of entering all at once into the wide and ill-understood philosophy of dry plate processes. One item is quite enough at a time. It was merely to collect, compare, and, if possible, reconcile conflicting information on a dubious subject that the article in question was penned. He merely gave expression to his own ideas, derived from practical experience; but he is still open to conviction if these ideas are disproved. The writer was not treating of any dry process in particular. His remarks, with respect to the collodion, applied to all dry processes in a greater or less degree, and were the results of his own experience, aided by all the substantiated information he could derive from others-from Major Russell himself particularly.

As to a matter of fact referred to in the criticism, Dr. Hill Norris, writing in the year 1856, says that the plates should be washed under the tap long enough "to remove every trace of nitrate of silver;" and then combats the notions (at that time almost universally entertained) of those who thought free nitrate was conducive to sensitiveness in dry plates. But all this touches not on the "philosophy," or science, of dry plate preparation. Let us collect facts; let them be stated honestly; and then, after a while, we may have a practical foreknowledge of success or failure in our 66 dry plate conclusions," whether we know the physical why and wherefore or not. Major Russell and Dr. Norris have perhaps done more for dry plate photography than all others put together; yet it does not follow that the opinions of the one or the other should be received as absolute rules for guidance on a subject which both must admit is still surrounded with much uncertainty. It would, therefore, be interesting and important to know the present opinions of Dr. Norris, Mr. Fothergill, Mr. Ackland, Mr. Mudd, Mr. Sayce, Mr. Bolton, Mr. Mawdsley, and other great pioneers of dry plate photography on this same collodion question. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Who will take it up?

ENLARGEMENTS BY THE MAGIC LANTERN. BY J. C. LEAKE.

MAGIC lanterns are now so generally used, that we may reasonably suppose every photographer possesses one. We may also be sure he has found out that a quarterplate, or carte-de-visite, lens, of short focal length will give a flatter picture than an ordinary combination, such as is used in the lantern, with a much larger aperture. This being the case, we propose giving a simple process, by which we have obtained good enlargements by artificial light; thus rendering the lantern a really useful piece of apparatus to the professional photographer.

We will first describe our lantern. This is of the ordinary construction, the body being of wood, and it is fitted with a condenser of three inches and a half diameter. Instead of the ordinary lantern lenses, we use a portrait combination of about five inches focal length. The source of light is a large paraffin lamp, with a flat wick, one inch and a quarter wide-(a lamp still larger can now be obtained). These are arranged in the usual manner as for an ordinary exhibition. The other parts of the apparatus will be best explained by the aid of a diagram.

A is the lantern, which should be arranged upon a firm table or bench, of sufficient length to allow of the requisite enlargement. B is a board the size of the largest plate intended to be used. In the edges of this board are cut two slots in which run four screws, which are intended to secure the two rabbeted slips of wood which hold the sensitised plate in the required position, as seen in the diagram.

For use, the lantern is arranged as above, the transparency placed as in the ordinary lantern, and the board shifted backward or forward until an image of the required size is obtained upon a piece of cardboard placed in the clips C, D. The adjustment may then be finished by means of the rackwork of the lens. The sensitised plate

directions are really needed; but a few hints calculated to The whole arrangement is so simple that no further ensure success may not be out of place.

Firstly, the whole success or failure of the operation depends on the quality of the transparency. An ordinary one will not answer at all. To obtain a good result a negative must be taken for the purpose; it should be very thin and fully developed. From this an exceedingly thin transparency should be taken; the thinner it is the better will be the resulting enlargement. The lamp should be carefully trimmed and the glass very clean. (This remark also It should be also noted that the applies to all the lenses.) illumination is equal over the whole field, and the lamp and reflector so arranged that it is so, before exposing the plate. The exposure will vary, according to the density of the transparency, from one to five minutes; its small plate may be exposed first, in order to ascertain the time required. Everything else in the process is precisely the same as in the ordinary wet collodion process, and therefore needs no further description. By the method thus described we have obtained very good results, and have no doubt that others will do the same, or better; but should any further information be required, we shall be most happy to furnish it through the medium of the correspondents' page, which the editor has kindly placed at our disposal for this

purpose.

