PANORAMA OF DUNEDIN.

Evening Star, Issue 3703, 5 January 1875, Page 2

PANORAMA OF DUNEDIN.

Messrs Burton Brothers, to whose artistic skill in landscape photography the Colony is much indebted for many beautiful views of New Zealand’s magnificent scenery, have executed a panorama of Dunedin, which, for management of detail and care in printing, excels anything of the kind hitherto attempted. It is not often that photographers are enabled to choose a position Bom which so perfect a panorama can be obtained. However, we think it was Homer who hit upon the happy thought of painting one cf London as seen from the ball of St. Paul’s, and projected the Cclliseum, which for many years was looked upon as one of the finest works of art in London. The accident of the taking down the spire of the First Church a few feet afforded a stand point on which photographic apparatus could be worked, and Messrs Burton availed themselves of the opportunity of executing a panorama of Dunedin. The circle is divided into ten, so that each view comprises a range of about thirty-six degrees—some a little more, some less. It commence? with a view of Dunedin looking southward from the church. The elevation from which the ten views are taken appears to by exceedingly favorable for securing minuteness of detail, from the clearness of the outlines and distinctness pf the shadows, favorable weather has evidently beep taken advantage of. So clearly is every building that can be seen from such a point brought out that no difficulty would be found iu sending the panorama to a friend, with a distinctive mark on a dwellinghouse, accompanied by the memo “ I live there.” The present state of Dunedin, its public buildings, wharves, railways, warehouses, goods sheds, streets and lanes, are all as minutely recorded as in a trigonometrical survey—although the sum not dealing with bases and angles after the maimer of a surveyor, jots them down in perspective more than the most patient artist. One point could not he managed however. While every thing around the stand point can be included in a photographic picture, that point itself must of necessity be left out. The only buildings within sight, therefore, that do not appear in position, are the First Churph itself, and possibly one or two small structures immediately adjoining. Messrs Burton, to remedy this necessary omission as far as possible, have added a very beautiful vignette of the phjirch as it at present appears, with a memorandum stating that the panorama was taken from that building. The panorama, which when extended is six feet in length by a depth of six inches, is enclosed in a neat cover, within which it folds snugly. Friends at a distance, and especially at Home, would better comprehend our progress from such pictures than by any verbal description; and' we should think, as the sun cannot lie, they would prove admirable helps to our immigration agents.