[William Thomson] “Photography Under Water”, one longish paragraph reporting on the May 1856 announcement in London Mechanics Magazine of the first underwater photographic adventure—and this only 17 years after the announcement of Daguerre’s invention. Found in the August issue of: Journal of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Vol 32 (third series), volume 62 (overall), August-December 1856, 447 pp.,with text illustrations.  Half-calf, with raised bands. Ex-library, with some scuffing on the spine; also a few stamps on the title page. Nice copy.  $250

From the article on Thomson:

“The camera was placed in a box with a plate-glass front, and a movable shutter to be drawn up when the camera was sunk to the bottom. The camera being focused in this box on land for objects in the foreground, at about ten yards, or other suitable distance, was let down from a boat to the bottom of the sea, carrying with it the collodion plate, prepared in the ordinary way. When at the bottom the shutter of the box was raised, and the plate was thus exposed for about ten minutes. The box was then drawn into the boat, and the image developed in the usual manner. A view was thus taken of the rocks and weeds lying.in the bottom of the bay. Mr. Thompson anticipates that it will be a ready and inexpensive means of arriving at a knowledge of the condition of piers, of bridges, piles, structures, and locks under water.

Also in this volume:

Sanderson, “Mr. Bessemer’s Discovery”, pp 273-5 (from the London Mechanics Magazine).

“Experiments on Iron made by Mr. Bessemer’s Process”, pp 349-351.

Howson, “Description of H. & W. Brown’s Ice Boat”, (with three drawings, a design for a boat to break up ice and clear a channel).