The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-30 00:00:00

THE STRASBURG CLOCK.

During the heroic resistance which Strasburg has
made to the invaders, the fate of the world-famous
' cathedral has excited no little anxiety. The rough
soldiers of both armies felt concerned in the welfare
of this splendid work of art, for the French boast of
it as one of their national celebrities, while the Ger-
mans claim it as the handicraft of early German
artists and architects. According to the official
German account recently published, however, the
edifice had received very little injury, and, unless the
last few days of the firing were more destructive,
we may hope that the cathedral reached the day of
surrender comparatively unhurt. The defenders
established an observatory in the clock tower, and
the attempt to dislodge them caused the besiegers to
fire in that direction, which they had previously
carefully avoided. Happily, only some panes of
glass were broken. The Strasburg clock, even in
hese days of elaborate mechanism, must be ranked
among European marvels. Its origin dates back as
fir as 1352, but the actual working clock of the
present day was constructed by Schwilgne, a Stras-
burg artist, in 1840. It was said that his townsmen
put out his eyes, for fear of his making another for a
rival town, but happily this is not authenticated.
The hours are struck by a figure, while an angel
turns an hour glass with running sand. The quarters
are struck by figures illustrating the four ages of man
moving round a skeleton mower. At noon is the grand
display, when a procession of the twelve apostles
pas,es before a figure of the Saviour, each inclining
a, they pass. A cock crows three times and flutters
his wings meanwhile. Besides all this, the clock
stews the month, day of the month, Zodiacal sign,
clominical letter, procession of the equinoxes, and
several other scientific details. When leap year
comes round the 29th is faithfully recorded. The
clock is worthy of the noble cathedral in which it
sands, whose history is traced back to the days of
Clovis. It was destroyed by lightning in 1007, Sand
rebuilt some years later, the tower not being finished
until 1413. Ten thousand workmen, it is said,
1 tboured at it without payment. The carvings and
statues are wonders of mediaeval art, while the
spire rises 468 feet, or 64 feet higher than St. Paul's,
the body of the Church being higher than the towers
of York Minster.

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HER MAJESTY.

BALMORAL, SEPT. 27.

• The Queen went out in the morning, accompanied by
Princess Louise, and her Majesty drove in the afternoon
with Princess Beatrice.

The Lord Chancellor and the Right Hon. G. J. Goschen
had the honour of dining with her Majesty and the Royal
family.

P.LECTION OF LORD MAYOR OF LONDON.
The election of Lord Mayor for the City of London
took place yesterday at the Guildhall, the two candidates
for the office being Mr. Alderman Dakin and Mr. Alder-
man Gibbons. According to rotation and seniority the
former would have stood for election last year, but in
consequence of ill-health he was unable to serve, and the
honour fell on Mr. Alderman Besley. The proceedings
yesterday were marked by unusual excitement
in consequence of various questions being put
to Alderman Dakin, by Mr. Jones, watchmaker, and
liveryman of the City, the most important of • which
respected that gentleman's pecuniary position. The
peaker observed that the citizens had always presumed
that any gentleman who presented himself as a candidate
for so high, ancient, and honourable position,
1.8 that of Lord Mayor of London, carried with him that
domestic position which would enable him
satisfactorily to discharge the duties of such an office.
fe had now to ask Alderman Dakin, as being anxious for
t he honour of the City, whether he knew of any pecuniary
circumstance that would prevent him from the proper
tischarge of the duties of the office. (Hisses, and cries of
" Order.") He put this question because rumours had
teen afloat which he wished to give the Alderman an
opportunity of declaring unfounded.—Alderman Dakin
s.Lid he had great pleasure in answering this question, and
Legged to assure the honourable liveryman, as
o tie who had been connected with the City
of London forty years, and with the Corporation a
q uarter of a century, that in asking for election to so
high an office as that of Lord Mayor he should consider
himself unworthy of the place if he could not give a satis-
factory answer to the question. (Applause.) He must
r.nhesitatingly state that he should not attempt to assume
s ach a dignified office if there was the slightest occasion for
the question that had been put to him. (Renewed ap-
plause.) The names of the two candidates- were then
rut to the Livery, when there was an overwhelming show of
hands in favour of Alderman Dakin. The Aldermen then
retired, when their votes were taken, and the Sheriff, on
nturning into court, announced that their choice had
f Alen on Alderman Dakin, who was declared elected
a midst considerable applause. A vote of thanks to the
retiring Lord Mayor terminated the proceedings.