The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-03


nj tributing intelligence are being
i developed by the Signal Corps
Of the United States army. one
OF these Is represented by the telephoto
scout.
In this mode of scouting the soldier Is
usually mounted on horseback. His
equipment consists Of a collapsed tripod
and an entirely new kind of telephoto
camera. Suppose, for instance. that re-
connoitring has disclosed the presence
OF an enemy beyond a range of hills.
The scout rides along the valley on the
near side of the range dismounts at n
suitable point, ties his horse to a tree,
climbs the hill and sets up his camera IN
a place on the summit from which he
can get view Of the foe.
Suppose, furthermore. that the enemy
is several miles away. perhaps en-
camped on the plain beyond. A good
pair of opera glasses serves pretty we'll
to disclose the position and numbers OF
the troops. With an ordinary camera
one could not obtain a picture of the
troops or encampment that would be
satisfactory. but with the telephoto it is
different.
This particular telephotographic cam
era Is something entirely novel. 1t is a
new invention which the Signal Corps
has developed with much pains and pa
thence for its own uses. The instrument
is snapshot telephoto camera-a thing
unheard OF hitherto.
Ordinary cameras Of this kind demand
time exposures This one makes a pic
ture in q quarter Of a second.
Nevertheless the scout finds II eX-
pedient to use a tripod. because, as
snapshots go. a quarter OF second is
not very quick. OF course he has sought
concealment, and both he and the IN
strument are hidden, say, among the
trees at the summit of the ridge. All
that Is needed is a peep out; he squeezes
the bulb, turns the platehOlder for IA du-
plicate picture to provide against acci-
dent, packs up his apparatus in half a
minute climbs down the hill again.
mounts his horse and rides back to
headquarters.
There he finds a portable dark room
already set up. The dark ROOM which
is cola psible, is made for outdoor use.
Together with 1t in a wagon on the
march are packed such essentials as a
small hypo tank, developing pans. &c,
with the requisite chemicals.
Two men work together in this kind
Of scouting. one of them stays behind
at the temporary field headquarters, sets
up the portable dark room, mikes the
chemicals and has everything in readi-
ness by the time his comrade returns
with the pictures taken. The man who
has made the pictures hands the plate
holders over to the dark room operator
and the latter proceeds Immediately TO
develop the plates.
The saving of time is a prime object
in view. 1t takes. say, ten minutes to
develop n plate, five minutes more to
fix II in the hypO tank and another five
= minutes to rinse 1t in water. 1t Is then
dipped into solution of carbonate of
potash, which has the effect of drying
all the water out of the plate while
rendering the emulsion so hard that 1t
can be rubbed with n cloth without in
Turing it. A negative thus insufticently
washed would soon go to pieces; but
this does not matter, because 1t Is
wanted only for immediate use, to be
afterward thrown away.
With "A turn of his hand the photog-
rapher places AN enlargng lens box in
the window of the dark room and, ad-
tusting the negative suitably, makes by
this means n much magniicd print Of
the picture on sensitive paper Then
he develops the print rlnses 1t briefly
and II IL ready tn be shown to the ON
GERS of the general STAFF
All of these operations have been per
formed with such economy of time that
the photograph is ready for exhibition
within forty-five minutes after the plate
has been delivered 10 the dark room by
the returned scout II should be cX-
planned that the original plate is in size
only Az by ga inches. Whence the
necessity for the enlargement.