and its Observers. 125 



that comparison of photographs and microscope, he adopied a count, 

 just the requisite number, and passes it as reah 



I have copies of the photographs referred to, and I affirm that 

 they do not admit of a correct count. The picture of the 19th band 

 has over seventy hues, and it is a matter of faijcy, or taste, or judg- 

 ment, which shall be rejected as false, and which " adopted " as true. 

 Anyone can " adojit " enough to leave the right number. Dr. Cur- 

 tis's photographs do not give conclusive evidence that Dr. W. had 

 ever seen the true lines ; and they are not evidence that he had not 

 seen them. How is it with Dr. W.'s own photograph ? A copy of 

 that is now before me. It purports to be a picture of the 19 th band 

 1100 diameters, and a portion enlarged to 2800 diameters. The 

 picture of 1100 diameters is an excellent picture of the 19th band 

 as I have seen it, not resolved. Examined with a lens, an approxi- 

 mate count can be made with difficulty. There are certainly over 

 sixty lines, and some of them on one edge are so coarse that they 

 are evidently composed of two or more of the true lines. The en- 

 larged portion is evidently made by stopping off on the negative 

 the coarse lines of one edge and some of the finer ones of the 

 other edge ; not a difficult feat to leave the wished-for number, yet 

 there are parts of the enlarged picture where I and others have been 

 obliged to guess whether one or two lines should be counted. This 

 is all that Dr. Woodward has offered, that he has " counted correctly 

 one band from one edge to the other." Under the circumstances, 

 considering the pertinacity with which Dr. Woodward has denied 

 the claims of all others, I feel justified in being " still incredulous," 

 as are many others. 



Dr. Woodward has seen fit to introduce some extraneous matters 

 which have nothing to do with the question whether I ever resolved 

 the Nobert test-plate or not. As they have been published, I am 

 under the necessity of noticing them. 



He says, " Mr. Stodder writes with a warmth that will be best 

 understood when it is known that he is the Treasurer and Agent of 

 the Boston Optical Works, the establishment at which Mr. Tolles 

 produces his really excellent lenses, and that he has for some time 

 claimed that Mr. Tolles produces the very best lenses in the world. 

 I am not willing to yield to either of those gentlemen in the dis- 

 interestedness of my desire for the success of American opticians, 

 but am of the opinion that our progress will be hindered rather 

 than helped, if we shut our eyes to the few cases in which English 

 or other manufacturers excel ours." 



I copy all the above that there may be no mistake in the lan- 

 guage used. Dr. W., imitating his " witness," Dr. Hagen, must 

 refer to my connection with the Boston Optical Works, of course 

 wishing his readers to infer that my opinions are governed by 

 interest. I have no reply to make to that. 



