Finally, we may call attention to the attempts made to receive the luminous impression upon a band prepared with gelatino-bromide of silver.  In practice this band would unwind uniformly at the focus of the receiving telescope, which would be placed in a box, forming a camera obscura.  The velocity of this band prepared for photographing the signals would be regulated by clockwork.  The experiments that have been made have not given results that are absolutely satisfactory, by reason of the length of the signals received and the mechanical complication of the device.

OPTICAL TELEGRAPHY BY MEANS OF PROJECTORS.

[Illustration:  FIG. 23.]

The projectors employed for lighting to a distance the surroundings of a stronghold or of a ship have likewise been applied in optical telegraphy.  For this purpose Messrs. Sautter, Lemonnier & Co. have added to their usual projecting apparatus some peculiar arrangements that permit of occultations of the luminous focus at proper intervals.  Figs. 21 and 22 show the arrangement of the apparatus, the principle of which is as follows:  When the axis of the projector points toward the clouds, and in the direction occupied by a corresponding station, the occultations of the luminous source placed in the focus of the apparatus produce upon the clouds, which act as a screen, an alternate series of flashes and extinctions.  It is therefore possible with this arrangement, and by the use of the Morse alphabet, to establish an optical communication at a distance.  The use of this projector (the principal inconvenience of which is that it requires a clouded sky) even permits two observers who are hidden from each other by the nature of the ground to easily communicate at a distance of 36 or 48 miles.

USE OF THE PROJECTOR IN OPTICAL TELEGRAPHY.

[Illustration:  FIGS. 21 AND 22.—­FRONT VIEW AND LONGITUDINAL SECTION OF THE MANGIN PROJECTOR.

(Scale 1/15).  A. Elliptical mirror.  B. Arm of the same.  C. Nut for fixing the mirror.  D. Support of the mirror.  E. Occultator.  F. Support for same.  G. Lever for maneuvering the occultator.  I. Support of the occultator rod.  J. Screw for fixing the mirror support.  K. Screw for fixing the support of the occultator rod.  L. Screw for fixing the occultator support.]

The apparatus shown in Figs. 21 and 22 permits of signaling in three ways: 

1. Upon the Clouds.—­In this case the mirror, A, is removed, and the projector inclined above the horizon in such a way as to illuminate the clouds to as great a distance as possible.  A maneuver of the occultator, E, between the lamp and the mirror arrests the luminous rays of the source, or allows them to pass, and thus produces upon the clouds the dots and dashes of the conventional alphabet.