Photographic Society

There has been considerable enthusiasm among members throughout the term and full use has been made of the facilities of an excellently-equipped dark room. The energy and ingenuity of the Secretary in the difficult task of procuring adequate supplies of printing paper and films were much appreciated.

The entries for the annual competition were somewhat disappointing. One cannot help feeling that both the quantity and quality of the work submitted were affected by the diverse calls made on our energies at the end of term. In the light of experience and the human weakness of procrastination it would probably be desirable to fix the closing date of the competition earlier in term, before members are swept away on the torrent of examinations and the business of winding up the School year. The winning print (a view of the Monitors' Entrance by P. H. 0. Ruddock) was, however, work of the highest quality. It showed considerable technical ability, the values of light and shade being correctly given and the texture of the stone surface truthfully rendered. As a picture it would have been improved by more careful trimming. It is hoped that the Society in general will become more alive to the artistic possibilities of photography. Most members are content with an accurate reproduction of whatever is embraced by the lens of the camera.

P. G. H. Dench and B. Rodwell were elected to the committee in the room of departing members.

ARUBA

(News via the Ship Adoption Society, latterly a mere trickle, has at last, perhaps inevitably, dried up altogether. We still, however, keep in close touch with Mr. Martin, and we publish below another of his delightful and original descriptions of little-known places at which he touches in going to and fro upon the earth).

The Dutch-owned island of Aruba is a barren and cheerless smudge on the sparkling blue water of the Spanish Main, and lies about 40 miles to the north of the South American mainland. Curacao, a much more attractive relative, sits peacefully in the trade wind some 60 miles to the east of Aruba. Both islands owe their prosperity to a geographical position which places them 145 miles from the Venezuelan oilfields at Maracaibo. Heavy taxation forced buyers of crude oil to build refineries outside Venezuela, and refineries