Transactions of Societies.

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY. THE annual general meeting of the Photographic Society was held in Conduit-street, on Tuesday evening. The chairman announced that, in consideration of their financial position, the secretary had volunteered to give his services gratuitously henceforth. Thereafter the report of the council on the proceedings of the society for the preceding year was read. No account whatever was given in it of the society's income, expenditure, and debts; nor did any independent member call for such a statement.

Mr. SOLOMON then practically illustrated the working of his enlarging apparatus by means of the magnesium light. As we shall have a good deal to say on this subject on a future occasion, we need say no more than that his demonstration was very successful.

Mr. JOHNSON, of Red Lion-square, read a short paper on "A Suggestion for the Treatment of Old Nitrate Baths." Mr. Johnson, at the recommendation of Mr. W. Morgan Brown, had tried the action of permanganate of potash upon old nitrate baths. He finds that the salt becomes deoxidised; so that after filtration a perfectly colourless

solution results, which gives a clean and brilliant picture, without trace of fog. Mr. Johnson's experiments were avowedly made on only one sample of disordered bath; but he argues, from both himself and Mr. Brown having established the fact of permanganate being capable of being used without danger to the pictures, that the known properties of the salt would make it very beneficial generally, and he invited trial of it by the members. This salt appears to have been used for some time by Mr. Tully, of Sheffield, for clarifying old printing solutions of

nitrate.

No discussion followed the reading of Mr. Johnson's paper.

ASSOCIATED ART INSTITUTE.

9, Conduit-street, W., Feb. 29. PROFESSOR WESTMACOTT, R.A., F.R.S., IN THE CHAIR.

AFTER transacting business, a paper on "The Relation of Art to Ethnology" was read by R. H. Soden Smith, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., &c.

In the course of his eloquent and interesting paper, the author pointed out how closely variously distinct phases of art-power were allied with distinct races of men, and therefore how much light the science of ethnology was calculated to throw on the different degrees and kinds of art-power developed in connection with certain races. In some it appeared a positive instinct, having all those characteristics which are peculiar to instincts. In others it was purely intellectual, appealing to the critical faculties rather than to the eye, or to the feelings and imagination. Guided by these ethnological facts, it seemed to him that art fell naturally into three great divisions, viz., the sensuous, the intellectual, and the moral or spiritual. Sensuous or instinctive art was the lowest of these types, and displayed itself in meaningless but beautiful decoration, intended to gratify the sense of sight only, without appealing to either thoughts or feelings. It appeared to exist in connection with certain eastern races in a state of absolute perfection, and to be independent of, and entirely uninfluenced by, culture. Races boasting a much higher degree of civilisation have tried in vain to attain the same kind of perfection in decorative art, but their imitations were in every case complete failures. In illustration of his remarks, Mr. Smith exhibited several specimens of decorative art, amongst them the patiently and elaborately ornamented paddle of a New Zealander, in which a perfection and fitness of surface decoration was displayed, which could not be surpassed, if equalled, by talented and highly-educated decorators. Intellectual art, that which appeals to the reason rather than to the feelings or the imagination, found a perfection among the ancient Greeks which seems to defy rivalry. Alone in its glory it has remained, and seems likely to remain, the wonder of the world. The philosophical Greek artist's work is as peculiarly his own as the beautiful, inimitable decorations of the Hindoo and Persian are peculiarly their own. The third of these divisions, the moral or spiritual, is the greater, and includes these lesser phases of art development, but gives to each a new and much higher meaning and purpose. To refine the feelings and elevate the soul is its glorious mission, for which all these various sources of utterance are required. That only is perfect art which, taking every available material, blends them into a mighty whole, attacking us at all points with irresistible force, and carrying our thought, feeling, and imagination upwards into the highest regions to which the human soul can aspire. There was great applause at the conclusion of the paper, of which this brief notice is necessarily imperfect.

