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October 26, 1883.] THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS 681 Academy plan in its entirety, which is to print the words “under revision” upon the first edition, leaving this out in the second. In the case of the Photographic Society’s catalogue, unfortunately, there are no warning words upon the first issue, but upon the second appears, “revised edition.” This is a very different way of putting it, for naturally enough people cry out directly they find mistakes in an edition marked “ revised.” By-the-way, why are some of the Exhibition pictures marked “ hors concours," instead of “ not for competition ” ? It looks as if the frames had just come ba:k from some French or Belgium exhibition, with the old labels still sticking to them. Last week the observatory on Ben Nevis was inaugurated with pomp and circumstance. Much space was devoted in the English press, and more still in the Scotch press, to the glorification of the grandees who were so good as to take part in the ceremony, and in some of the newspapers the name Of Mr. Wragge, the first to climb the mountain daily to take observations, was mentioned. But in none of the accounts that reached us was any allusion made to the insignificant beings who have, during the past two years, laboriously toiled to the top of the rugged summit through storm and wind, biting frost, and freezing rain. Starting away every morning in the keen nipping twilight, at the expense of every comfort, and often at considerable risk to life and limb, they visited the mountain side stations on the way, and arrived at the summit at eight o’clock, when, with frigid fingers and benumbed features, the records were scrupulously noted. These young observers—one of them, Mr. William M. Whyte, is a Glasgow undergraduate were not only considered unworthy of a line, but beneath notice altogether. This suppression of the names of the men who do the work, to the advantage of others, is unfortu nately not uncommon now-a-days. We noticed at the last meeting of the British Association that in one of the papers read—we believe that of Dr. Huggins—it was deemed not worth while to refer by name to Mr. Woods and Mr. Lawrence, who bore the heat and burden of the eclipse expedition to Caroline Island, but they were briefly referred to as “ the observers.” This reward, after a six months’ voyage, undertaken at some risk and inconvenience, must have been eminently gratifying to these gentlemen. Photography, according to Mr. Howard Vincent, is not so useful for the detection of criminals as most people suppose. He observes, in his paper read at the Social Science Congress, that “the law only sanctions photo graphy after conviction, and failing the possession of a photograph or the prisoner’s consent, his portrait cannot be sent round on route forms for identification.” Probably, from Mr. Vincent’s point of view, it might be better if everybody who was charged with an offence were at once photographed, but this would be an extension of police supervision which the public would never endure. Still Mr. Vincent’s complaint is conceivable. Scarcely 80 is his statement that “it was generally found that an engraved portrait was more accurate and economical than a photograph.” More economical, doubtless, an engraving would be, but surely not more accurate, unless, perhaps, the detectives had a man in their eye, and wanted a picture like him. The prisoners, when photographed, universally “ make up ” an expression which is not their own. The bichromate process applied to bill-sticking! Some months ago we suggested to a bill-sticker that the addition of a small proportion of bichromate of potassium to the paste would make his work much more effectual, and be writes as follows :—“1 find that a quarter of a pound of the bichromate to each gallon of paste is enough ; it should be stirred in when the paste is quite cold. After the bill has been up for ten minutes, and the composition has become thoroughly hardened by the action of light, the most determined boy cannot tear it down neither has rain any effect upon it. White paper becomes slightly tinted by the bichromate, but the colour is not a disagreeable one. I fixed a bill in a railway station as an experiment, and heard that a porter soaked and mopped it for some three hours without any result.” Patent Entelligence. Grants of Provisional Protection. 4557. Edward Griffiths Brewer, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the county of Middlesex, for an invention of “ A new or im proved apparatus or electro-appliance for touching up photo graphic pictures and other objects, also applicable for en graving purposes.”—A communication to him from abroad by Messieurs. J. Geesbergen, and La Socit Geruzet Freres, all of Brussels, Belgium.—Dated 24th September, 1883. Patents Granted in America. 286,343. Nathan L. Stone, Potsdam, N.Y. “Method of and means for finishing photographic pictures.”—Filed June 30, 1883. (No model). Claim.—1. That method of darkening or softening photo graphic prints or pictures and printing in a new background at one operation, which consists in placing a background negative over the print or picture, covering certain light portions of the figure or of the figure and draperies with some opaque substance, which may be applied to the background negative or to a trans parent plate laid over the same, and then exposing the background and the uncovered portions of the figure and draperies of the print or picture to the action of diffused light, substantially as described. 2. That method of forming groundwork for new figures or dresses and accessories, which consists in first printing the head of the figure, and subsequently forming groundwork for a new