The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (July 1896)

110 _ The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. Dealers and others who have not yet sent me particulars of their novelties to be introduced this season are requested to do so without delay. Those who wish advertisements displayed in the annual will of course communicate with our publishers, J. Hay TAYLOR, Editor. — :0:——_ Notes. In past years the custom with regard to new lantern apparatus appears to have been for the majority of makers to put off matters till about August; this year, however, things are to be different, and already certain manufacturers are hard at work making a supply of goods so as to he quite ready to fill orders promptly, and in the way of slides, it is interesting to know that Messrs. G. W. Wilson & Co., Ltd., have already issued their list for the season 1896-7. * % * ‘‘ BEFORE Many months have passed, it is probable that a new and improved electric light will make its appearance. Edison has just succeeded in employing X rays for illuminating purposes, and has been enabled (says the Daily Magazine) by this means to obtain a light far superior to the electric lights now in use. I recently visited Mr. Edison in his laboratory, and had a chat with the great inventor. I found him experimenting with his new light, of which he kindly gave me an exhibition. The den in which he experiments is covered all over, ceiling and walls with white paper, so as to bring out the greatest intensity of the light. When the door was closed all was darkness and silence except for the whirr of a machine on a table. The lamp was suspended from the ceiling. When Mr. Edison turned on the current the big room was instantly flooded with light of the purest, whitest kind. It had none of that flickering, bluish, or moonlight effect which distinguishes ordinary electric light, but fully equalled the brighter sunlight. ‘This lamp,’ said Mr. Edison ‘ will last for ever, unless you break it by accident or otherwise. Moreover, there is no heat or burning. But the machinery—ah yes, if we could only get that in a simplified cheap form, we could light your house for you next week. . Somebody else, however, must try to invent a means for making the light marketable.’ ”’ Bd Pt * WE were surprised to read in an American contemporary, a statement by Dr. W. H. Birchmore, who is stated to be an authority on the subject of acetylene gas, that ‘‘no burner now made will consume acetylene gas economically, irrespective of cost, and the invention of a burner with small enough apertures is the first serious obstacle to overcome before the gas can be tested in comparison with ordinary illuminating gas.” America must surely be behind the times in this respect, for in England and on the Continent such burners have been commercial for some time past. 4 * * At the festival dinner connected with Guy’s Hospital held a few days ago, the names of subscribers with amounts were photograped in batches as transparencies, and projected on a screen. * * * A FEW weeks ago, when Mr. Mathieson, of Invercargill, N.Z., and whose name is familiar to our readers, was giving his limelight entertainment, a youth attempted to show his wit and disturb the proceedings by remarking every now and again, as scenes from Ireland were being put through the slide: ‘‘I was there.” Without showing the least symptom of annoyance, Mr. Mathieson threw an imposing-looking building upon the screen, and paused for his tormentor’s remark. It came right enough. “T was there,” said the now familiar voice. ‘‘Tadies and gentlemen,” said Mr. M., ‘“ this picture represents Kilmainham gaol, Dublin.” The funny man dropped out of sight like a shot, while the audience fairly screamed with laughter. That young man will be more cautious in future before making audible remarks on similar occasions. * HE 3 WE learn that Messrs. Thorn & Co. have considerably reduced their price for calcium carbide. ——:0:_~ Burner for Acetylene Gas. SincE we published particulars of generators for acetylene gas, it appears that a great number of our readers have been experimenting in this direction. In answer to many enquiries, from which it appears that the difficulty seems to be to make this gas burn without giving off a deuse smoke, it must be remembered that the ordinary domestic gas-burner is quite unsuitable for this purpose, by reason of the largeness of the bore. What is required is an exceedingly small burner, and although there has for some time been a difficulty in procuring such small burners, they are now easily obtainable under the name of