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POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 





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Section of Film (actual size). 

 A squad of soldiers at drill. 



Chief among these causes must be men- 

 tioned the use of faulty apparatus and of 

 films of inferior quality, or which have be- 

 come worn by frequent and prolonged use. 

 Minor blemishes are, however, of common 

 occurrence, even when the best obtainable 

 apparatus and materials are used for the 

 purpose. These are referable chiefly to de- 

 fects in the sensitized films of celluloid. 

 But there is no reason to doubt that better 

 films can be produced, and that pictures of 

 this nature will ultimately be rendered as 

 free from defects as are ordinary stereop- 

 ticon views. 



Meanwhile, these striking productions 

 of the photographic art will doubtless con- 

 tinue to attract the world's attention. They 

 have already become a source of much in- 

 structive entertainment to the public; and 

 their usefulness, from this point of view, 

 must be recognized by all. But the inven- 

 tion has other and more serious claims upon 

 our consideration. As a means of perma- 

 nently recording and vividly illustrating 

 notable events its importance will scarcely 

 be overestimated. The ordinary photog- 

 raphy can depict for us only isolated phases 

 in the varied phenomena of life or Nature; 

 though the value of its precise records, from 

 the historian's standpoint, has of course re- 

 ceived ample recognition. But the charm 

 of animation may henceforth be added to 

 our portrayals of historic scenes. And, in 

 like manner, we shall be enabled to record 

 the mutable expressions, the gestures and 

 mannerisms, as well as the features, of dis- 

 tinguished men and women; while the value 

 of all such records must increase with the 

 lapse of time. These aspects of our sub- 

 ject are, indeed, so attractive that one is 

 tempted to dilate upon them at some length; 

 but I shall content myself with a brief allu- 

 sion to one recent event in which the whole 

 world has evinced keen interest — viz., the 



