The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-10-14
MORNING, OCTOBER II, 1870. = : 49,. - :.
About Clocks.

Some way Of measuring time must have
been known at very early period In the
history Of the world for, In the Book oi
Kings, tho dial u spoken Of. and the shad-
ow going backward and forward tan do
grees. Il Is believed that there wns more
than one way by which men had knowl.
edge of the passing Of tho hours. One
was by the advancing shadows, from step
To stop on the flight Of stairs leading up
into palaces and other important build
ings. lia 81
One of tho first inventions was the cleps-
ydrd, or water-clock, which was Q contri-
vance of the Assyrians and was In use
among them rs early rs the reign OF the
second Sardanapalus. ClepsydrA, or tcd-
.er-stcaler. It was called. two words which
have that meaning. The instrument was
of various materials; sometimes transpar.
ent. but generally Of brass, and IN the
shape of q cylinder, holding several gal
Ions. In any case, tho principle on which
It operated was the same. There was q
very small hole, either In the sido or bit
tom. through which the water slowly
trickled, or, rs the name expresses 1t.
stole away, into another vessel below. In
the lower one, cork hoa.ed, showing the
rise OF the water. BY calculating how
many times day the water was thus
emptied from one TO another. they gained
general idea of the time. The Chinese
and Egyptians used this; 50, also, did tho
Greeks and Romans; and It Is stated that
something Of the kind was found among
the ancient Britons. II seems to have
been one of tho earliest rude attempts. In
many nations, to keep record Of the
hours.
The idea of the hour-glass mus. have
grown out of this. Instead OF two large
vessels, there were devised tho pear-shap-
ed glasses, Joined by what may be called
the stem ends; and delicate fine sand
was used instead Of water. 1t was the In
yention of q French monk, and has never
been improved upon. This man recover
ed the lost art of blowing glass, and then
did second service to the world by In
venting the beautiful hour-glass. There
was marvellous exactness Of calculation
about the time which the sand would
spend in passing through the slender
opening from one bulb into the other. II
has always been considered very sccur-
ate timo-keeper; and It is certainly one OF
the most curious, rs It Is one OF tho pref
tiest, of inventions. r.r-.t 49,.
Clocks were first used In monasteries.
The word originally meant 6eA and the
two,-clock and ell.-in calling them to
their devotiOns and duties, performed the
same Office. These. however, were town.
clocks; not small ones for apartments.
One was set up in France, In 1874, and
created = great excitement being the
wonder Of the age. The maker Of Il was
made nobleman for his service In con-
structing such an extraordinary piece OF
workmanship. Tho first one In England
was during the reign Of Edward l.. and
was placed In the tower opposite West
minister Palace. The hour-glass and sum
dial had long been In common use; but
this was the first thing which could be
called q clock, except the water-clocks,
one of which had been brought homo from
France by Richard CDur de Leon. @
Clocks were at this period, Of 90 great
value. that they were sent as gifts by one
sovereign to another, as tho most rare and
costly things are now.-F'om Olirer OPP
tics Magazine.