PHOTO- LITHOGRAPHY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1252, 19 February 1872, Page 2

PHOTO- LITHOGRAPHY.

fDUNEDIN STAR/] We have had laid before us by thechief draughtsman of the Survey Department of tlu's Province, two photolithographs, executed by Mr Alexander M'Coll, litho. pi inter to the Government. The first, is a copy from a wood* cut in Punch, reduced in size, but in other respects a fac smile of the original, every line in which is perfectly reproduced in the copy; the second is a reproduction of the Government lithograph of the town of Blueskin. Mr M'Coll has been experimenting; foi> years after office hours, at his own expense, with a view to. the result at which he has at last so successfully arrived. Maps, of work done by surveyors in Victoria are reduced by camera at the Survey Printing Office, Mel? bourne, and transferred to Ihe stone Imprinting by a process different to that of Mr M'Coll. The prints, however, are much inferior to those- produced heie, and all that have come under our notice have an appearance of what is technically termed " rottenness," the lines being deficient in sharpness and continuity. By adopting this process of Mr M'Coll's in copying maps, or other line dm wings, the services of the lithographic draughtsman are entirely dispensed with, and in public depart-, ments, where a large number of copies, is required, the saviug must be very considerable. Too much praise cannot be awarded to Mr M'Coll, who, in addition to being a first-class workman, ia his own line, is an able and enthusiasticphotographer, tor the zeal with, which he has for a number of years;, labored to acquire that knowledge of ths> chemical properties of light which has enabled him. to throw from his press; such specimens of art as those now before us. We would strongly reconimend Mr M'Coll and his discovery to, the notice of the Colonial Government. The sphereof usefulness of such, an artist, ought to. be enlarged..