A very animated discussion was introduced by a few remarks from the chairman.

Mr. CAVE THOMAS said the difficulty presented to his mind by Mr. Smith's theory, resided in the apparent impossibility of art attaining its highest stage of development

if perfection in certain phases of art could only be attained by certain races; while perfection in every phase was absolutely necessary to that grandest and greatest of Mr. Soden Smith's eloquently described three divisions.

LEMON H. MICHAEL, after alluding to the singular accordance of Mr. Smith's views with his own, as expressed in a paper read at their last meeting, said, art must look for its ultimate perfection in that fusion of races to which civilisation invariably tended.

R. PHENE SPIERS, looking at the subject from the two points of view-the scientific and the artistic-thought the question was one more nearly allied to differences in degrees of civilisation than to differences of race, and gave various historical illustrations in support of his opinion, which we regret we have not space to report.

G. R. REDGRAVE thanked the lecturer for having opened an entirely new view, which satisfactorily classified the various kinds of art-power.

Mr. A. H. WALL thought the speakers were losing sight of the real question at issue. Mr. Soden Smith had put before them, in a very beautiful paper, his theory, and facts were beyond dispute, and those who were dissatisfied the facts which appeared strongly to support it. These with the theory advanced nothing in its place which in any way accounted for them. It should not be forgotten, in different kinds of art by certain races, that advance in the connection with the various degrees of progress made in more intellectual and higher branches of art must invariThe ably be slower than it is in the lower divisions. higher the standard of excellence set before the aspirant, the greater would be his difficulties and the longer his struggle to attain it. Mr. Wall then apologised for uttering the subject was too comprehensive and complex to be so little having a direct bearing on the question, and said publicly spoken of without more thought and careful study than he had given to it.

called upon Mr. Smith to reply; and that gentleman, after

After some further discussion, Professor Westmacott

some remarks complimentary to the various speakers, said the art of savage nations appeared to have reached its perfection, and to be beyond further development. He explained that he did not regard art-power as the necessary accompaniment of a high degree of civilisation, and after courteously replying to various questions and objections, resumed his seat, and was loudly applauded. in conclusion, which we have not space to report, and Professor WESTMACOTT made some very able remarks after passing a vote of thanks to Mr. Smith, and announcing that the next paper would be read, on the 15th inst., by Mr. Alfred H. Wall, on "The Practical Value of Theory," and that on the 22nd inst. Mr. W. Cave Thomas would read a communication on "Some Thoughts and Experiments in Reference to a Theory of Colour," the meeting adjourned.

IMPROVED APPARATUS WANTED.

box cameras, such as are used for single or stereoscopic views, The Mechanics' Magazine, speaking of the binocular complains that "their several parts waste too much time in the operation of screwing together. Scarcely any of them have room in the box to carry the lenses attached to the front of the camera, so that valuable lenses have to be carried in the pocket at the risk of breakage in walking, and in the operations of screwing and unscrewing before and after taking each picture. These screwing operations involve waste of time; moreover, the camera usually has to be screwed upon the top of the box, then the back of the camera has to be pulled out and fixed down by two screws, and three or four screws called into operation in fixing the legs. When the view different parts begin. Supposing these operations to waste is taken, the unscrewing work and packing away of the five or eight minutes over each view, the loss of time over the exposure of six or twelve plates is very great, and to this the annoyance of unnecessary trouble must be added. A very little forethought and ingenuity on the part of the

