The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (February 1890)

68 The Optical Magio Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. Experiences of Professor Eadweard Muybridge. DURING arecent interview with Mr. Muybridge he furnished us with the following results of his experience. Etching on coated glass, or photo-etching, is alluded to as being something of recent date, and the invention is claimed by various parties. -1858, the late Mr. Charles Nahl, of San Francisco, gave me two prints from etchings he had.made on coated glass plates. The subjects were a grizzly bear and a Californian lion. These prints I still have in my possession, Mr. Nahl was very clever at this style of work, and he was one the first to introduce retouching on negatives, his pictures being at one time’ the admiration of all who beheld them, owing to the softness and beauty imparted to them by the manipulation of retouching. Many lecturers adopt the plan of tinkling a bell when the time for changing a view on the screen has arrived. This I think is quite unnecessary, as it announces to the whole audience that a change is about to take place, and it is otherwise apt to attract attention. Others show a coloured light in connection with the -reading lamp at their desk. This is less conspicuous, but it necessitates the operator keeping his eyes towards that part of the hall where the lecturer is; whereas he might be better employed attending to the management of the lantern. An electric bell orrap at the lantern itself is an improvement on either of the foregoing, but it means having a wire to communicate ‘with the lecturer. In the course of my practice I have ‘discarded all these means of communication, and find that the simplest method is the best :—I keep in my vest pocket, or in my hand, one of the small metal castinettes similar to those sold on every street in ‘London eight or ten years ago, but now seemingly very scarce. A couple of clicks of this instrument -suffices to intimate to my operator that another picture is required on the screen, and the sound is of sucha nature as not to Call the attention of the audience to it. After trying all and sundry means of communicating with the operator at the lantern, I consider this the simplest and most satisfactory method. I understand that it has been said that a London ‘gentleman claims to be the first to suggest the use of the phonograph in conjunction with a series of photographs. ‘his, far from being new, was suggested by Mr. Edison in a conversation with myself upwards of two years ago, and was placed on record by the New York Nation of January 19, 1888, of which the following is an extract :— * Now it is evident if there could be established in any large city—as in connection with a literary or scientific institution—a permanent battery of cameras such as was employed by Mr. Muybridge, an imperishable record of the figure, height, dress, carriage and gait of any eminent man in or visiting the gallery could be had. Posterity, at the bidding of our photographic necromancers, could call up any of these worthiés at any future date, and see him move across the stage with a startling verisimilitude. Nay, we may have his very ‘ walk and conversation,’ and could read our Lowell’s line in two ways, as :— As long ago as‘ “One of Plutarch’s men talked (walked) with us face to face? : “The phonograph, at the same time, as we may anticipate from its ultimate perfection, might repeat audibly to the same audience a passage read aloud by | the personage in question, on the occasion of sitting (or walking) for his portrait before the battery. ; ““A collection of such recitations would furnish invaluable examples of the speech of the cultivated at any given epoch.” . The slides which I employ are not of the usual 3}in. square, but are 3fin. by 4in. I find this size more convenient for my purpose, as it enables the name, number, and particulars to be placed on the face of the slide instead of on the edges. In naming my slides I do so at the right hand end of the picture, so that the name may be seen as itis being taken out of its stock box. A mere turn of the wrist suffices to bring it into the necessary position for inserting it in the lantern carrier. I adopt a simple method of marking the edge of the slides, so that there can be no mistake about their being all in correct position in their respective boxes. Near the lower right hand corner I marka black strip on the end of each slide in such manner that when they are placed together the mark will appear as a continuous black line drawn across a portion of the ends on the binding. When the slides are end on in their boxes, the finger and thumb are made to grasp the slide just at the corner where the black mark is. This method enables one to ascertain at a glance whether all the slides in a box are lying in their correct position. Many colours of binders for lantern slides have been lately introduced and their use advocated. These and other binders are sold in this country in strips of about the length required for a 3}in. by 3tin. slide; but when one is using binders in any quantity they are apt tosoon have a mass of entangled strips in front of them, which are liable to become torn and otherwise damaged. I see no reason why lantern slide bindings should be of a dark colour at all, and I invariably use a binding of a dead white colour, and instead of buying it cut up in short lengths, I get it in a roll of upwards ofa hundred yards, gummed, and of the requisite width. I have, however, failed to procure it in this country, although in America it is widely sold, and is wellknown under the name of “ séick-paper.”” Besides being just what is required for binding lantern slides, there are numerous other uses that will suggest themselves, and so handy do I consider it that I invariably carry a piece with me. If trade agents in this country would introduce these rolls of stick paper I feel assured that it would be greatly appreciated, for not only in connection with slides and photography in general is it of use,.but from a domestic point of view it will be found exceedingly handy. ‘0: Gauging the Contents of a Gas Cylinder. WHEN one is not possessed of a gauge, it is by no means an easy matter to ascertain the quantity of gas contained inacylinder. If a bag is employed for the