by their photo graphs sold, appears to range from royalty to philosophers, the first being the highest in the scale, the second the low est, actors and actresses coming very near, in popular esti mation, to princes and princesses. A table which has just been compiled by Mr. Algernon Graves, of the eminent personages who have been on view at the chief exhibitions more than six times between the years 1760 to 1880, some what corroborates the experience of photographers. The Duke of Wellington is the highest in the list with 138 portraits ; Queen Victoria is credited with 117, while the first gentleman in Europe is only two less. Lord Nelson appeared 45 times, and Mrs. Siddons was within two of this number. Scientific men like Sir Humphrey Davy, and poets, like Tennyson, are nowhere. The Times leader on Daguerre, which we reprint in another column, is a strange mixture of nonsense and the reverse. Speaking of modern photography, wo are told “nitrate of silver has been discarded as the medium in favour of gun-cotton and ether and uranium.” In none of the dis jointed sentences of which the article consists, is a word said about Daguerre’s partner, Nicephore Niepce, who un doubtedly was the discoverer of camera photography, while an equally serious omission is that of “ the new era,’ the