are

manufacturer would enable him to do away with these real practical evils. The upper portion of the inside of the box, for instance, might be made to form the top and two sides of the camera, so that on opening a door at one end of the box, the lenses, always in their right position, would be pointing at the view, and on opening the other end the focussing screen would be exposed to the view of the operator. A side arrangement for the admission of the dark slides would also be necessary. Here, then, there is really no practical reason why most of the screwing and unscrewing, and the risk of breakage of lenses, should not be abolished at one fell swoop. These alterations, and the use of Mr. W. H. Harrison's form of tripod-stand, would save much time. This stand is thus described :-"The top of the stand should be made of a little circle of wood, only three inches in diameter, with three one-inch projections from this circular piece, each projection only one inch and a half wide. The tops of each of the legs will thus open one inch and a half to bite the outside of the projections, where they may be held as usual by three screws. But as the wooden top is very small, the legs may be conveniently carried without removing the top, when several views in the same neighbourhood have to be taken, so that in fixing the box camera to the stand, it is only necessary to fix one screw through the centre of the stand. course, when the views are many miles apart, it is best to take the legs asunder, so that they will lie together more in walkingstick fashion. He has tried legs made as here described for many years; they were quickly made by a common carpenter, and have been found more practically useful than those supplied by regular manufacturers. Though the top is small, it is found to give firm and solid support to the camera, even in a rough wind."

O. J. REJLANDER.

(Condensed from The Art Journal for January.)

Of

Ir, a few years ago, we had been asked the question, "Has Photography produced anything worthy of being called a work of Art ? we should have hesitated to give an answer in the affirmative. The late Mr. Clifford, Mr. McPherson, and others, had taught how great was its value, when called on to give views of some great wonder-work of the architect; and the late Mr. Thurston Thompson had given us fac-similes in drawing and expression of the cartoons of Raphael. But these were only reproductions.

Late years, however, have shown that more can be done than we at one time thought possible, and that results are obtainable from lens and camera, which are not merely imitations and copies from still nature, but productions of mind and thoughtful study, and which, when gazed on, raise emotions and feelings similar to those awakened at the sight of some noble Sepia sketch, the handiwork of a good draughtsman.

Of Mr. Rejlander's pictures (for such we may justly call them) we have no hesitation in saying that they are full of beauty and full of mind. A glance at any of the eighty specimens given in his album suffices to convince us that we are in the presence of genius; and, turning from page to page, we are surprised at the prolific fertility of his imagination. They possess a strong individual character of their own; they are always rich in tone and in "shades that most sweetly recommend the light," whilst in composition they are nearly always good. We see that, in many instances, Mr. Rejlander has not scrupled, almost wilfully, to neglect details. His object has evidently been to realise some idea that he has dreamed out from the subject before him, and want of photographic perfection, even in a photograph, may be overlooked, when the chief aim of the artist has been to catch some transient expression, to which all else had to be sacrificed.

Comparing these photographs with those exhibited last year in Paris, whilst in some points of technical manipulation they are considerably behind many of the Russians, French, and Germans, yet for masterly and artistic feeling and treatment they are considerably before all in Europe. In a word, they are works of Art, and contain many highly original thoughts. Some of these photographs have been taken slightly out of focus and in that vaporoso manner which Mrs. Cameron has of late brought to a high state of perfection; and we are sometimes astonished to find ourselves contemplating what at first sight would seem to be copies taken from masters of the Venetian and other early schools, a Georgione or Bronzino.

Mr. Rejlander has been very fortunate to obtain models of such rare beauty. He evidently knows how to appreciate them, and we cannot but hope that those ladies who possess beauty in

From the last two or three days of our report, it will be seen that the atmospheric pressure has been unusually great, and very steady, with the wind prevailing in a westerly direction. This, however, from the great amount of moisture present, and the hazy calmness of the weather, would lead us to expect a change of wind to S. or S. W., with a falling barometer and rain. Should the northerly current hold prevalence, then fresh, bright weather will follow, with slight frosts at night.

Bits of Chat.

Among the most recent and striking novelties in chemistry, we notice the conversion of methylic into ethylic alcohol, which has been observed by Siersch, a chemist, at Lemberg.

