326 Sir Benjamin Stone [March 16, 



expressed on the subject in so many directions. _ The public press 

 generally has accorded it support ; local associations, arehzeological 

 and photographic, have exerted themselves to form collections of 

 local records ; and during the past few years thousands of pictorial 

 records of the greatest interest have been deposited in the care of 

 local authorities. 



One danger seems to threaten the value of such pictures, par- 

 ticularly in the field of work known as "process reproduction," 

 where, to suit the supposed demand of the public for faithful records 

 of events which photography is considered to supply, there is a 

 lamentable custom resorted to of tampering with photographs either 

 in the negative or in the process reproduction, so as to insert arti- 

 ficial effects or to correct partial failures in the original negative, and 

 oftentimes embodying distinctly fraudulent effects. 



This degrading custom cannot be too much regretted, as faithful 

 historical records would become impossible, and the best pictures 

 would be valueless, if it were permitted for one moment to take liber- 

 ties of this character. 



It is bad enough for such historical pictures to have suffered from 

 lens-distortion, which gives an exaggerated appearance and fails to 

 correctly record that which is actually seen by the eye. The best 

 lens makers have used their efforts to produce lenses which shall 

 render scenes in the most faithful manner possible, but hundreds of 

 views are daily taken and reproduced, in the pictorial newspapers of 

 the day, which are grotesquely absurd in their aspects and general 

 proportions, in consequence of this primary fault. It will be apparent, 

 therefore, that difficulties have to be dealt with in keeping up a high 

 standard of excellence needed for making a perfectly satisfactory 

 record of current history. 



The efforts made to formulate the nucleus of a national collection 

 for preservation in the British Museum, have certainly been in sym- 

 pathetic accord with public opinion, for not only has there been a con- 

 sensus of approval in all directions, but there has been a generous 

 response to appeals for suitable pictures to add to the collection. 



It would be impossible to refer in detail to the many contributions 

 which have been made, and I can only indifferently satisfy myself by 

 making a brief reference to some of them, which, as far as they go, 

 represent the idea that pictorial records are the most satisfying means 

 for placing upon record the best representation of current history. 



It may be assumed that such pictures should have explanatory 

 notes to make them intelligible, for, however good the pictures may 

 be in themselves, they will be more valuable if used in conjunction 

 with literary matter, condensed as much as possible, and of a perfectly 

 reliable character. 



This will be more clearly understood if it is remembered that 

 photographic pictures, or engravings, or indeed any illustrations — 

 whether artistic productions in oil and water-colours, lithographs, or 

 other similar productions — have tenfold more interest when the ob- 

 jects or scenes portrayed are recognised and known, inasmuch as the 

 whole subject is at once illuminated by the recollections of those 



