The Optical Lantern and Cinematograph Journal (Nov 1904-Oct 1905)

<7t THE OPTICAL LANTERN AND CINEMATOGRAPH fOURNAL. Protection was afforded Mr. Urban's representative, who took the successful war pictures, by a bullet proof shield for his camera. This enabled him to get as near the fighting line as possible, and proved very serviceable and necessary. Electric Cinematograph. — The name of Scott as an entertainer is well known in North Northumberland. In the days of the magic lantern Mr. Scott visited even the smallest villages. But Mr. Scott has now to betake himself to larger centres and has earned the title of the "Cinematograph King," and runs his entertainment under the title of Scott's Royal Cinematograph Company with much success. The Autoseope Company, in the course of a few days, will exhibit at the Palace Theatre some interesting views, illustrating every process in the manufacture of salt. The pumps are seen at work raising the pure natural biine from 200 feet below the earth's surface, and men and women — in quaint working attire— illustrate their work in the various processes through which table salt passes before it reaches the consumer. Living Pictures Still Popular.— Mr. Waller Jeffs is completing a fortnight's visit to Exeter, where he has had excellent houses at Victoria Hall. The New Century pictures have become very popular at Birmingham, whete Mr. Jeffs has fixed his headquarters. No less than five hundred consecutive exhibitions have been given at Curzon Hall, in that city. One very excellent feature in the programme is the series of coloured pictures and Miss Kathleen MacCabe's charming singing. The Warsaw Massacre.— Mr. Harry De Windt, who has just returned from an extended tour in the Balkan States and Southern Russia, will shortly lecture in London. He and an artist of the Urban Bioscope Company were at Warsaw at the beginning of the revolt, and his living pictures of life in "Savage Europe" will include scenes from the sad May Day massacre. Pictures of the daily life of King Peter of Servia will also be shown, and some of the views will be accompanied by national music produced by the phonograph and folk songs. Wireless Telegraphy at the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh.— Captain Bloom has been giving interesting demonstrations of wireless telegraphy at the Empire, Edinburgh, and, according to the Scotsman, the only feeling of dissatisfaction was that the receiving station — the most distant stall from the stage — wis so near. The introduction of the element of distance would have lent additional attractiveness, but the display was so interesting that one would fain have seen more of it. To the eye, the sending and receiving apparatus seemed simple, and presented the appearance of a couple of large portable telephones on tripod stands. Photographs of Winchester Cathedral. — Any amateur photographer who may visit Hampshire during the next month or so will have an opportunity of securing what may prove to be unique mementoes, and at the same time rendering valuable service to archa-logical stud)', by securing photographs of the eastern portions of Winchester Cathedral, the stability of which seems to be seriously threatened by subterranean watercourses, causing a subsidence of the foundations, which is engaging the attention of the Dean and Chapter, and causing considerable anxiety and alarm to architectural experts as well as to the Cathedral authorities. The Cathedral, the longest in Europe with the exception of St. Peter's, in Rome, and in many respects one of the finest and most memorable examples of early architecture in this country, appears to be partly founded on piles driven into a bed of gravel, through which some of the subterranean waters which feed the river Itchen find their way ; and the part of the fabric most seriously threatened is probably the most ancient portion ol the Cathedral buildings, including the Saxon arches of the crypt beneath the choir and the extreme southeastern corner of the edifice, which are said to date from the time of King Alfred, marking, as they do, the scene of that great monarch's early educatit n ; a relic of the past history of our nation which we can ill-afford to lose. Conversazione of the Royal Society — Among the scientific novelties exhibited to the distinguished company at the conversazione of the Royal Society, on the 17th May, were some objects of special interest to the lanternist, not the least attractive of them being a series of remarkably fine photographs taken during the recent expedition to Thibet, the "Forbidden Land," which were shown by Mr. Percival Landon. Another series included a a selection from the photographic views taken during the National Expedition to the Antarctic regions, which were exhibited by Dr. Ect Wilson. Sir William Crookes showed specimens of the effects produced by the action of light upon glass, as compared with those due to radium. Six pieces of glass which had been exposed to light for about fifty years showed changes, which Sir William Crookes was able to repeat within ten days, by the exposure of similar glass to the action of a minute quantity of radium bromide enclosed in a quartz tube. The purple colour produced in window glass containing manganese by long exposure to sunlight will be familiar to most persons ; and glass of this description which had been exposed to light for forty years had its colour distinctly intensified by the action of radium salt within three days. In the domain of astronomical illustration, an extremely striking exhibit by Mr. W. Shackleton should prove of special interest, in prospect of the great solar eclipse of August 30th, in the present year. This was a mechanical lantern slide showing in succession all 1 he phases of an eclipse, from the first apparent contact with the lunar disc to its final disappearance, including the chromosphere and corona ; while the very brief and transient view of these phenomena which the actual eclipse can afford, being limited to the duration of the total phase, may be extended at will, so as to admit of leisurely inspection of these faintly illuminated objects, which are only brought into view during the few minutes or seconds when the brilliancy of the solar disc is obscured by the dark body of our satellite.