Mr. Emerson Reynolds recently communicated to the Dublin Chemical and Philosophical Club some experiments with ozone on the latent photographic image, the action of which proved so completely destructive to it, that the plate on which it was impressed could be again exposed, and a second image developed in its place. This appears to demonstrate conclusively the chemical nature of the latent image.

Mr. Marion is about to introduce into the photographic market transparent sheets of vitrified india-rubber as applicable to the transfer of collodion films, the printing of transparent positives, and the production of photographs in carbon. We shall duly test the new material, and report thereon.

The Council of the Aëronautical Society have decided upon holding an exhibition at the Crystal Palace in June next, at which some experiments are to be carried out by Mr. Glaisher. Various prizes are to be given for different objects, and amongst others, for paintings of landscape and cloud scenery as observed from a balloon. Surely, for scientific purposes, photographs would be more useful and reliable, and consequently it is their production that should be thus encouraged. Contributions for this exhibition are promised from all parts of the world, but we are at a loss for the reason why we hear nothing of photographs from balloons in connection with the exhibition. We commend the subject to the attention of Mr. Glaisher, as Vice-President of the London Photographic Society.

A new battery was lately presented by M. Balsamo to the French Academy of Sciences. Both elements consisted of iron, the one being immersed in a solution of chloride of calcium, the other in diluted sulphuric acid, the two solutions being separated by a porous cell. The iron in the sulphuric acid acted as the positive element, and the other as negative. The current obtained from this novel arrangement is said to be constant, and of considerable intensity.

Mr. J. R. Johnson has introduced into our London market an idea which has long been adopted in Paris, viz., a set of interchangeable lenses, fitted for a variety of photographic uses, all of which screw into one mount, and can therefore be taken out on a tour compactly packed into a small casket, ready to meet any emergency arising out of the character or kind of objects you may desire to photograph.

In the issue of the Photographic Notes (Feb. 1st) preceding its incorporation with this journal, Mr. Sutton said, "The proprietors of THE ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHER have purchased the copyright of Notes, and engaged our services as regular contributor, &c. The reader will therefore lose nothing by the change, but ought to be a gainer, if only for the reason that an illustrated journal has much to recommend it as an exponent of an art of illustration, or pictorial reproduction."

A writer in Le Moniteur de la Photographie says, "The distilled water of commerce is commonly very impure. A series of rings of iridescent matter is often observed in the neck of a bottle containing it, and the surface of the liquid itself is frequently covered with a film of the same character. Such water is unfit for photographic purposes." He also says, "The difference in the behaviour of two solutions of silverone prepared with distilled, and the other with ordinary spring water-when exposed to the action of sunlight, is noteworthy. When distilled water is used, the solution remains perfectly transparent during the discolouration of the organic matter, which becomes of a dark colour, and is rapidly precipitated, a slight disengagement of gas taking place at the time; but if the solution has been prepared with ordinary spring water, it becomes turbid on exposure to light, and subsequently small flakes are formed, which rapidly assume a dark brown colour.

Photography may in one sense be considered a very low art indeed; for as the pedestrian walks along Tottenham Court-road in meditative mood-that is, with his eyes looking downwards—he will see painted on the flag-stones at every crossing, "Your carte-de-visite for one shilling, at 32, Catch'em-. place, Oxford-street." Surely, after this sole-stirring announcement, it is useless for anyone to say that photography must be high art because it is practised on housetops.

How is it that good plain paper for printing on is so scarce in the photographic market? Such specimens as can be got are all very inferior to that we used to obtain not very long since. The smooth, hard German amorphous paper was very unlike the rough, woolly, rotten paper now sold, which is quite unfit for working upon with the brush. Many artist-operators, Mr. O. G. Rejlander amongst them, have reluctantly run counter to their artistic taste in using albumenised paper for large prints, and cry aloud for a good plain paper, such as that they

used to be supplied with.

APPRECIATORY.

