The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (October 1893)

164 CUSTOM'S DUTY ON LANTERN APPARATUS IN | QUEENSLAND. (Yo the Editor.] Drar S1r,—Thne June number of the excellent OrticaL Macic Lantern Journat, which lias just arrived, contains a note saying that the duty on lantern goods in Queensland is 25 per cent. This is an error, it is only 15 per cent., and if your Correspondent is paying 25 per cent. he is paying more than provided in the Custom’s Act. Twelve months ago it was proposed to increase the duty to 25 per cent., and I brought the matter under the notice of the Colonial Treasurer, and got the Momber for Ipswich, the Hon. A. H. Barlow, now Minister for Lands, to take the matter up, with a view of having them admitted free, but the most he could get was to have them retained at the old duty (15 per cent.), and which, in my opinion, is 15 per cent. too much for goods of such an educational nature as lanterns and slides. If I can procure a copy of “Hansard” with the debate on the matter I will send it to you. I shall also be glad to give your correspondent information on the matter should he require it, with a view to saving him the extra 10 per cent. I am sorry to have to trouble you so soon again after your previous long letter to me, but knowing how ready youjare to help and give information, I again trespass on ‘your good nature, Thanking you in anticipation, I remain, Dear Sir, your truly, W. J. McCULLOCH, c/o Mosers. Crisp & Foor, Ipswich, Queensland. (The first part of your letter which we have not published has been attended to, and the nipple has been sent to the party mentioned. There is no doubt about the flaw in the tube. The nipple itself is far too large, it being, if anything, larger than that which we commented upon in May, 1€91, p. 116.] — 0:—_ Notes and Queries. Withers, Jr—We note your letter of explanation re the particular part of lantern. The easiest plan is to make spiral springs of steel or hard brass and fit them over the pillars; this willno doubt answer your purpose. Joseph Mi.—-We do not keep a register for those wanting situations; try a sixpenny advertisement in General Wunts. A. L. Leswick.—To answer your first three questions would occupy several pages, but you will find very full particulars respecting the mechanical printing in the editorial article, in this year’s British Journal Almanac. If you waat to make one transparency from another of same size, you can make a negative from it by contact, and then a transparency from the negative by the same process. You will find an article on slide making in this issue that may assist you. S. Wellwood writes—I have a lot of weak negatives to make slides from, which would be the better plan; to intensify the negatives, or, to expose the plate at a distance from the light and give a prolonged exposure ? Answer—This is a somewhat difficult question to determine without first seeing a sample of the negatives, you might try both methods, and then decide, or, if you send us one of the negatives, we will let you know the better plan. The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. IV. D. Askew.—Danbury Street, N., formerly went under a different name—we think Essex Street ; it is one of the turnings out of the street nearly opposite the County Court, Duncan Terrace, Islington. The name of the firm is Holmes & Watson. E. Neill.—The body of lantern has evidently been coated with varnish, and then French polished, hence it is liable to blister; nothing will rectify it but rubbing down and re-polishing. H. Turton writes ;—Will you please tell me the name of the maker of the key mentioned in your JourNaL of sometime back. It is one that will fit any make of gas cylinder. Answer.—You will find particulars in this Journat for April, page 69. The address of the maker is also given. H. Simpson.—We note the contents of your letter and will be glad to get particulars of your lantern should you favour us with a visit when you come to London. A. Young writes :—Can you give me any information about the National Lauternists Society 2? Answer :— This society does not seem to have been a great success. So far tho funds in hand are necessarily small, for it has taken the annual half-crown subscriptions of four hurdred members to pay the salary of the (honorary! !) secretary. lately we believe there has been an internal disruption and the society has either been or is being removed to other quarters unless the suggestion made at a recent meeting to wind the affair up be carried into effect. R. R. S. writes :—I have made o biunial lantern and would like to add a rolling curtain to it, but I have no room to put it. The enclosed sketch will explain why there is no room. As I do not see how I can manage it, I have taken the liberty to write and ask if you can suggest any means of getting one fixed to my lantern without having to make new fronts. A suver.— Jf the sketch you send represents the manner in which you have made the fronts we do not think you will have any great trouble in fitting a rolling curtain. Take off the fronts and attach to the body of the lantern a piece of wood in which there is a slot for the curtain to pass, and also make holes for the condenser. Then upon these two blocks attach your fronts. With your mechanical ability you will no doubt make a good job of this, but it might perhaps be as well for you to inspect a commercial lantern fitted with this attachment, Irritable says he recently bought at an auction a somewhat old but good lantern fitted with limelight jets, but he says that “ the chimney is’a very high one nearly a foot high, can I not dispense with such a tall chimney as it is no ornament, and have a low one, tha same as one sees on lanterns of the present day. If a short one will answer now why did our forefathers put such tall chimney-stacks on their lanterns." Answer.—Certainly, a low chimney will answer or nochimney atall if youlike. Its use is merely to prevent the light from escaping, it must contain an opening -for ventilating purposes but this can be trapped so that no light escapes whilst it will afford ventilation. It jis probable that this lantern was originally intended for an oil lamp and as some of those had high glass chimneys it was necessary to enclose these, hence « tall chimney was used. Several articles of interest have had to be held over for want of space, although we have added additional pages this month.—Enp.