The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-03-11

S~A'SA' PAoSSO al q very BTSdb HSlBuLj
say in an airship, could have taken
moving picture of one of these great
battles what means of instruction
such document would have been for
military schools! But what could not
have been done, and will never be
done directly, may be artificially pro-
duced; and Photographic projections
thus obtained constitute very modern
method of instruction, at once precise,
rapid and fascinating.
1t is interesting to examine the pro-
cess by which the makers produce
films on which bodies of troops are
seen to move, attack, retreat and re-
form. The technique is similar to
that of trick pictures. For exam
pie, picture will show a box of
matches on the screen; it opens and a
match jumps out and stands up by
itself; another follows and stands
by the first, and third places itself
across the others, forming a letter
H. Little by little, an entire word
thus formed, or sometimes a geom-
etrical figure. The process is simple.
On horizontal table, above which a
moving picture camera has been YER
tically arranged, is placed the closed
Matchbox, and then one turn is given
to the handle of the apparatus; thus
we have on the film series of several
images of the box. 1t is opened half
way, and another series of images is
obtained; then it is opened wide for
the next series.
Then a match is taken out half
way; then completely. it is placed sue
cessively in all the positions that it
must Occupy in order to stand finally
in the chosen place; in each new po-
sition a turn of the handle is made,
taking series of images in that par
ticular position. So at length all the
matches, one after the other, form
the desired word or figure.
1t may be, easily understood that
this succession Of images, when pro-
jectedo on the screen, will reproduce
the illusion Of matches going by them
selves from the box to their several
positions.
Such film requires a very long
time for its preparation-the longer
as the illusion is to be the more
complete and when consequently the
successive positions, photographed
separately; are to be nearer together.
1t is this principle that has been
utilized by Gaumont in representing
the movements of troops at the battle
of Austerlitz. The technical data were
given from works of Commandant
Colin, known for his special studies
of the battles of the First Empire.
His indications have been scrupulous-
ly observed in cutting out squares of
cardboard proportional in size to the
Importance of the body of troops rep
resented, and in placing them on the
map in different positions correspond
ing to their real movements over the
ground Finally, to take account of
the elapsed time, clock-dial has been
placed in a corner of the map, and it's
hands are seen to move during the
progress of the battle. Napoleon l
gained this victory December 2, 1906,
and the action lasted from a. m. TO
4 p. m.
The film was made by placing black
cards representing the allied armies
and the, white ones representing the
French army in the different positions
occupied by them and by the same time
the hands on the clock dial;
it contains $500 images and is 164
feet long. The black cards bearing the
figures IL and IL represent the army
corps acommanded by Bagration; those
numbered Is to Is, Buxhowden's
corps; No. Ia, that of Kutuzoff, and
No. IS, the Russian Guard. Indi-
Gated by letters are the troops COM
by the French generals:
Lannes (La.), Bernadotte (Bo.),
Saint Hilaire (St.), Oudinot (Ou.),
Murat (Mu.), Legrand Ue.). The
Emperor Napoleon is represented by
a star.
On the screen, whenrthis interesting
film is projected, the bodies of infantry
move, advance, engage. each other, re-
treat; the cavalry charges again and
again, and the clock advances as the
battle progresses. Every action is in
;the whole course and action of
the battle is laid before the eye.
AS an educational picture the value
Of this film is unquestioned. As a
popular subject for this country,
there may be some question as to the
The interest the public would take in
Il. 1t is quite probable, however,
hat George ,Kleine. who ia agent for