The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-09
SOME INTERESTING CLOCKS.
Beautiful Products of Artistic skill
and Ingenuity.
From the Philadelphia Record.


From the Philadelphia Record.
Those who have never given any study
to the history OF clocks cannot possibly
imagine how interesting the old time
pieces are, to say nothing of their modern
successors. The sun-dial, the water-cloek
and the hour-glass of olden days have
given way to clocks surprisingly perfect
and artistic Although 1t Is not easy to
trace to its source the history Of the in
vention to which the clock of to-day owes
Its beginning, 1t is known that the first
clock, which had a weight for a motive
power, was made for Magdenburg In 906,
by the distinguished Benedictne Monk,
Gerbert, afterwards Pope Sylvester IL
Later, during the eleventh century. weight
clocks were used In most of the monas.
teries in Europe.
One of the earliest of superior clocks
was made by Henry de Wick for Charles
VS. palace In Paris. 1t is said that on
the bell of this clock which hung in the
tower, was given the signal for the dread
full Huguenot massacre Of st. Bartholo-
news eve.
Decorating the gate of Berne, switzer-
land, is a clock noted for its picturesque
quaintness. A traveller who has taken
particular interest in IL saws that "about
midway between the pavement and the
pinnacle Is a large party Of shaggy wood
en- bears, dressed like soldiers of the
oden time in coat and armor and gabar-
dimes; some bearing halberds and others
matchlocks, and accompanied by other
bears, who act as trumpeters and kettses
drummers. As soon as the clock begint
TO strike the hours the bears march graves
~ out Of a little tower attached to the dial
square, and, after noddng their heads Ia
the most iudicrous manner to the people,
walk back to their original quarters"
Mara haf ola
were supposed to have been brought to
England from Germany, Francis IL OF
France presented TO Mary Queen Of Scots,
a gruesome skull clock engraved with the
arms Of France and Scotland in separate
shields on either side OF the jaws II bore
the inscription, lex dono FIR. r. ad. Ma
rian Reg. Scotorom ct FRI" with the date
1850
Among the interesting pieces OF mechan-
ism of the present day are the clocks Of
Strasburg. Lyons cathedral and st. Dun
STAINS, London. The latter has been re-
moved to house In Regents park. Among
those clocks that strike the hour twice Is
that of st. Clements Danes, In the Strand.
The hour is first struck on large bell and
Is REPEATED on a smaller one dixie an echo)
50 that those who are In doubt as to the
first number of strokes are convinced of
the hour when II Is repeated
There Is hardly a more wonderful clock
than that conceived and executed by Ja-
cob Lovelace, who was born In the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century, in Exc
ter where he died at the age of 90. In alb
ject poverty, having given "a years to the
making of his monumental clock. The
mechanism Is remarkable, and is Enclosed
In a magnificent cabinet, 10 by feet, and
Is a half-ton In weight. The beautiful
ornamentation consists of finely-executed
paintings and Oriental figures. with a
richly carved fretwork. One can appre-
ciate the invention from the following
description of the movements:
/. A moving panorama descriptive Of day
and night. Apollo In his car, drawn by
four spirited coursers, accompanied by the
twelve hours, representing day; night Is
represented by Diana In her chariot.
drawn by stays and attended by twelve
hours.
2. Two Roman figures. In costume, who
turn their heads and salute with their
swords as the panorama revolves. and
move In the same fashion when the bells
are ringing.
3. A perpetual almanac. showing the
days Of the month on a seml-circular
plate. the index returning to the first day
OF every month on the close OF each
month without alteration. even IN leap
year requiring regulation only once in
100 years.
T. A circular. the index OF which shows
the day Of the week with its appropriate
planet.
5. perpetual almanac showing the
days of the year and the equation OF
time
8. circle showing the leap year. the
index revolving only once In four years
Z. time-pioce that strikes the hour
and chimes the quarters on the face
Of this clock the twenty-four hours,
twelve days and twelve nights are shown
and regulated. Within the circle the sun
Is seen In his course with the time OF rls-
ing and setting by a horizon recedlng or
advancing as the days lengthen or short
on. Below Is shown the moon with her
different quarters, phases. age, etc.
:. Two figures, Fame and Tcrpsichore
who move Ia rhythm when the organ
plays. These are on either side OF the
dial-piate.
2. movement regulating the clock az
a repeater to strike or 20 be silent.
10. Saturn, the God OF Time, who beat,
In movement when the organ plays.
II. circle on the face, showing the
names Of eight celebrated tunes executed
by the organ In the interior every four
hours.
u. A belfry with six ringers. who ring
a merry peal. Beside the dial IL the in
scription, "Tempus Yerum Imperator.''