SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 573, 30 July 1909, Page 4

SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHS.

REPORTB OF A COMMISBION OF INQUIRY. ' AHSKNC.KOP PROOF. Mr, T. Thorno linker, who lina acted ns chairman of tho commission appointed by tlio London "Daily Mail" to inquire into tho genuineness or otherwise of what arq called "spirit photographs,", lias handed that paper tho following letters, which form tho final report of tho commission of inquiry, Tho inquiry waH instituted at tho instance of Mr. A: P. Sinnott, a well-known thcosophist and spiritualist. Mr. Sinnott,' like his spiritualist colleagues on . tho commission, Mr. Sorocold Skcolu and Mr., Robert King, is an honest believer in spirit-photography. Tho other three members'of tho commission aro experts, in photography.

Th 3 Spiritualist Report. , T. Thorno Baker, Esq.,', ' .-.'••-. - : Dear Sir, —In ■ reference to your suggestion that the commission ought how to draw up Some sort of report, wo wish,to'explain why it is obviously unablo at present to prepare any report worth publication. : Wo three, of course) having had abundant oxperienco 'iiV the matter,; 1 know to begin with that spirit photography, was 'possible Wo endeavoured to explain to tho other members of: the commission'• who wero unacquainted with tho intricate science of which spirit' photography is a Binall part, that it - was; necessary- for them to undertake some preliminary study of spiritualism generally before they could oven appreciate the evidence they might bo called upon to deal with. They have shown no inclination to prepare themselves in this'way for,;tho work they undertook, nor oven to 'go-.'unprepared' in search of the'great volume of evidence available. They havo merely asked for experimental demonstrations, 1 , in ignorance of the conditions under which; such demonstrations are possible. And though with perseverance it might have .been'just possible to arrango for siich demonstrations, the frequent postponements'.qf our meetings by reason of your own Conflicting engagements, and 'the consequent protraction of our work, have defeated efforts in this direction. ■;■" '; •: We therefore can only agree to report, that the commission has >failcd : to, 'secure,. proof that spirit-photography i - 3 possible, not because evidenco.'.to that effect' is otherwiso than -,very ; ,abundant, but, my reason:of. the jirifqrtunate and unpractical attitude. adopted by those mqmbcrsof. the' qbmmission • who had ho previous ex'periehco of,, the' subject—. ¥ours .very truly,; ' :; : V/_ '".' .: '■; '~-. ''.'■. v: ": ■,i':' ' '■ A.' 'P./ : SINNETT..' ; -':'. "•;'' ■■ :'/''■''. 1'.•..' ~ k. ;r; serocold skeels. , .:. .: ROBERT KING. : -■ ■,;:.■:' The-"Daily Mail" Spirit ~. Commission:/. ■ ,". ; ; •./ ■-',-. *Two only: One through illness, and one owing to another important engagement.'AH ,othor'i)ostp.inen-ients:wero -for members' convenience;—T.T.B. i ;; v:-; v- ;//:,-:,.';;i'. i i Nbn-Splrituallstld - Report; •.; : ,:: T//Thqrne: Baker, Esq.,";. ! / -''V:';;/;' \. ;-.- Sir,—-The- proceedings of the■ Spirit;, Photograhy Commission haying como' apparently, to .a-.deadlock;, wo think it best to■ report to you-as follows:—., ' ./,:.<;" EtForto were made,.to carry put.actual-ex-periments, but it,;was .pointed; out'; ; by ,'Mn A. .'P. .Sinnott .(the member' of the commission at,whose,suggestion it ;was formed) that before such'experiments could-bo carried,out jvith any hope of. success it .would' be, neces- . sary to go. through a preliminary: training- in what we sTiould describe, as ; ''.theosophyv". ,This wo consider as outside; the' scope of' the' coijmitteo;. but wo. wero and are ■ prepared to. approach the subject with perfectly ,open minds,- and -to be convinced -should 'tbe; evidence bo: forthcoming.:, : .. .... : ; ;.. !;;:Wo arejof /opinion- that .no. - such..evidence was forthcoming,■ for tho following reasons: ~,l;.l l[ r(iat;i,noh6>.of; tho photographs /submitted were shown to \>o. taken,under conditions which precludwl fraud,.; ):s.;'^hi-*i;\*.:'-i-t : r?y ;-■_ lty'That'photographs submitted,;by .'Mr'. Sin'nett,.as taken in his ,qwn s presence /Were, cleasly''.tho rnjsujt of.,.' 