Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-09-18
A MARVELLOUS CLOCK.
Ph;Iadelphia's Present to tho
 Cruiser Named for Her.
The Finest Specimen of CIoek-MakiRg Ever Produced In the United States A Work of Art as We'll as an
 Accurate Tlme-Keeper.


 Accurate TIme-Keeper. Above the silver-faced dial an eagle, with outspread wings, assumes n defens- ive position, says the Philadelphia Ledger, while on the right side of the clock face stands a full length figure of Q woman, in classic attire, holding a roll as she leans on tho side of tho bezel. To tho left another female figure stands in a similar position, carrying tho horn of plenty on one arm. Below the clock face a shield, which upon close inspec- ton is seen to represent a section on the hull of a vessel, surmounts crossed guns and is encircled by laurel wreath.
 On this shield is an inscription setting forth that the clock was presented to the cruiser Philadelphia on behalf of the citizens of Philadelphia.
 A cable forms square around the clock case, and in loops at each of tho two upper corners fouled anchor IS held. From either side of the group around the dial two draped American standards jut out gracefully, and be- heath the two female figures, which stand on a kind of premonitory, arc seen choppy waves bordered with scroll, bearing the words, philadelphia
 
 of the clock is inscribed "U. S. S. Phila- delphia."
 The silver dial bears figures in gold in relief of most beautiful and original design. The minutes are divided by raised, golden pegs, while the center of tho face bears an exquisite piece of the jewellers art. It is the shield of the city's arms The blow, in the top sec tion of the device, is in relief, as is the ship, with all her canvas on, which is in the lower third. The whole plate is most dainty and correct in detail, and above 1t, also in bas relief, Is the arm of justice, with the balance. X rich, golden scroll frames the arms on the face, which, altogether, is pronounced to be not only exquisite but unique. This part of the ornamentation is an excellent specimen of the good en- graver's art. Considerable difficulty was encountered in modelling the work in getting an eagle that would be suit. | able. Finally fine specimen was secured in the Academy of Natural Sciences, and it has been faithfully re- produced. The two female figures were modelled from life, and are fair repre- sentations of graceful and 1.-the femi- | nine forms They are in gilt bronze, | which contrasts pleasantly with the 1 dark bronze of their surroundings. In | the original model the two figures were in bas relief. but the sculptor, and rightly, too, thought that the effect could be heightened by placing the | figures in full relief, as they are now | seen.
 To give some idea of tho care be- slowed upon the time-piece 1t should be mentioned that, in order to have the guns and the old-style wooden ship in tho design truthful, the firm sent to the Navy Department and received photo | graphs of the old man-of-war Constitu- tion and of the new-style ordnance, and from these those seen in the completed l work were modelled.
 Strictly speaking, the movement of the clock Is a nautical one. It Is con- structed with balance wheel on the principle of q watch; consequently tho pitching and tossing sea will not affect tho movement. The escapement is demi-chronOmeter, jeweled in all its principal parts, and highly finished.
 Instead of the hours, the chime of bells strikes in couplets, in true nautical style, the ships bells. When it ls twelve o'clock eight bells are struck, instead of twelve, as in other time- pieces; at nine o'clock, two bells, etc. This has never before been accom- plished in fine clock Another feat ure which will be appreciated by mariners, which is also an i'm provement is that of making the hour hand free of its twin, the minute hand, in regulating tho clock. This enables them to turn the clock back or forward an hour without disturbing the minute hand, as is required to be done every day in crossing the various degrees of longitude during a voyage.
 The regulation of the hands and bells is commanded by series of wheels, hidden in a metal closet opening on one side of the case. An ingenious device has been cOntrived to open the bezel of the clock, so that the minute hand can be turned in regulating it. When not required to be open it is locked by a minute lock in the lower part. By in- sorting small hook-lilie key and giv- ing 1t turn the case is unlocked. Two other hooks are placed in the sides, and the plate glass and he2el drawn out about an inch. Then by hidden hinge on the top the piece can be raised.
 The clock is incased in mahogany box and the back is of steel. The whole piece weighs about 400 pounds, is about three feet high, and is nearly as many broad,