The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (July 1895)

118 standing here or there, or slipping down somewhere else, absolutely nothing to enliven the monotony of dry statistics and statements. Further, how very ancient some of these slides and readings are; in this particular lecture figures were quoted, giving the date of their compilation as 1874—how interesting and Teliable. The same thing happened some few weeks ago when I was operating at a lecture on China. A really good and up-to-date lecture had been prepared but the views were quite twenty years old, and in the reading which accompanied them, 1872 was the latest date quoted. Such cases might be multiplied ad lib., and I for one think that the trade can do a very great deal to improve even very amateur lectures, by making their sets and descriptions so attractive and complete that even if read as printed they will constitute a really instructive and interesting entertainment. I am quite willing to admit that the sets and readings above indicated would cost more, but what lanternist would not be willing to pay the prices—say of three or four years ago—for slides or hire when they got better value for their money. In conclusion, ‘‘ How to check the decline ”’ is a big order, but I fancy a little united effort ‘upon the lines I have sketched may at any rate do something to raise the tone of our lectures and entertainments, and educate our embryo lanternists, after which we must rely upon judicious stage management and advertising to .get the public to take an interest and thus smake our lantern shows once more successful. 0:——_ New Apparatus. THIN FINGER STALLS. Messrs. Marion & Co. have introduced finger stalls of such exceedingly thin rubber for use in ‘photographic manipulations that, owing to their ‘extreme thinness, the touch is retained, and in consequence of this they have named ; them “Sensitive Finger Covers.” They are kept in a rolled up state, and when about to be used ‘are unrolled on the fingers as shown. The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. ‘* MOONLIGHT’ LAMP, WE have received a strong and convenient little lamp from the ‘‘ Moonlight’ Patent Lamp Company, of Fenwick Chambers, Liverpool. It is particularly neat and handy and can be carried in the pocket without fear of spilling as it contains no loose fluid. It is charged with deodorised benzoline, which becomes absorbed in the internal packing. One charge enables ‘the lamp to give a good light for # four hours at a cost of less than one farthing. Placed inside of a ruby lantern it is excellent when developing photographic plates, and as a reading lamp at lantern lectures it cannot be surpassed for ease of lighting and general convenience. This Company also makes a variety of lamps on this principle to fit in candle-sticks, piano sconces, and cycle lamps, as will be seen from their advertisement on another page. BESSUS FILM HOLDER. A new design of these holders has been issued = a, p and may be obtained cut films. former from all dealers. handles of Fig. I. are merely pressed together, and the film g inserted on the holder, when it } will be ready for developing, etc. As the handles of the holder are | made to swing, the holder may pass through all the manipulations, and the whole thing be hung up until the filmisdry. For |{ cut films the design is like Fig. II., and the film is merely inserted in a groove. They are made for both rollable and for For the the Fig. I. two NEW MIXED LIME JET. Mr. W. C. Hughes will shortly introduce a new form of jet, which has been patented by Professor Malden. The intention is, so to speak, to draw out the hydrogen from the main at a greater rate than it will flow in the ordinary course, so that increased illumination may thus be obtained by a mixed jet and hydrogen from the main.