All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

338 All About Inventions these islands has become manifest. Now, owing to the eminent positions which other countries have achieved in this line, and in which Italy and Denmark have become established, the British producers are experiencing a hard, up-hill struggle. Britain lias none of the huge establishments given over to the production of pictures comparable with those in France or the United States. The latter country has prosecuted developments with its char- acteristic energy and upon typical American lines. After surmounting the difficulties pertaining to the technical side of the question, it began to tempt the favourites from the legitimate stage. At first their blandishments were treated with indifference, but it was speedily realised that bigger money could be earned before the solitary audience of one, as re- presented by the camera, than before two or three thousand people nightly in a theatre. The producers offered fanciful salaries, and were prepared to make long contracts. The bait proved so alluring as to be irresistible, and there ensued a big trek from the boards of the theatre stage to the boards of the studio, which has not even yet subsided. This development arose from the sudden boom in picture palaces, which swept over the world with the virulence of an epidemic. Moving-picture shows were formerly given as items in vaudeville performances, or else halls were hired by the night, the moving-picture showman being closely allied to his itinerant colleague with the magic - lantern. But the shows were in- variably enthusiastically patronised, the seating ac- commodation available being taxed to the uttermost. This fact aroused the interest of an ambitious