Volltext Seite (XML)
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. Von. VII. No. 275.—December 11,1863. CONTENTS. A Photographers’Relief Fund 589 The Management of the Nitrate Bath—Correcting Disordered Baths 589 Scientific Gossip 591 The Discoverer of the use of Bromine in Photography—A few Facts and an Appeal. By Jabez Hughes 593 The Use of Resin, &c., for the Reduction of Chloride of Silver. By F. W. Hart 594 On the Strengthening of Collodion Negatives. By M. Me A. Gaudin 594 Children’s Pictures 595 PAGE Photography in its Application to Military Purposes. By John Spiller, 596 Correspondence—Foreign Science—Chromophotography 597 Notes and Queries—Coloured Photographs, or Double Toning— Measure of the Angle, &c.—Nitrate of Soda in the Printing Bath—Photography in a Gale—Automatic Washing Appa ratus 598 Talk in the Studio 599 To Correspondents 600 Photographs Registered during the past Week 600 A PHOTOGRAPHERS' RELIEF FUND. The rapid growth of photography, as a trade or profession, is, perhaps, unprecedented in the annals of industry. Within little more than the last decade of years it has grown from an amusement of the educated, or the occupation of a small number of professional Daguerreotypists, in a few metropo litan cities, into an important branch of the industry of the world. The statistics of the art arc not yet collated, but we risk nothing in stating that tens of thousands of persons depend upon its different branches for bread in this country alone. Whilst it has been, and still continues to be, a fairly remunerative occupation to the many, the inexorable laws of political economy will affect it as they do all other trades. Demand for labour creates supply, with increasing supply [nust come competition, with competition decreased value; in short, it necessarily falls out that the mass of working photographers can only cam a fair living income. Pho tographers possess no immunity from accident, sickness, helpless old age, indigency. Life in the dark room is rather calculated to sap the foundations of health and vigour. Unlike many of the older industries, it has had no bequests from rich citizens, it has no almshouses or retreats, no fund or resource of any kind to which its unfortunate professors may apply for aid even in their utmost need. The question then forcibly arises, Has not the time come for the establish ment of a Photographers' Relief or Benevolent Fund? We do not pause now to argue the need. Cases have already arisen illustrating it. Specific appeal was recently made for Mr. Watson, who had lost his sight. This week we publish, on another page, an appeal which deserves especial consideration. The man who made photographic portraiture possible, who first introduced bromine into the art, and was one of the foremost amongst the early votaries of photo- graphy, is now, and has been for some time past, not only living on very precarious charity, but has been suffering absolute penury. With the instincts, education, and habits of a gentleman, he has shrunk from putting his own case before photographers, upon whom he has really strong claims. Wo have personal knowledge of the facts stated by Mr. Hughes in another page, and wo arc thus strongly confirmed by them in our conviction that it is full time a permanent Fund were established, to which such a man might appeal, without the natural hesitation which exists in delicate minds to ask for private charity. Such a Fund should exist, that personal and specific effort need not be invoked for each individual case which is necessitous and deserving. The proudest boast of this age and this land is, not its stupendous growth in science, art, or industry—its boundless knowledge—its almost unlimited powers; but that all these exist for the people at large, not for a few, as was the case in the civilization of empires which have crumbled into dust. It is the recognition of the claims of all, of the universal brotherhood of mankind, which constitutes the essential greatness of the age. Out of this recognition has arisen the wonderfully perfect organization of benevolence which exists in every form. There is scarcely a phase of want, misfortune, or suffering, which is not met by its special and organized mode of relief. With the new want has come, hitherto, the new fund; and we feel that the importance of the subject to which we now ask attention, has to be but once considered to induce spontaneous recognition and prompt action. Until now its need has scarcely existed. Cases have just begun to arise, but, with the progress of time and the further growth of the art, they may be expected rapidly to accumulate, and will require an accumulating fund to meet' them. We should be glad to see this matter practically emanate from the Photographic Society, or at least be in some way associated with it. We think that an organization formed for obtaining and dispensing such a fund might claim the sanction and patronage of the highest person in the land : we feel assured it would obtain the aid and sympathy of all classes of photographers, from the highest to the lowest. We need not here plead precedents, such as Literary Funds, Dramatic Funds, Printers’ Pension Societies, and a host of others, their existence is too well known to need repe tition. Such an organization should know no class interests, no party feeling, no petty clique jealousies. We should like to see the hearty co-operation of all in such a project. We appeal to our brethren of the press to give it their generous consideration, and their powerful aid in publicity and advocacy. We do not attempt to point out the way in which the organization should be effected, or even at present to make a suggestion. We simply ask attention to the im portance of the subject. There is another incidental and collateral advantage, which will follow upon the formation of an organization for such a purpose. There will be common ground and centre of action for photographers, with unity of sentiment, which does not at this moment exist. There will be opportunities, or rather occasions, of meeting together, in a mode involving even more common sympathy, perhaps, than in existing photo graphic societies’ meetings : there will be the anniversaries, and that annual dinner, without which no great work in England is said ever to be accomplished. This is, perhaps, a small thing to refer to in connection with such a subject; but such meetings are not without their significance and value. To the maj or question, however, we earnestly ask the attention of all classes of photographers, especially of those whose position, ability, wealth, and influence can at once give to such a movement success. • THE MANAGEMENT OF THE NITRATE BATH. Correcting Disordered Baths. In a recent article* on the management of the nitrate of silver bath, we dwelt chiefly, as a matter of primary importance, on the most approved methods of keeping a * Sec p. 385.