The advantages of the above process are, the brief time required to produce an impression, and the sharpness of the pictures. Portraits can be taken with as much facility as with the Daguerreotype, and the pictures are sharp and of excellent tone. The impression thus obtained is negative, and the positive picture is produced in the usual way. I denominate this the mezzographic process. What I claim as my improvements in the process of obtaining photographic pictures, are-- _First._ Displacing the water from the cotton, for this purpose, with strong alcohol, as set forth. I do not claim the use of alcohol as a desiccating agent, but limit my claim to its special use and purpose, as herein stated. _Second._ The employment of bromide of potassium in combination with collodion. James A. Cutting. T. Campbell, } _Witnesses._ Samuel Grubb. } _Dated July 11th, 1854._ * * * * * PATENT FOR THE USE OF JAPANNED SURFACES PREVIOUSLY PREPARED UPON IRON OR OTHER METALLIC OR MINERAL SHEETS OR PLATES IN THE COLLODION PROCESS. _To all whom it may concern:_ Be it known that I, Hamilton L. Smith, of Gambier, in the County of Knox, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Photographic Pictures, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and of the manner of making and using my invention or discovery. The nature of my invention or discovery relates to the taking of _positive_ pictures by the photographic process, upon a black japanned surface prepared upon iron or any other metallic plates or sheets, and consists in the use of collodion, and a solution of a salt of silver, and an ordinary camera. To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention. I will proceed to describe the manner of preparing and applying it which I have found to answer well in practice; not confining myself, however, to the special process or processes herein described, so long as the characteristics of the invention remain the same.