MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES 39 



final and highest degree of sharpness to the picture, and by means of a 

 sliding part or travelling screw it may be made to adjust differences in 

 the length of the foci resulting from the use of imperfect lenses in the 

 other optical parts of the instrument. Mr. McKay concluded by 

 stating that he was taking steps to procure protection of his invention, 

 and in due time he hoped to secure patent rights for the same, and 

 such other improvements as may yet be effected. Several hundreds of 

 views of the North and South Island taken by the new process were 

 afterwards shown with a lantern, and comparisons made with those 

 taken by the ordinary process. 



Mr. W. T. L. Travers expressed the opinion that the discovery 

 would completely revolutionise photography, and would prove most 

 valuable for astrouomical research and for the purposes cf warfare. 



Sir James Hector considered that the thanks of the Society was 

 due to Mr. McKay for having brought his important discovery before 

 the members. He had perfected his invention after years of work and 

 at great expense. 



Mr. Field said he suspected the so-called invention was no new 

 thing, as he had seen photographs of Auckland which, taken from the 

 North Shore, showed the minutest details of the buildings and shore 

 line on the opposite side of Waitemata Harbour. 



Mr. E. C. Harding said that the possibilities of Mr. McKay's 

 discovery seemed only to have been faintly indicated in what had been 

 said that evening, and, for his own part, he was most impressed by its 

 value in connection with the graphic arts. The comparative views of 

 the same landscape as taken by the ordinary lens and by the telescopic 

 combination were specially interesting and instructive ; and the 

 question had been raised as to which of the two processes was the 

 more artistic, or more closely resembled the effect to the eye. The 

 difference between two such photographs was obvious, and the question 

 raised was one in dispute among artists themselves. It was the 

 accepted practice in painting to give well-defined detail both to near 

 and distant objects, though it was impossible for the eye, without a 

 change of focus, to recognise both in nature. Hence the contention of 

 the impressionists that the conventional style was false, and the 

 practice on their part of representing some portion of the picture in 

 detail and slurring over the rest. He considered that the conventional 

 art and the pictures taken by Mr. McKay's process, representing both 

 the nearest and most distant objects with perfect clearness, were truer, 

 both to art and nature, as the necessary change of focus in the human 

 eye was so rapidly and unconsciously effected. Mr. McKay's discovery, 

 therefore, was quite as important on artistic as on scientific grounds. 



The President (Mr Hulke) sidd that members had overlooked the 

 fact that Mr. McKay's discovery would materially lessen the load 

 photographers have to carry at the present time, and that the number 

 of lenses required would by the same means be lessened. The pictures 

 referred to by Mr. Field were taken by a good but ordinary instrument. 

 Mr. McKay's invention would be invaluable to geologists. 



