Night Photography

Nikola Tesla, the well-known electrician, announces an important discovery in the "Electrical Review." He says he has perfected vacuum tubes of such light illuminating power that they may be used in light houses, and that they will enable the photographer to work by night as well as by day. He even suggests that by means of this light the painter may be able to distinguish colors as well as he can by the clear, soft light of day.

The result which Mr. Tesla has obtained, says the New York Herald, represents several years of patient experimenting. His work was somewhat retarded by the burning of his laboratory in 1895. He is not yet ready to describe his invention in detail. He promises to do so soon. He always speaks in a conservative way of his discoveries, I called yesterday at his laboratory. His bearing was one of great elation.

"It is of more importance," he said, "to discover new principles, to find out scientific facts, than to invent mere appliances."

The results which Mr. Tesla has attained have been achieved by the use of his vacuum tubes and his oscillator. The light which he is able to produce by this means is as bright as that of the noonday sun. By its use every line of the object photographed may be made to stand out clearly and distinctly.

Mr. Tesla has taken several photographs by this light, which are reproduced in the "Electrical Review." I saw the original photographs yesterday at the office of the publication. Half-tone engraving cannot begin to do justice to the extreme clearness and delicacy of these photographs. It is possible to give only a suggestion of the clearness of the original in a picture such as is used for the purpose of newspaper illustration.

The original photograph was made under the light of a single vacuum tube at a distance of five feet, with an exposure of five seconds. Every wrinkle in the face of the man is clearly shown. The hair of the beard and the eyelashes are distinct. The effect is almost startling. The face seems to stand out from the paper. This photograph was taken, too, without the discomfort to the subject which attends the use of the flashlight.