548 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 241. 



une fois une des jambes, il arresta le cheval qui le 

 tiroit." 



I fear your correspondent underrates the power of 

 the human body in enduring torture. I have seen 

 a similar account of the execution of Damiens, 

 with which I will not shock your readers. The 

 subject is a revolting one, but the truth ought to 

 be known, as it is (most humanely, I fully believe) 

 questioned. G. W. R. 



Oxford and Cambridge Club. 



PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



Difficulties in making soluble Cotton. — In making 

 soluble cotton according to the formula given by Mr. 

 Hadow in the Photographic Journal, and again by Mb, 

 Shadbolt in " N. & Q..," I have been subject to the 

 most provoking failures, and should feel obliged if 

 Mr. Shadbolt or any other of your correspondents 

 could explain the causes of my failures, which I will 

 endeavour to describe. 



1st. In using nitrate of potash and sulphuric acid, 

 with a certain quantity of water as given, I have in- 

 variably found that on adding the cotton to the mixture 

 it became completely dissolved, and the mass began to 

 effervesce violently, throwing off dense volumes of deep 

 red fumes, and the whole appearing of a similar colour, 

 I at first thought it might be the fault of the sulphuric 

 acid ; but on trying some fresh, procured at another 

 place, the same effects were produced. 



Again, in using the mixed acids (which I tried, not 

 being successful with the other method) I found, on 

 following Mr. Hadow's plan, that the cotton was also 

 entirely dissolved. 



Plow is the proper temperature at which the cotton 

 is to be immersed to be arrived at ? Are there any 

 thermometers constructed for the purpose ? as, if one 

 of the ordinary ones, mounted on wood or metal, was 

 used, the acids would attack it, and, I should imagine, 

 prove injurious to the liquids. 



At the same time I would ask the reason why all 

 the negative calotypes I have taken lately, both on 

 Turner's and Sandford's papers, iodized according to 

 Dr. Diamond's plan, are never intense, especially the 

 skies, by transmitted light, although by reflected light 

 they look of a ^beautiful black and white. I never 

 used formerly to meet with such a failure; but at that 

 time I used always to wet the plate glass and attach 

 the paper to it, making it adhere by pressing with 

 blotting-paper, and then exciting with a buckles brush 

 and dilute gallo-nitrate. But the inconvenience at- 

 tending that plan was, that I was compelled to take 

 out as many double slides as I wished to take pictures, 

 which made me abandon it and take to Dr. Diamond's 

 plan of exciting them and placing them in a portfolio 

 for use. I imagine the cause of their not being so in- 

 tense is the not exposing them while wet. 



A bag made of yellow calico, single thickness, has 

 been recommended for changing the papers in the open 

 air. I am satisfied it will not do, especially if the sun 

 is shining ; it may do in some shady places, but I have 



never yet seen any yellow calico so fine in texture as 

 not to allow of the rays of light passing through it, 

 unless two or three times doubled. I have proved to 

 my own satisfaction that the papers will not bear ex- 

 posure in a bag of single thickness, without browning 

 over immediately the developing fluid is applied. 



With regard to the using of thin collodion, as recom- 

 mended by Mr. Hardwick in the last Number of the 

 Photographic Journal, I am satisfied it is the only plan 

 of producing thoroughly good positives ; and I have 

 been in the habit of thinning down collodion in the 

 same manner for a long time, finding that I produced 

 much better pictures with about half the time of ex- 

 posure necessary for a thick collodion. H. U. 



Light in Cameras. — I cannot sufficiently express 

 my acknowledgments to " N. & Q." for the photo- 

 graphic benefits I have derived from its perusal, more 

 especially from the communication in No. 240. of 

 Lux in Camera. Since I took up the art some 

 months ago, I have had (with two or three exceptions) 

 nothing but a succession of failures, principally from 

 the browning of the negatives, and on examining my 

 camera, as recommended by Lux in Camera, I find it 

 lets in a blaze of light from the cause he mentions*, 

 and thence doubtless my disappointments. But why 

 inflict this history upon you? I inclose for your ac- 

 ceptance the best photograph I have yet produced 

 from Dr. Diamond's " Simplicity of the Calotype." 

 Printed from Delamotte's directions : — 



First preparation, 5 oz. of aq. dist. ; £ oz. of muriate 

 of ammonia. 



Second process, floating on solution 60 grains of 

 nitrate of silver, 1 ounce of distilled water. 



Is there any better plan than the above ? 



Charles K. Probert. 



P.S. — The view inclosed is the porch and transept 

 of Newport Church, Essex, from the Parsonage garden. 

 Is it printed too dark ? I wish I could get the grey 

 and white tints I saw in the Photographic Exhibition. f 

 Had your readers behaved with ordinary gratitude, 

 your photographic portfolio ought to have overflowed 

 by this time. 



Cameras. — The note of Lux in Camera has brought 

 in more than one letter of thanks ; and a valued cor- 

 respondent has written to us, suggesting " That the 

 attention of the Photographic Society, who have as yet 

 done far less than they might have done to advance 

 the Art, should be at once turned, and that seriously 

 and earnestly, to the production of a light, portable, 

 and effective camera for fi'eld purposes ; one which, 

 at the same time that it has the advantages of lightness 

 and portability, should be capable of resisting our 

 variable climate." Our correspondent throws out a 

 hint which possibly may be adopted with advantage, 



* It was an expensive one, bought of one of the 

 principal houses for the supply of photographic appa- 

 ratus, &c. 



[f Some of the best specimens of these tints were 

 forwarded to us by Mr. Pcmphrey, accompanying the 

 description of his process, printed in our eighth volume, 

 p. 349. _ Ed. " N. & Q."] 



