396 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



by portraits of different individuals, but the "author of this wishes to illus- 

 trate all of the passions by a single countenance; showing its expression 

 when in an amiable mood, again when distorted by anger, again in the 

 pomposity of the military strut, and so on. What would be the price of 

 pictures by the quantity if printed on this machine ? 



Mr. Fontaine. — They can be printed for two cents apiece. I sell them 

 mounted on cards at four dollars per hundred. 



Mr. Fisher. — Can you print them on rolls of paper, or is there a limit to 

 the size ? 



Mr, Fontaine. — By having a slit across the box, instead of a circular 

 opening, the printing might be done on a roll by continuous motion. I have 

 a photograph made by this process that is 5|X1 ieet. 



The Chairman. — Tiiere would be no difficulty in making a large machine 

 and driving it by a steam engine ? 



Mr. Fontaine. — There would not. 



Gedney's Pistol. 



Major Taylor. — The novelty of this pistol is in the priming; the fulmi- 

 nate is formed in small cylinders about the thirty-second of an inch in 

 diameter and an inch in length, and a small piece is cut off and carried 

 under the hammer just before the hammer strikes the cone. The great 

 advantage is the perfect safety of the weapon from accidental discharge. 

 If it is dropped or struck by any hard substance there is no cap on the 

 cone to discharge it. The priming is water-proof, and is not injured in 

 fording streams or by becoming wet in any way. 



Prof*. Seely. — What varnish is used? 



Major Ta^dor. — Gum shellac; but the priming is water-proof indepen- 

 dently of the varnish. 



Mr. F. Dibben asked if it was not possible to make the primer ignite 

 while in its reservoir in the gun, and what would be the result if it 

 occurred? 



Major Taylor thought it could not occur; it never had in the practice yet. 



Mr, Dibben was familiar with the material, and said it could not be made 

 twice alike. He thought it might be improved and made successful, but 

 he thought the explosions produced here in this exhibition would not be 

 accepted by the United States authorities as sufficiently strong and reliable. 



Mr. J. A. Talpeys exhibited and explained his sawing machine, operating 

 a circular saw, for carpenters or others' use, by the action of the hand. It 

 feeds itself automatically, and conforms to all conditions required, so that 

 a man working alone may first put in the stuff properly and then turn the 

 crank. 



Recent Discoveries of Silver and Gold Veins in Mariposa. 



Mr. Chambers. — Mr. Chairman, I have here a communication from our 

 member, Mr. Bruce, who is now in California. He used to take a great 

 deal of interest in the American Institute, and in the Polytechnic Associa- 

 tion, and it seems that he has not forgotten us. One portion of his letter 

 is of public interest, and I will read it: 



