The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-07-01


several nations long after the commence
ment Of our era. Four have been discov-
cred in modern times in Italy, One
found at Tivoli in 1746 is supposed to
have belonged to Cicero, the Roman ora
tor; another was found in 1862 at Pom
peii, and it was adapted to the latitude Of
Memphis Gin Egypt, not in Tennessee, }
though both cities are in latitude scarce
ly five degrees apart, and the same dial
might serve on the American or African
continent equally we'll. But this partic-
ular dial has been ascribed to the Egyp-
tisns, although no sun dial has ever
been discovered among the ruins of
Egypt, nor have. any representations of
1t been found among their sculptures.
1t is believed, however, that they used
some form of sun dial, Notwithstanding
the care they bestowed upon the Clepsy-
dra, or water clock, and their probable
use of the pendulum.
Perhaps the obelisks erected In honor
of the sun were used as gnOmons, index,
style or pin to mark the shadow on the
dial, and it has been suggested that the
famous circle of Osymandyas might
have been used to determine the All
muths Of the heavenly bodies, and there
fore tell the hours of the day.
The tower of Winds at Athens, which
from its architecture is judged to be of 8
date somewhat later than the time of
Pericles, the Athenian statesman who
1ourished about $50 years B. c., is an
octagonal structure, and bears eight sun
dials for the four cardinal and the four
intermediate points of the compass.
Stuart describes them in his sAntiqui-
ties Of Athena"
Four others known as the Dials of
Phaedras, also found at Athens are now
in the British museum and are described
in Delambre's French history of can
Gent Astronomy" Their construction
shows that the Greeks used geemetrical
methods for vertical and also for declfn-
ing dials. The first sun dial said to have
been erected in Rome was by L. Papir.
ius Cursor, who had taken it from the
Samnites.
About 30 years later another was
placed near it by Valerius Messiah, who
brought it from Sicily in the second year
of the first Punic war. 1t was made
for the latitude of Catania four and q
half degrees south of Rome, about the
same latitude as our national capitol at
Washington.
The first sun RECONSTRUCTED at Rome
and adapted to its latitude is said to have
been by the order of Quintus Marcus
Philipius in the year 164 B. G.
The sun dial may have many forms,
depending on It's position in regard to
the sun and the degree OF latitude in
which it is used. The most usual form
at the present day ia the horizontal dial.
Like the model one located in the south
ern apex of the confronting triangular
green parklette, near the crystal well
with It's stone and cement circular curb,
and its iron bound bucket hung ON the
symmetrical sweep, Ia mode OF 'sye
olden time" by order of the benificent
benefactor as aforesaid of the Brookfield
Bungalow, for the use of man and beast
and bird, at all hours OF the day and
night, in any season of the year, with
out money and without price that who
soever will may drink thereof freely.
The first sun dial your speaker ever
saw in operation, or use, was in the pub
lie plaza between the barracks OF DON
Carlos and the stone palace Of Colon, in
the spring of 1882 in the city of Santo
Domingo, the capital of the negro repub-
lie of Dominica, the oldest city in the
New World. That dial was erected un-
der the auspices of King Carlos I, OF
Spain, who was identical with Charles
V, Emperor of Germany, placed there
before 1860, and which after more than
three centuries Of service in that soft cli-
mate of the tropics, was at the time OF
your orater's said visit, in good working
order, and was daily and continually |
consulted by the denizens of chat ancient
capital.
It consists Of horizontal plate Of cop
per, uron which the figures in raised nu-
merals are fixed, TO tell the hours, and
set upon q white marble, or calcareous
column of about the size, and shape, and
height Of the granite post that sustains
The Bungalow horologue, having It's
gnomon or style less than half the height
Of this one, for casting the ean's shad-
ow, having It's upper edge parallel with
The earth's axis, at Is degrees
II north latitude, while we
here On this spot are about All - degrees.