The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (April 1895)

62 The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. exhibition, which any sensible person would think ought not to have been begun by so careless an operator. Although ether saturators are supposed to be , a comparatively modern invention, I can show | you a rather curious slide from an illustration which appeared in the Orrican Macic LAanrEern JOURNAL AND PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGER,,“, of a «ts See illustration in October, 1894, issue of this Journal. saturator invented forty years ago, it was provided with a pressure guage, and a guage for ascertaining the height of fluid in tank, it also had an elaborate clockwork lime-turner; the illustration shows a ‘‘ Hemmings” jet packed with long fine wires, which were evidently necessary, as from the arrangement an explosive mixture of gases was used. In conclusion, I want to show you two slides of a most fearsome and wonderful lantern kit, of American origin, not only is a vapouriser used,+t ttt See illustration in November, 1892, issue of this Journal. but the oxygen is also generated as required on the spot. It would be interesting to see an operator struggling with one of these at a lecture. Once more may I repeat that for successful working all that is necessary is a warm saturator, and plenty of ether. Notr.—The “ Gridiron" and ‘‘ Timberlake ” saturators were shown at work, and experimented with to show their simple and safe working. Two or three of the members, who had no experience with any form of limelight, were successful in producing a first-class light with them. 20: *Modern Optical Illusions.— No. Vill. By Epmunp H. WILEIE, Of the late Royal Polytechnic Institution. CaBinets have always been favourite media with Illusionists as they offer special facilities for concealment of apparatus, and are usually handsome pieces of stage furniture apart from their actual use. In all exhibitions of conjuring “The Magic Cover’ plays a prominent part, although in some cases it is made of apparently innocent material such as an ordinary news| paper. When a watch is to be manipulated it is most frequently placed in a box, a card is changed by being placed in a small case, wine * All rights reserved. The illustrations in these articles are copyright. and water having been mixed together in one decanter are afterwards separated, but always while hidden from view by ‘‘ The Magic Cover,” and so in illusions on a larger scale, curtains and draped chairs, boxes and cabinets are just as frequently used. There are so many kinds of cabinets that we might follow this branch of the art of deception to great length, but as we are at present concerned with optical illusions only, we shall give our attention exclusively to those few which are indebted for their powers to the science of optics. One of the most mysterious of these cabinets was invented by Mr. Thomas Tobin, and exhibited in the small theatre of the late Royal Polytechnic Institution. It was described in the programme as *‘ The Proteus Cabinet,” or ‘“‘ We are here, but not here,’’ and by its means a series of startling | changes and disappearances were effected. On toa brilliantly lighted stage a large upright cabinet was wheeled (represented in Fig. XXYV), the three sides and the door being panelled, four legs _ terminating in castors supported it and a hand NO NN \\ WY SSAA MMS SS RT MN Wh NSS aS EX. NASER AAAS ASA Fig. XXV. _ some moulding finished off the top. The inside was tastefully decorated with a small pattern paper in white and gold, a large railway lamp was let in through the ceiling for illuminating, and on the floor was a thick sheepskin rug covering it all over. There was also a post in the centre extending from floor to ceiling.