March 15, 1918] 



SCIENCE 



263 



notice will be given and blanks issued govern- 

 ing delivery and distribution. 



The letter sent out by the chemical division 

 includes the following directions to producers : 



1. That producers, refiners and dealers in plati- 

 num continue to dispose of their product for gov- 

 ernment purposes, and for that only, as directed 

 by the chemical division. 



2. That producers, refiners and dealers in plati- 

 num who are also consumers use platinum for gov- 

 ernment purposes, and for that only, as directed 

 by the chemical division. 



3. That all obligations arising out of transac- 

 tions in the production or delivery of crude, al- 

 loyed or refined platinum released as above, in- 

 cluding all claims for shortage, poor quality, dam- 

 age or loss in transit, be borne by the producer or 

 seller, as the case may be, in accordance with ex- 

 isting trade practises. 



Distribution may be made by consent of this 

 board through agencies under existing arrange- 

 ments, provided that there results no increase over 

 the existing price to the user. 



The undersigned, on separate application in each 

 case, will consider permitting the delivery of a 

 limited amount of platinum for essential commer- 

 cial purposes not for government account. 



Proper blanks upon which application for re 

 lease of shipment should be made will be furnished 

 on application. 



The following list indicates, in general, the order 

 of preference which will be followed in releasing 

 platinimi for shipment: First, military needs of 

 the United States government; second, military 

 needs of allied governments; third, essential com- 

 mercial purposes. 



PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR THE SIGNAL CORPS 



One thousand men trained in photographic 

 work are needed by the Signal Corps immedi- 

 ately for instruction at the new school for 

 aerial photography just opened at Eochester, 

 N. Y., preparatory to going overseas. 



This ground force for America's aerial pho- 

 tography requires three types of men: 



1. Laboratory and dark room experts, espe- 

 cially fast news photographers, familiar with 

 developing, printing, enlarging, retouching, 

 finishing and panchromatic photography, who 

 can take a plate from the airmen and hand it 

 over ten minutes later a finished enlargement 

 to the stoff officers. These men will work in 



motor lorries as close to the front and to the 

 staflF as possible. 



2. Men able to keep the whole delicate equip- 

 ment in good condition, such as camera and 

 optical construction and repairmen, lens ex- 

 perts, cabinetmakers, instrument makers, etc. 



3. Men to fit the finished prints into their 

 proper places in the photographic reproduction 

 of the German front, to work out the informa- 

 tion disclosed, and to keep the whole map a 

 living hour-to-hour story of what the Germans 

 are doing. This includes men familiar with 

 map compilation, map-reading and interpreta- 

 tion, topographical science and drafting, and 

 requires keen analytical powers. 



The primary training at Rochester will cover 

 four weeks, and will be standardized along the 

 highly specialized developments brought out in 

 the war. At its close the successful graduates 

 will be sent on for a month of advanced train- 

 ing, after which they will be organized into 

 units and sent overseas. 



The best men, however, will be given still 

 further training for commission as photo- 

 graphic intelligence officers first at one of the 

 schools and then in actual flights at the flying 

 fields. 



Many men not physically fit for line service 

 are eligible for this so-called limited military 

 service, as defective vision corrected by glasses 

 and other minor physical disabilities are 

 waived. The proportion of officers and non- 

 commissioned officers to privates will be higher 

 here than usual, so that the opportunity for 

 advancement is good. 



Men not registered for the draft and who 

 possess the necessary qualifications should 

 write to the Air Division, Personnel Depart- 

 ment, 136 K Street, NE., Washington, D. C, 

 for information as to enlistment, accompany- 

 ing their letter with evidence of their qualifi- 

 cations. 



Men registered for the draft in the states of 

 !N"ew York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, 

 Indiana, Illinois, Missouri Massachusetts, New 

 Jersey, Rhode Island and Maryland, who de- 

 sire to be voluntarily indicted for this service, 

 should apply to their local board and submit 

 evidence of their qualifications. At present 



