Following the introduction of the photographic process of Daguerre by his physicist friend, Arago, before the two Academies des Sciences and des Beaux-Arts on August 19, I839,1 there resulted several instances which might conceivably be interpreted as governmental use of photography. However, the available literature has been rather vague as to which specific photographic application constituted the first time photography was utilized by any government.
Of the known instances, one or two seem to be logical possibilities on cursory examination. The first occurred in August, shortly after the photographic process of Daguerre was made public by a measure adopted by the Chamber of Deputies at the session of July 3, and by the Chamber of Peers, July 3o, I839. This consisted of sending Daguerrian images to various European sovereigns by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The second incident occurred September 30, I839, when King Friedrich Wilhelm III commanded Sachse, an art dealer from Berlin, to take a series of photographs of the Royal Park in his (the sovereign's) presence.
However, from the viewpoint of practical applications, both of these instances might be considered as acts more nearly akin to courtesy in the first instance, and curiosity in the second. Therefore, they should be largely disregarded as instances of governmental use of photography in favor of more substantiated claims.
The only other examples which merit serious consideration are: (I) The photographing of criminals by the Paris police in November, * Company Historian, Agfa Ansco, Binghamton, N Y. ~6~ D o N D