New-York tribune., 1907-11-24
MILITARY PHOTOGRAPH.
Remarkable Camera Results of Army
Signal Corps ETperts.
from The Tribune Bureau.l

From The Tribune Bureaul
Washington, Nov. 23-The manifold activities
of the signal corps, constituting the eye and ear
of the army which include submarine cable
laying, overland telegraph lines and all other
methods Of quick communication, to which has
recently been added ballooning has furthermore
resulted in the development of remarkable pho
tographic accomplishments.
In order to record military observations, with
The personal equation completely eliminated the
Eorrs has Iabored increasingly for several years
10 develop the highest class of Photographic ap-
paratus in which are combined non distortion,
sharp definition and brilliancy, with extreme
Hghtness and compactness of camera, in order
that the best pictures may be made under the
most trying conditions.
TWO Of the latest achievements in this direc-
ton are shown IN the pictures of the National
Capitol printed in The Tribune to-day. These
were taken from the top of the Washington
AIonumont by Major Edgar Russell in the
Course Of his experiments to secure eXtraordi-
CARLY rapid lenses by which instantaneous
eaapshots could be secured from balloons.
For some time the army has possessed lenses
of sufficient rapidity TO offset the incessant
eibratl n Of a liberated balloon at low attitudes,
but not until recently has it been practicable to
Ssc a telescope lens of sufficient power to secure
good detail at distances of a mile or more,
auch lenses were slow and a comparatively pro
9raCted exposure was essential TO secure a useful
photograph Recently however, Major Russell has
flade snapshots from the 555-fOot level Of the
aonum-Et which are regarded pictorial mar
Fels. superior in all desirable attributes TO any
lhing hitherto taken instantaneOusly from bal
looms or other high objects.
As long a balloon does not ascend over
five hundred feet pictures, like the view of the
Mall and Capitol Hill here shown. are readily
obtained with commercial apparatus of the
highest class, but a balloon at such height is a
readily attainable target range for rapid fire
guns anywhere within the useful range of the
Photographic lens. But when the balloon is over
a mile high, where il would be practically safe
from any artillery weapon devised up to the
present time, a telescope lens of long focus is
absolutely essential 10 getting any pictorial re-
suits at all worth while, and hitherto such lenses
have been exceedingly slow in action, requiring
time exposure and an absolutely steady base
free from the slightest tremor, such as a balloon
never affords Major Russell has at last devel-
oped a far reaching lens OF high rapidity capa-
bic of instantaneously securing sharp and MI
mute detail over distances Of several miles
The more extended view of portion of the
national Capitol herewith given is particularly
interesting at this time, as it comprehends many
of the radical improvements now in progress
for the Identification of Washington. At the
extreme left OF the middle distance is shown
the new Union Station, costing over $11,000,00O
and rivaling the Capitol building itself in its
imposing dimensions facing the plaza that has
been cleared to afford it an adequate approach
1t also shows the progress of the huge Senate
and House Office buildings, a short distance
from each wing Of the Capitol the House build
h,iu while a. ll,
placed Senate side of this great architectural
group has not yet reached the roof line. In the
near foreground at the left, the marble National
Museum is shown in process of construction,
facing the Smithsonian Institution across the
Mall and in the right foreground are seen the
two wings of the new Department of Agriculture