The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (October 1898)

142 The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. startling effects on the screen. these slides mechanical appliances of intricate workmanship are employed. Several particulars of these he is kindly giving details of in his articles entitled ‘Optical and Mechanical Effects for the Lantern’”’ in this Journal for those who are capable of making same, but, we may add, these slides may be obtained from Mr. Wilkie himself. His address is 114, Maygrove Road, West Hampstead, one minute’s walk from Brondesbury railway station. his catalogue details of some beautiful dioramic effects are to be found. Those interested in this delightful phase of the lantern will do well to send for this catalogue. > a me Royal Photographic Society’s Exhibition.—On the 24th ult., this annual exhibition was opened with a soiree to which most of the prominent people in the photographic world were invited by the Council. A large number were present and an enjoyable evening spent. This exhibition, which is held at 5a, Pall Mall East, S.W., will remain open till November 12th. Those who visit it will thoroughly enjoy the pictures. aa ~ The Heaviest Metal.--The heaviest thing | in the world is the metal osmium, the blushwhite metal with violet lustre, which (the popular Sceence News explains) Mr. Smithson ‘Tennant discovered 90 years ago residue from dissolved platinum ores. This metal has a specific gravity of 22-477, that of gold being 19-265, lead 11°367, iron 7:79, and lithium, the lightest, only 0594. The French chemist, Joly, determined that osmium is likewise the most infusible of metals. It could never be made to yield to the oxyhydrogen flame, which makes platinum and iridium run like water. But Joly had been subjecting osmium to the excessively high temperature ot the: electric arc, which Moissan has of late employed successively in the manufacture of | diamonds. Under this fierce heat the rare metal ruthenium, which used to be deeined all but infusible, readily melts, but osmium remains refractory, there being apparent only the faintest traces of fusion. osmium cannot be prepared in sufficient quantity to make it very usefulin the arts. But its alloy with iridium, which defies the acids, is of some value, nothing better having been found | Being non| wherewith to tip gold pens. magnetic, its employment for the bearings of the mariner's compass has been advocated. In some of ; In ° in the | On this account , Spectacle Makers’ Exhibition.—From tho | 3rd inst. an exhibition of optical, scientific, and mathematical instruments will be held for a week at the Mansion House, London, under the auspices of the Spectacle Makers’ Company. he ~ > £200 Prize Competition._Some time ago the Thornton-Pickard Manufacturing Company, Limited, announced that they intended giving away £200 in prizes for photographs taken with their apparatus. 200 prints have been sent in and as there was a slight difficulty in determining the comparative merits of several pictures, the number of prizes has in consequence been increased. The following are the winners :— Class I.—First prize, Pierre Dubreuil; second prize, A. A. Bellingham; third prize, I. Spalding; four prizes of £5 each, O. Kurkdjian, Viscount de Valle Paraiso, W. Kirk & Sons, , H. G. Kennard; highly commended, J. C. ' Burrows, W. D. Welford, W.H. Whittard, W.N. Dow, J.S. Brown. Class II.—First prize, A. Lindsay Miller; second prize, E. G. Boon; . third prize, W. J. Warren; fourth prize, C. F. Inston ; eleven prizes £3 each, R. W. Robinson, H. Owen, F. H. Vine, C. M. Wane, A. W. Andree, J. Ii. Hunt, A. E. Banfield, C. Metcalfe, J. Patrick, Henri Breux, louis Meldon ; tweaty prizes of £1 each, J. Warburg, H. C. Leat, Mrs. Jeannie Welford, J. N. Taylor, H. E. Brightman, H. EK. Harris, G. H. Lillie, H. Allison, W. E. Inston, W. D. Hussey, W. P. Thompson, E. Hopkins, A. H. Duncan, J. Smith, W. S. Poole, G. J. Shepherd, J. C. Oliver, : W.G. HE. Robinson, T. C. Sole, H. S. Parsons, W. Barry. > * | A New Cycle Lamp.—Lanternists, who are also cyclists, will be interested to know that Mr. R. J. Moss, the manager of the Abingdon Acetylene Illuminating Company, Limited, of Birmingham, has for some time past been engaged in perfecting a small, neat and compact lamp. It is expected to make its appearance in a week or so. a oe oad The Rilford Oxygen Generator. —\Ve learn that a new oxygen generating apparatus is about to be placed on the market by Messrs. Riley Bros., of Bradford, and that it will generate oxygen in five minutes and will work tor any length of time, provided it is properly fed with oxygen charges. It is also said to be automatic in action. We hope to be able to express an opinion as to its working, as soon as the apparatus is ready and certain patent i formalities are completed.