PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SQUADRON.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3888, 7 February 1870, Page 4

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SQUADRON.

Mr. Crombie, the well-known photographer, oi Queen-stieet, has executed some very excellent photographic views of the harbour and city. One view is taken from a very pretty spot below the Flagstaff Hill, and includes the whole width of the liaiboui, extending from Mechanics' Bay to opposite Dedwood. The backgiound take? m the whole of the city and the suburbs, and m the distance is seen the faint outline of the Waitakere Ranges. In the choice of foreground Mr. Crombie his shown caste; without it the picture would have been tame and -wanting m haimony, but by the judicious selection of an appiojniife foundation, as it were, the shipping and background a; c boldly and stnkmgly contested, while the geneial harmony is preseived. If it were for nothing else, the picture deserves a iavoarable notice from us for the judicious caste and a!tistic skill v.mch aiu exhibited in the foiegvound lwclf. The artist Ims aUo contrived totluo-tt animation Lito the picture |>y a small yioup m the foreground, and the m-egulcu fencing and vegetation. The ships ot theSquadion ha.\ c of cuiu»e been the mam objeefcj of Mr. Crombie's skill, but by the judicious way in which the view has been taken they aie made to harmonise \erv beautifully v,th the other poitions of the pictiue In fact, so much skill has been displayed m the selection of the pom u of sight that the pimcipal details of tlio picture are made to mutually heighten the geneial fcftect v ithout any undue prominence being given to any pavtinparticular. The six ships ot the bquadion are beautifully clear and distmefc, and taking into account the mtervemn distance from shoie to shore the city isi^ inarkably free from that haziness usually mais the effect of distant view 3 Any one possessing local knowledge may with ease distinguish the principal buildings ; and the scene of c-miirat-r u at t\e Queenstieet Whrf. which i 3i 3 seen tlnon-h the bquadion, is feingularly stuking. The tone ot the whole pictiue is aLo oood,o 0 od, the sky being fine and conecfc as le^uds outline lhe phofcogiaph mea^uics aboat lh by ]-2 inches, and is, we should think, one o£ the best Mr. Crosbie has ever pioduced. As most of our readeis aio aware, he has taken care to preserve foi us the likeness of many public ceiemomes and scenes winch otheiw'ise would have been lost, 01 know n to us only by the pen of the historian, which must fail to equal in vividness and beauty tlu lifelike pioduckons of the aitist. This last photooiaph of Mi. Crombie's will foim a veiy beautiful memento of the visit of the Flying Squadron to Aucklan, and its cheapness places it withm tlie reach of all but a few. The pictures w ill be on view at Mr. Ciombie's photogiapiiic gallery, Queen-stieet, to-day,