Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-16
GOSSIP ABOUT CLOCKS.
By A STRIKING CONTRIBUTOR.

Sun. dials were the first instrumen 5 usei In
measuring time. Ahaz. king OF Judi Al. caused
q sun-dial to be made Jerusalem. To sun
olals succeeded sand clOcks, or hO2r-giasses,
Water.ciocks and "candle-clockS" Water-clockS
were formed of earthenware or metal vessels
nlied Win water, and speaded over reser-
Volr WBere0n lines were marked, indicating the
hours as the water dropped from an upper level
THIS remained In use until the tenth century OF
the ChIlSCan era ''CanG 'e-ci cao' were JaperS,
On WMcn were coiored bands, Indicating how
o. UGH OF the candle had been burnt Ia a certain
tine This Invention is attributed TO Alfred the
Great
There are various opinions as to who invented
the nrst CLOCK not moved by hydraulic force.
BY some i. Is attributed TO Pope Sylvester H.
The first mention OF 1t is IN a book published IN
11GO called Les JsGges de Fordre de CtteI,tr
AT the conlneLcement OF the twelfth century
striking machinery existed. The celebrated
clock at DIXON has two figures-a man aud
W0man-WElch strike the bell or the clock TO
tell the hours There was no public CLOCK fn
Paris uLul Charles Y. had one constructed anC
placed In the tower OF his palace. 1t was made
by German-Henry de Wyck. This clock was
afterwards placed In the tower or the Palais de
Justice, Paris. During successive periods 1t
vas enlarged and improved. LuHd, Sweden
Possessed a celebrated CLOCK. II contained tn,
figures OF TWO cavaliers who met and gave each
tther as many blows as there were hours 10 be
STUCK On the opening or door. the Virgil
Mary appeared, holding the infant Jesus Ia her
arms. Z he Magi then came into view. followed
by retinue, and prostraung themselves, made
Ten Offerings. During this ceremony a trumpet
1eaprear The next hour.
Queen Elizabeth had cuiious clock, In the
tolm OF an ethiopian Hiding on au elephant As
The clock struck, four attendants made low
tte1sance. There is an old clock az LubacS
Which Is quite curiosity; as It strikes twelve
Tie figures OF The electors OF Germany Ell er
rom !. s!de Goor AID iDaugurate the E,Bpecor
WHO is seated on throne Another door opens
me saviour appears and gives benedici!on
add amid flourish or trumpets from choir 81
angels, the cavaicade retires Carovaee. a
slAlrtx
sprng for weights, thus facilitating the con
suucuon OF small sized clocks. It was not.
uItll Inc seventeenth century that HuygenS
applied Galileo'S discovery OF The pendlIuyl
AS soon as clocks became household article
they were ornamented according to the Ideas on
lhe PERIOD. During the reign OF Louis XIV. tor
tolse-shell was extensively used for ornamental
lion. Elaborate brass work was mingled with
IBIS lnteTspelsed with has reliefS and figures
Later brenze clocks ornamented with brass, be-
came iash,onaoie. Subject clocks" were also
III vogue. These were adorned with various his
toflcal 6nd my biological figures medallions ana
afmorlal Shields The ''cippuS clock" Represents
eo,,ta atmldie lg1re leaning on cippus. which
contained a dial. Sometimes these figures stood
ca slandS or alabaster, marble, or porcelain
frequently they were decorated with floral de-
Sshs IN porcelain, painted by the best artists of
tue Gay. 10 Breguet France Is chiefly Indebted
Tor the renoWn OF It's clocks. He was a natfce or
switzerland, but served bis apprenticeship Yer
sallles, ana was considered the greatest clock
maker or the age. He made several Improve.
ments in clocks, and his sea watches or chro-
Iometers became quite famous. lie, by a de-
sign OF his own, preserved the equality OF the
Chfonometer. Which would naturally be dis
luibed by the rolling and pitching OF the vessel
ore or the gfandeSt things in the way OF clock
Is mat or Westminster Palace, London. The
four olals face the four points OF the compass.
ana are so large that 1t has been said there are
Few rooms in London that would contain one of
tnem on the floor They are more than twenty.
TWO feet In diameter, and the figures on them
are TWO feet high, While the minute hand is
eleven feet long. The pendulum weighs nearly
seven hundred pounds; the total length is fifteen
feet. The accuracy OF this giant clock is remark
aoie. IL Is less than one second wrong On two
nuhdred days In the year. The Straspurg clock
is TOO well known TO need description. A Similar
CLOCK, perhaps even more remarkable, was
mace by a matchmaker Of Pennsylvania,
ing DIS work to perfection. The clock Is eleven
leet n1gn at Its base 1t is four feet WIDE and at
Inc top ABOUT two. The figures are nine inches
Mgn, ana consist of the Saviour, the Apostles,
satan, the three Marys, and COCK which flaps
us wings an crows. A few minutes before tue
nguleS appear, an organ inside the clock plays
an anthem. This organ is capable Of producing
nVe tuLes. Before the figure OF the Saviour
appears, beilS are fung. The motion OF the clock
L1lngs the procession Into view four times in
Inc hour. There are other figures some sta
Il0nary and others moving. On the striking Of
beil.several Of these appear. This clock not
only tells the hours, but the moons changes,
Inc udes, the seasons, the days, and day OF the
0C0tn.-DS1UOffSf