It is a source of great gratification to the editor and proprietors of THE ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHER to be assured that they have hit the bull's-eye in their first shot at the photographic target. Already a very large number of letters have poured in correspondents express themselves in rapturous terms at the from all quarters, congratulating us on our bold attempt. Most general get-up of our first number, and think nothing could be and art-phases of photography. more judicious than the skilful blending in it of the technical

Mr. Rejlander is specially pleased with us for cutting the edges of the paper; and says, "I can read it without roughly tearing the edges and destroying the print with my hand. All books and newspapers should be done like yours. May you fare well." nence, which we append. There is another characteristic letter from a painter of emi

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHER.

SIR,-I thank you heartily for the first number of your spirited and artistic journal. Bravo editor, artists, proprietors, and printers! and bravo graphotype! There's soul in your solar art yet. I have already shown your interesting bantling to several of our most eminent artists. All are pleased with the exalted aim and the art-aspiration which is apparent on the face of it. I have no desire to underrate the valuable services which other purely photographic journals have rendered in detailing the various processes and modifications of photographic manipulation, and I have frequently admired-or, say, smiled atthe cunning skill in the art of dyeing, dirtying, cleansing, scouring, renovating, and metamorphosing by which old things have been made to look like new. But then photography is a chemical science; marvellous and subtle are the combinations thereof; and the journals must be filled, you know. Nevertinually practise photography, and find it of great value as an auxilliary to art. I have occasionally glanced at a ber when visiting men "who live in glass houses," and while I have noticed much of vanity and vexation of spirit, I have also observed that there was but a very little photographic news under the sun. May the sun now shine genially upon your upward path, and light you onwards to the discovery of new truths, which may elevate photography to a still higher eminence than it already occupies, and render it yet more available in diffusing knowledge, in expanding the intellect, and in promoting the happiness of humanity.

Mr. Arthur Gauntlet recently showed us some enlarged photographs on ordinary crayon paper, a surface on which the chalk colourist can produce results very superior to those he can get on plain photographic papers, in less time and with less labour.

The influence of habit, which induces a man who has never given one hour's attention to the subject, who has never read a book, heard a discourse, or picked up one authorised opinion, to assume a knowledge and a taste in the productions of art, is to me as wonderful a phenomenon as any that is to be found in the whole world of mind and matter.-E. V. RIPPINGILLE.

When the mind is taught to know, the eye and hand are soon rendered obedient to the artist's will.-R. A. S.

num

Photographic Fun.*

Cuthbert Bede, B.A., says :-" Photography is essentially a light subject, and ought to be treated in a light manner. If you doubt this proposition, I would refer you to the discoverer of "the instantaneous process," Mr. F. Maxwell Lyte, who, from the very first, as is self-evident, has treated his favourite art in a Lyte manner. Begone, therefore, ye cavillers, who would carp at me for writing lightly on a subject which you would have treated in ponderous essays and hard-to-be-digested treatises! Hide yourselves beneath the hoods of your cameras! Betake yourselves to your tents! Mount in penance upon your tripods, O ye heavy fathers of our photographic stage! Why should I not treat photography lightly? Why should I not have my jest upon it? I have the greatest respect for photography; I hold it in the highest estimation. Should I, therefore, shed tears over it? Should I even talk about it in the stilted phrases of Johnsonian discourse? No! Where we may have our laugh, let us have it, and that right heartily. We shall be none the worse for it, my friends.

Questions and Suggestions.

A member of the Photographic and of the Microscopic Societies wishes to know "how many Mr. Glaishers there are? One Mr. Glaisher, Vice-President of the Photographic Society apologised in very melancholy terms at the January meeting, for his eighteen months' absence from their deliberations, through bad health. The other Mr. Glaisher-if it is another has been constantly at his post in the Microscopic Society during all that time." We cannot enlighten our correspondent, but perhaps this may meet the eye of the gentlemen referred to, when, we have no doubt, an explanation will follow.

