The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-10-14

this system is TO be seen in tho city Of
New York.
The largest bell in the world is in
Moscow-the City Of Bells. It was
cast by order of the Empress Anne, in
1853; is twenty Que feet four and half
inches in hight, twenty-five feet five
aud half inches in diameter where the
clapper strikes, and is believed to weigh
from 10000 to 100000 lbs. Histo.
rians are in doubt whether this giant
among bells was ever hung DR. Clark,
who saw it about the year 1901, says,
in his Travels" The Russians might
as well have attempted to suspend a
line-oi battle ship with all it's stores aud
guns" Bayard Taylor, on the other
hand, maintains that il was both hung
and rung, ait being struck by the clap
per" as Korb says in his diary, I" fifty
men pulling upon it, one half upon each
side"
In 1887, the Gar Nicholas caused it
to be disinterred from its bed of sand,
where it is supposed it was lodged dur
ing the oonilagration of 1887 aud placed
it on the granite pedestal where it now
rests. 1t was then consecrate1 as
chapel, the entrance to the interior
being through large fracture near the
mouth, the cause OF which is also n
subject Of controversy.
IL is recorded that ut the casting Of
this bell mobiles were present from all
parts of Europe. who Wed with each
other in the value Of the gold and silver
plate, jewelry, and other votige offerings
which they east into the furnace. IL
is doubtless owing to this practice,
which prevailed in olden times, that the
existing notion is derived that ancient
bells are Of better material than the
modern ones, on account OF the silver
in their composition. 1t may be added,
however, that the idea is incorrect,
since recent experiments have shown
that its introduction causes n positive
deterioration Of the resonant quality Of
bell metal. Whoever has been in Rus.
STA recalls as chief among his memories
the sounds OF the great bells which form
part Of religious worship, and are re.
garded by the Russians with supersti.
tious veneration. In Moscow alone
there are five thousand, aud when they
unite on festive occasions in Que mighty
chime, the effect especially at distance,
is said to be maiesticalIy grand.
There is now suspended in the tower
Of St. Ivan, at Moscow, bell which
weighs IA 900 pounds, and the diane.
ter of which is thirteen feet. Ii is said
that when it sounds, which is but once
year, "a deep, hollow murmur yibrates
all over Moscow, like the fullest notes
of a vast organ or the rolling of distan,
thunder"
The bell Of Notre Dame Cathedral at
Paris, cast in 1880, weighs 10000
pounds; that of st. Peters al Rome
woighs 1900 pounds; that of Notre
Dame Cathedral, Montreal--the largest
in America--29 900 pounds; and that
Of the Parliament House in London,
10000 pounds. When it is remem
bered that the largest bells heard ia
our American cities rarely weigh more
than three or four thousand pounds
some idea may be had of the volume o.
tone which belongs 20 the monster bell,
above described. 20. ~ FL. ~.
Tho Chinese have likewise produced
bells Of colossal size, one Of which nj
Pekin weighs 5000 pounds, but tn,
tone of their bells is said TO DO discor
dant and 'panny" like that of their
goags. .As e,'r
Probably the most celebrated bell ia
this country is that known as til,
"Liberty Bell" which on the 4th O
July, 1776, announced the signing o.
the Declaration of Independence. L
was cracked while being rung in homo
Of the visit of Henry Clay to Philadel
phin, aud since then has been on ex
hibition in that city, together will
other revolutionary relics. The follow
ing inscription, taken from Leviticu.
XIV, 10, surrounds it near the top
proclaim liberty throughout the land,
unto all the inhabitants thereof"
Nor are our own wcll.known ST. Mi
chaels chimes unworthy Of notice 10
this connection. These bells--eight il
number--were imported from England
in 1894, at cost of 95S1. On tho
evacuation Of Charleston in lJS2, Majo,
Traille, Of the Royal Artillery, took
them down under the pretence thai
they were military perquisite belong
ing 10 the comRanding officer The
Vestry applied to Lieatcnant-G Genera
Leslie to have them restored, on the
ground that they were paid for by sub.
scription, aud private property wa,
secure under the terms Of the capituIa
ton. No answer was returned. Sii
Guy Carleton, at New York, however
anticipated the wish of the vestry, add
ordered the bells 10 be restored. Mean,
while they had been shipped TO Eng
land. The vestry then applied to the
Secretary Of War Of Great Britain, but
without success, They were sold; aud
being purchased by Mr. Rhineu, were
generously reshipped by him 10
Charleston in 1888. They chimed
their hallowed music thenceforward un.
til 1868 or 1864, when, for prudential
reasons, they were removed 10 Colum.
bia, s, G., and deposited in the State
House grounds. Here, they were par.
tally destroyed in the great Sherman
conhagration Of February, 1865. Aftei
the war, they were sent again to Fog,
land, aud, strange as IL may appear, re.
cast BY tho descendants Of the original