The evening times., 1900-10-20
PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH FOG.
Experiments in Progress on Kaiser
Williams Yacht.
(From the Chicago TFibune.)

G'rom the Chicago Tribune)
Somewhere III the cold waters of the
Baltic Sea is the imperial yacht of the
German Emperor, and on board of it, in
company with the Kaiser, are two expert
photographers who may be marking the
way for vessels Of the German Navy some
time in the future to steal into hostile
port under cover OF dense fog and cap
ture 1t before the enemy can see its as
sailants.
c. Knox HaT ling, an electro-chemist of
Chicago, has Just returned from Germany
and the ContiLent, and through a friend
in Zurich bri1tgs the news of the Kaiser S
experiment and a fairly accurate descrip-
tion of the apparatus by which in the
densest fogs a clear-cut outline of a yes
sci may be discovered probably two miles
away. Mr.. Hardings friend is connected
with the Photo Chrome Company, of Zu-
rich, and from his knowledge of color
photography speaks with a good deal of
experience. This friend has made expe-
riments on landscapes while enveloped in
fogs that make 4 building 100 feet away
Invisible Under such conditions Mr.
Harding's friend has taken a sharp, clear
photograph OF a mountain one mile away,
with every detail Of the landscape show
l.
only two seconds
The camera used in the experiments by
the German Government has a central
non-achromatic lens. and around this in
a circle are set six other lenses of the
same size and description. The central
lens throws its objects directly upon the
plate at the back Behind each of the
auxiliary lenses is a prism which catches
the lights and shadows that come through
its individual lens and defects them so
accurately that the image from the aux
iliary lens falls directly over the image
from the principal. Each of these six
auxiliaries adds its image to that of the
principal, so Increasing the light upon
the plate as to make an unshielded ex-
posure in ordinary light an impossibility.
In setting his camera for an exposure
against fogs a color screen is used. This
is necessary because of the fact that the
ordinary fog radiates an excess of blue
actinic rays that fog plate easily With
the seven lenses and the screen, how
ever. the colors Of the spectroscope are
so blended, neutraliZed, and centred as
to make an impression through dense fog
that is more clear-cut than sunlight
exposure made through an achromatic
lens.
My friend says that from the bow OF
an ordinary Atlantic liner, moving at half
speed through fog, his own apparatus will
show every outline of a vessel steaming
half mile away said Mr.. Harding He
insists that it IS only matter OF time
until moving picture through fog will
be possible.
ALREADY it is discovered that this ap-
paratus has a most remarkable influence
On non-actinic lights and cologs. For in
stance taking up red light from photo
graphic dark room and throwing them or
a plate through these lenses and screens
the apparatus SO acts upon it as to sci
UP fiuorescence upon the plate that will
give picture of the objects in the darb
room. Yet the plate so acted upon could
be left in the dark room indefinitely with
out being fogged.
.EAs discovery of practical value this
photography through fog will appeal most
strongly TO the navies of the world AS
a complement to the camera is q devel-
oping attachment by which in few sec
onds the picture may be developed and
the object thrown on a screen. From this
the range-fnders on a battleship might
send a broadside into an enemy otherwise
invisible.
ssIt may be said, of course, that such g
scheme available to one navy would be
available to alk But this was true o
armor plate and of arnaor- piercing shells
and yet no nation has failed to adopt botf
innovations. If the German Government
goes on to perfect this scheme, and car
keep that perfection secret. it viii have