Notices.

TO OUR READERS AND ADVERTISERS.

So many contributions reached us for our first number, for which we were unable to find space, that we this week give our readers two additional pages. To do so we are compelled to trespass upon our advertising columns, and trust those whose advertisements this arrangement has displaced, will kindly over look the liberty.

We have also to apologise to Contributors whose articles still stand over for want of space.

Those of our friends who may find it more convenient to have THE ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHER sent by post, can have it POST-FREE, on the following terms, if prepaid:

AW

A FARE PROPOSITION.

CONDUCTOR "Oh! yer charges hextra for two, do yer? Well, supposin' I puts 'im on my knee: you'll never make it more or a single fare when only one seat is ocyerpied!"

EFFECTS PRODUCED BY OBTRUSIVE BACKGROUNDS.These are sometimes very ludicrous. Here is the full-length "carte" of an old gentleman who is standing against a background of panel scrollwork. It happens that he is so placed with reference to this scroll that a short, sturdy piece of it, with a heavy turn at the end, seems to issue from his coat-skirts, and he stands furnished with a stiff, curly, and powerful tail! A still more funny example is that of a youth who stands half turned towards a screen representing a waterfall and rocks. The fall consists of many little streams, one tiny rill of which seems to spring from about the centre of the youth's anatomical structure. In another picture a fountain in a garden issues apparently out of the head of a child, whose vacant look and helpless attitude, as she stands in that highly horticultural region, is strongly suggestive of water on the brain. JAMES MUDD.

We shall be glad to receive friendly contributions for this column, which will occasionally be illustrated.-ED.

P. O. Orders or stamps to be sent to the Printers, Watson and Hazell, 5, Kirby Street, Hatton-garden, London, E.C.

CORRECTION.-In the review at page 5, the word "white," in the eighth line from the bottom, should be "black."

Printers sometimes make odd blunders, say we; and editors sometimes oddly fail to detect them, says the printer. Mr.. J. Spiller has long ceased to be a Speller, at any rate, in connection with photographic chemistry, although his name was thus rendered in our last number. (See page 12.)

To Correspondents.

Under the above heading we shall reply to all questions sent us, unless the query relates to any subject on which we consider the expression of different opinions desirable; then it will be found under the head of 64 QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS," When our replies are of sufficiently general interest, they will be given under the heading-" REPLIES AND DISCUSSIONS."

Where difficulties in practice are the subjects of correspondence, it is requested that full particulars be sent, in order that we may be aided in our endeavours to explain them satisfactorily.

Signatures should be legibly written. We hope correspondents will avoid those which are apt to lead to confusion by their too general adoption, such as "A Subscriber," "A Reader," &c.

Letters to the Editors should be so addressed,

The Editor will not undertake to reply to correspondents except through the pages of this Journal.

Correspondence intended for publication should be written on one side of the paper only.

We are not responsible for the return of rejected MSS.

Amongst other illustrated articles in preparation for our columns, are papers on "Chiaro-oscuro," the "Composition of Lines, on " Breadth," "Grouping," and "Artistic Treatment." Technical papers on Sensitising," "Developing," and "Exposing," on "Dodges," on "Photographing Interiors," and on "Thick and Thin Negatives," have also been promised. In an early number will be commenced "The Autobiography of a Photographer," a series of autobiographical, anecdotal, historical, and descriptive papers of an interesting and amusing character. A "Column for Young Colourists" will be started in No. 4.

SHEFFIELD IRIS (J. R.)-Thanks for your suggestions as to matters of detail. It is quite probable we may commence a series of elementary articles, should such a course be thought desirable by many of our readers. In the meantime you should read " Hardwicke's" treatise, 7th edition, the "Photographic Dictionary," or some other work which goes beyond mere manipulations.

T. GORDON.-The copies have been forwarded as directed. Monthly parts might suit you better for transmission to India. Consult the publisher, 54, Paternoster-row.