258 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
tasmanite gives oily and solid products. Tire most marked character of the 
new mineral is the cpiantity of sulphur it contains, not in combmation with a 
metal, as in pyritic coal, hut in intunate imion with the carbon and hydrogen 
of the organic matter itself. It has the following composition : — 
Carbon 
Hydrogen 
Sulphur 
Oxygen 
79-34 
10-41 
5-32 
4-93 
100-000 
It is regarded as being the sulphide of an oxidised radical homologous with 
benzole. 
PHOTOGEAPHY. 
A New Process. — The Times, the Art Journal, and other of oiu’ non- 
scientitic contemporaries, recently soimded a trumpet blast in the ears 
of the public, announcing a certain wonderful new photograpliic pro- 
cess, by which, salts of uranium being substituted for nitrate of silver, 
no more faded photographs were to be knovui, as everybody hence- 
forth would patronize the new “ United Association of Photo- 
graphy,” by which this marvellous improvement had been piu'chased and 
patented. Since the publication of the specifications, however, it turns out 
not only that there is nothing new in the j)rocess, but a.lso nothmg true in 
the startlmg assertions made in its behalf. The in-anic salts beiug used with 
the nitrate of silver, and the former only being removed by the liberal wash- 
ing, and weak acid solution used for fixing, it follows that the various 
chemical combinations formed, and which are still sensitive to light, must 
remain in the print ; and, consequently, so far from these productions beiug 
more permanent, they must positively be less pennanent than photogTaphs 
produced in the ordinary way now in vogue. With regard to the novelty of 
this process, most photographic readers know that it was originally published 
by Mr. Burnett through the photographic journals in 1857 ; that it was 
afterwards described by M. de la Blanchere before the Academie des Sciences 
of Paris, and that a provisional specification, dating Pebruary 27th, 1858, 
embodying the discoveries of Mr. Burnett, was entered by a Mr. William 
Clarke. Puttuig aside, however, the claim of Herr WoMy’s discovery, in 
regard to its patent rights and the bad taste which set it afloat under false 
colours, the pictures it produces are very charming, and means should be at 
once sought for giving them a more just claim to be considered permanent. 
The “ WoMy-type process,” as it is called, is thus described : A good sample 
of photographic paper is prepared iu the usual way with albumen, arrow-root, 
common starch, of some simple material similar in character, which is after- 
wards forced into the texture of the paper, either by pressure or friction, so 
as to form a very hard, smooth, and even surface. Instead of sensitizing 
with nitrate of silver alone in the ordinary way, a collodion is prepared, con- 
tammg a little gum to increase its flexibility and adhesiveness, and having 
from one to three ounces of nitrate of uranium added to every poimd. This 
is poured over the paper, which is next floated as usual, and when dry is 