'faking'Catiii easily,' ox-plamable'Von.,material grounds v ,,;'/;,,j. ;; :. '. 111.,' Other photographs' shown-,t0,,,us we're taken under conditions of which wo.were.told less; but in these wo also ,'saw no reason to suppose-' that anything' out of tho ordinary played ■ any part. •; Some-'of .them' failed to show'anything beyond-defects due to careless 'manipulation,, which were mistaken by -their producers for supernatural results:': :,/; ■'■■'■■ ~ IV. A/large proportion of the photographs shown to us which',had any dofinite,;spirit forms on, them were produced byone photographer,'. who appears to, be:.;carrying, on a business in tli6 production of these things for ■a-"profit: ■'". ■•''■; ;// ; '/;'■'■'..'., ■V.-According, to. invitation, packets, of plates wero scaled by us and submitted to Archdeacon Oolley to receive'''"psychic, writing" : without being: opened.'. This tost, however, ' was not carried out,'! as Archdeacon Colley,' after/receipt of ,the,platesj. stated that "his discaniate. friend hayiqg again rp-, cently made'progress, in'the'-'spheres may not from Ill's* higher degreo yot-for. awhile,'. -. be able to find 'tho communicating link, .to transmit /through one'.".'or,.' more' "minds requisite: to impress ' the .photo plate with psychic writing or- spirit faces:"' '.':. ■ ; 'VI, A gentleman, in' Manchester offered to' arrange a 1 sories of seances 'with a lady medium'at which experiments'might bq conducted. On the. first' occasion ho: was .uiiablo to bb' present.: On tlio .second;bo. attended, biit informed' the commission .that tho lady was indisposed and there -was' no' prospect of; the; seances' heing held .for a considerable time. ; .:;.; ';.,' : '-.■:.''■'•' ■'.''?'' :' . : : .■''.', . AVo are therefore : of opinion that, no evidence whr.tover—experimental or othorwise-T has boon:placcd "beforo'-the committco in support of the. contentions .to .investigate which the .committee was, formed. ,'-'.:: ■ (Signed): R. CHILD BAYLEY, E; J. MORTIAIER. ; C,....•'■'.E. SANGER-SHEPHERD, ;. • Tho Position Summed Up. .■■-., ' Commenting /on tho , above -letter, '/the "Daily Mail" says:—, /'" '■'■[ /' ~/!:S The'report of'the Spirit -Photography :Cqmmission will finally decide, a question that has been : hotly debated in recent years c -tho genuineness of /-spirit - .photographs. '; It -~wasi appointed 'last November, at "the.''instance 'of Mr. Sinnett, the. well-known' spiritualist and' writer on theosophy, who invited-this journal "to investigate I 'tho wholo'matter and. take evidence in- a; systematic way.'"; The result of the inquiry is that, two reports have been issued, which/show very clearly, that'where the experiments, in;'spirit ''photo-; graphy are carried out under, scientific conditions, so as; to preclude aaiy possibility. of deception^spirit pnotegraphs'oaruiqt:bq produced. ■■' . V"" ' "''""'.,",:: : ■-.'.'"....-* : -: ; ::.'■ "/'... ■ I The commission \vas composed'of seven members. Three: were spiritualists and three w ; ore expert.''photographers, -while '■. the seventh member was an independent'.investigator representing this journal. The, three spiritualist members report 'that the.oxpori-. ments failed because the' experts had not un-. dorgone, any preliminary, study of spiritualism, though they go■■ on to add that ■ [ 'with perseverance it might have been just. possible, to arrange',' experimental' • demonstrations. Yet,,as tho experiments have been protracted over a period of -several,months,it- would-seem; that /ample opportunity: has been given for the ghostly forces to; manifest their power, and as they did not do so I'the public will draw the obvious'conclusion. : Thc threo photographic experts state plainly that"no ovidonce whatever, experimental or otherwise,'.' has been forthcoming to'support the contentions of the spiritualists,'and that what spirit photograplis wero'produced or submitted Avcre capable of a Tnat-|ter-of-fact explanation. ;.■'; ■•"'■" : Unbiased meny after -this,'-will;, ooncludo .that, spirit'photographs aro really due, when any image; or writing appears, on the plates, to defects or fog in the- plates, to double exposures, or to adroit manipulation, and are not' the result of some/ mysterious' psychic force.