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November 6, 1868.] THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 539 expressed an opinion that the photographers of the Royal Engineers detailed for that expedition were not “ experi enced ” in the art of photography, I beg to inform you that Sergeant Phillips, R.E., the senior photographer, has been employed in Palestine on two expeditions under the auspices of the Palestine Exploration Committee, and that his name is well known in connection with the photographs published by that Society. He had, therefore, great experience of photo graphing in a hot climate, but, in common with other photo graphers, he had not had much experience in photographing eclipses, especially in cloudy weather. I may add that Major Tennant has expressed an opinion that his six negatives are equal in scientific interest to any that have been obtained in Spain, and he has valued them at £150 each. The following extract from the India Gazette speaks for itself:— “ The services of Sergeant Phillips, and Sappers Talbot and Conway, of the Royal Engineers, have been great. They have had a good deal of hard and harassing work in making every thing ready. Sergeant Phillips, in particular, has been most useful, and I have much of the success of all preparations to thank him for. The partial failure of the plate operations has been from causes beyond these men’s control, and I would re spectfully solicit that His Excellency in Council would be pleased to grant a month’s donation of pay to each. (Signed) “ J. F. Tennant, Major R.E.” “ As recommended by you, His Excellency in Council sanc tions the grant of a donation of one month’s pay to Sergeant Phillips, and Sappers Talbot and Conway, of the Royal Engineers.” In conclusion, I may be permitted to add that even if this “ comparative failure ” had been the fault of the men, this would not have been logical ground for hinting that the Royal Engineer photographers are “ not familiar with photographic operations.” Lord Napier, in his despatches, repeatedly men tioned the success obtained and good service rendered by the Royal Engineer photographers under most trying circumstances in Abyssinia. In that expedition photography was the field printing press. Staff officers’ reconnaisance sketches brought in during an afternoon were at once photographed, and reduced to a uniform scale during the operation, in order that different sketches, if they overlapped, might be subsequently joined together. The sensitized paper was prepared during the night, and impressions struck off in the morning. The prints were finally mounted on linen, and distributed throughout the force. This was the principal work of the photographers, who had also to take care of the mules, carry their arms, and march as other soldiers. In addition to the large collection ot negatives of plans, they have brought home a most valuable collection of about eighty negatives of general views, prints from which will be exhibited before the Photographic Society this month Sergeant Harrold, R.E., the senior photographer, shortly before taking the interesting views of Magdala, was detailed as one of the storming party, and for his conspicuous gallantry at the assualt of Magdala has obtained a medal for distinguished conduct in the field.—I am, sir, your obedient servant, S. ANDERSON, Lient. Royal Engineers, Assistant Instructor in Photography, &c. Royal Engineer Establishment, Chatam, Nov. 4, 1868. [We are glad to learn that the photographic operations in connection with the recent eclipse observations in India were more successful than the first report indicated. Our corre spondent must remember, however, that our remarks were based upon the statements of Major Tennant himself, who described the whole of the plates as “ covered with spots.” and as “ showing but faint traces of the coronaand he attributed this to the “ concentration of the nitrate of silver solution ” by heat. Now this is a condition of things in no wise attributable to the eclipse. It could only have arisen from want of care or want of knowledge, and it is fair to assume that it was to lack of experience, and not any more culpable cause, that such a result was due. If wo do the Engineers in whose care the photographic operations were placed any injustice, we regret it, and can only point to Major Tennant’s report, and the con trast furnished by the results ot the German expedition, in justification of our remarks. Our correspondent mistakes us in fancying that weimply that skilled photographers are not to be found amongst the Engineers. We have before spoken highly of the skill and success of Sergeant Harrold in Abyssinia, and we have had reason to believe that it was owing to the absence of the most accomplished Engineer photographers in Abyssinia that less able men were at the service of Major Tennant’s ex pedition. In our allusion to the Engineers we merely put a hypothetical case, saying if the mon told off were not familiar with photography, &c., &c. It is much more pleasant to us to believe that this expedition was in some degree successful than that it was a complete failure.— Ed.] Mk in the Studig. Obituary.—We regret to announce the death of another of the old and valuable workers in photography. Mr. T. A. Barber, an able chemist, well known at one time as one of the most active and useful members of the North London Society, died on the 29th ult., aged fifty-three. Some excellent contribu- 1 tions to the chemistry of photography by Mr. Barber will be found in our former volumes. Photography and Popularity.—The Russian correspon dent of a daily contemporary regards photography as a tolerably accurate guage of popularity. He says:—“The coming of Mdlle. Patti is looked forward to with vast im patience by the opera-going world, and photographs of the Diva already inundate the shop windows ; while Lucca, about whom all Petersburgh went crazy last winter, is relegated—in photo graphic form at least—from the ‘ line to a higher region.’ " Photography at the Havre Exhibition.—The Standard, speaking of English photography at the Havre Exhibition, says:—“This last (photography) is an art upon which the French, with dominant vanity, plume themselves. Our speci mens at Havre were few, yet they are admitted to be scarcely less than incomparable. Now it might be invidious to select the names of individuals or of firms without analysing the entire list; but upon examination it will be found that out of three thousand exhibitors—a very small proportion being British —a magnificent allotment of awards fell to our share.” “ Scientific Opinion.”—The first number of the new issue of this interesting resume of news on current science is just out, and promises well. It contains a capital selection of articles from the scientific press generally, at home and abroad; brief but sufficient notices of the proceedings of scientific societies ; reviews, correspondence, and condensed information in the shape of “ Notes, Queries, and Memoranda.” It is well edited, and, as it fills a new field, it will, we doubt not, become a favourite with the scientific public. Fine Cloud Effects.—Mr. II. Sampson, of Southport, has favoured us with stereographic examples of two magnificently fine cloud effects, in which the sinking sun is behind grand masses of cumulus cloud, the edges of which are gilded by the light, which also streams in fan-like rays beneath, and is re flected in the sea. A tiny vessel forms a touch of black just in contact with the most brilliant light, and is very effective. Mr. Sampson says:—“1 have pleasure in sending to you by this post a couple of cloud effects, taken on the evening of 7th ult.. therefore, as you will see, ‘ storm clouds.' At the time they were taken the wind was blowing strong from the south-west, so as to require three of us to keep the camera rigid ; during the night heavy storms of hail fell, which continued at intervals for eight days. I have several others taken the same evening, but send these two as being most effective.” The practice of securing passing effects is one highly commendable, and should be followed by all who have opportunity. Uo Correspondents. H. S. R. H.—The fault in your transparencies is the presence of a deposit in the portions which should be clear glass. This deposit inay arise from over-exposure, or from fog. In transparencies for the lantern, the parts intended to be white should be represented by bare glass, not by the grey, foggy deposit present in yours. This deposit obstructs light, and prevents a brilliant image being thrown on the screen, especially when using a paraffine lamp as the source of illumination. Give a shorter exposure, use more acid in your developer—or use the gelatino-iron developer—and take especial care to avoid the presence of diffused light in your camera or dark room. One of the transparencies was broken into a score of pieces. It is not safe to send glass through the post unless packed in a box. If a couple of strips of wood had been attached to the packing boards employed, so as to bear off any pressure, and practically form a box, there would have been no danger,