Front:
The Great Westminster Clock (Big Ben).
186
11
352 man. BY BET
E. DENT & Co., Ltd.,
28, Cockspur Street, and
4, Royal Exchange,
London.
SAIF BIN
AND
Back:
"BIG BEN"
THE GREAT WESTMINSTER CLOCK, striking on BIG BEN"
in the Clock Tower of the HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, was made
and fixed in the Clock Tower, in the year 1858, by F. DENT, the
predecessor of E. DENT & Co., LTD., 28, COCKSPUR STREET,
and 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDON, and has been in their
charge ever since.
It is the Largest Striking, most powerful, and most accurate
Public Clock in the World. The first blow on Big Ben" at
each hour denotes correct time.
The FOUR DIALS are each 23 feet in diameter, the centres
being 180 feet from the ground. The figures are 2 feet long,
and the minute spaces 1 foot square.
The MINUTE HANDS are 14 feet long, and weigh about 2 awt.
each; they are made of copper, and travel a distance equal to
100 miles each year.
The HOUR HANDS are 9 feet long, and weigh much heavier.
The PENDULUM is 13 feet long, beating 2 seconds; the bob
of the pendulum weighs 4 cwt.
The WEIGHTS of the Clock weigh nearly 2 tons.
There are 374 steps up to the clock room.
WINDING. This is now effected by electric motor.
BIG BEN," the bell on which the clock strikes the hours,
weighs 13 tons, and the hammer weighs 4 cwt.
The 4 QUARTER BELLS weigh nearly 8 tons, viz.: 3 tons
18 cwt., 1 ton 13 cwt., 1 ton 6 cwt., and 1 ton 1 cwt. respectively.
Twice a day it telegraphs its time automatically to Greenwich
Observatory, which enables its performance to be checked.
The Clock is now lighted by Electricity, the 28 lights being
10,000 candle power.
Above the Clock are the Emblems of the Three Kingdoms
and the Principality of Wales.
The Chimes of
BIG BEN" are set to the following lines:
ALL THROUGH THIS HOUR, LORD, BE MY GUIDE,
AND BY THY POWER, NO FOOT SHALL SLIDE."
Printed Paper Rate.
Address only in this Space.
