The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (April 1897)

62 except under a license from the local authorities under the Petroleum Act of 1871. This sounds very formidable, and would at first sight appear to refer to anyone who might have a pound or two of calcium carbide on his premises, with the intention of generating acetylene gas, but this we understand is not so, as it refers to the wholesale dealer, or those who keep calcium carbide in very large quantities. The amount of the license is very small, but it is however likely to add three or four per cent. to the retail prices. Even with regard to methylated spirit, there are stringent regulations for those who keep it in wholesale quantities, but this does not in any way prevent anyone from buying and storing for future use a pint or two as required; so those who buy smal] quantities of calcium carbide need not trouble themselves about these restrictions, which at first sight may appear to practically prohibit the use of that substance. ao ~ ~ Mr. Cecil M. Hepworth.—Within the past few weeks Mr. Cecil M. Hepworth has opened new premises at 22, Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road, W., as an agency for the photographic apparatus of the Albion Albumenising Company ; for Verel & Co.'s Cathcart and Matchless plates and paper; he has also arranged for demonstrating his own arc lamp at work in the lantern. = ~ ~ Drunkenness on the Sereen. — With reference to a letter by Bartos, which appeared in our February number under the above heading, and to which we added an append that Bartos could produce such effects on the screen as he suggested, at a cost of something like £7,000, the Alliance News reproduces both the letter and our reply, and add a paragraph as follows :—'‘ The editor is too humorous in his reply, and Bartos too wholesale in his suggestion to be practical. Photographs of a tippler gradually ‘getting forrarder’ taken at quarter hour intervals, would answer every purpose of instructive illustration.” > cs rm Acetylene Gas Explosion. — Among the Nores in our last issue, we called attention to the danger of opening acetylene generators in the presence of a naked light, We wish to impress this on our readers, for several accidents have taken place through the explosion of an admixture of this gas with air, the latest being an unfortunate one which occurred on the 10th ult. at North Egremont, in which Charles Johnson lost his life. The deceased, who wasa gasfitter and plumber, made a generator which The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. he used for the illumination of his shop. It appears that he had used all the gas that was given off in the generator,and having run out of calcium carbide was explaining the working of the apparatus to a friend, when in drawing the bell container out of the water, of course, air rushed in, and this with the small quantity of acetylene gas left above the water line caused an explosive mixture, which only required a light to cause an explosion. This was at hand in the form of a lighted candle, by the aid of which the machine was being examined. An explosion then occurred, and the bell portion flew up in the face of the unfortunate owner with great force causing a serious wound from which he shortly died. ‘‘Keep a light away from generators when being recharged or opened”’ should be remembered by all users of this apparatus. & * Sood City Premises, Eastman Company. —The Eastman Photographic Materials Company, Limited, have opened imposing premises at 60, Cheapside, at which branch a full assortment of their kodaks, films, and photographic papers may be obtained. ~ = ~~ Photography and Astronomy. — In the course of a recent lecture by Sir Robert Ball at the Crystal Palace, he stated that photography had played an important part in advancing our conception of the magnitude of the firmament, and that more had been learned about the Sun from the use of photographic plates than from any other means. bead % & Indian Famine Fund.—Under the auspices of Loyal Orange Lodge 193, Salford District, and on behalf of the Indian Famine Fund, a most interesting lecture on ‘‘ India and its People” was delivered by Mr. W. Touchstone, in the St. Matthias School, Silk Street, Salford. The Rector, Rev. F. H. Jones, occupied the chair, and Mr. T. C. T. Smith, the treasurer of L.O.L. 193, kindly operated with his limelight lantern. This is the fourth lecture this enterprising Lodge has given this season. % * % | The Earth is the Lord's, etc.—‘ The land and labour problem’’ was the subject recently chosen for a limelight lecture by the secretary of the Land Nationalisation Society at Brighton. When projecting a view of the Royal Exchange on the screen, he remarked that the inscription on the facade was ‘‘ The Harth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” but (said he) our landlord system went against that statement and made it, ‘‘ The Earth is the landlord’s, | and all that therein is.”