HOW BIG BELLS ARE MADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9229, 17 June 1893, Page 2 (Supplement)

HOW BIG BELLS ARE MADE.

THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE PEAL. An interesting interview is givon in the Million with Mr. J. Taylor, head of the firm of Messrs. J. Taylor and Co., Loughborough, England. Hastening to tho foundry the reporter saw a curious sight. At the far end of the shed were the closed mouths of two huge furnaces, where at that moment the molten metal, consisting of pure tin and copper, sent, forth a terrible heat. Below, in the ground, was a deep pit, yawning wide open, mid in it had been lowered a clayey mould. Within this was a cone of clay of smaller diameter, left open just the thickness required for the construction of tho bell. I'resontly the furnace doors flow open. Out came two streams of the molten metal at a white heat, dazzling in its brilliancy. Rushing forward in an impetuous mass, the metal speedily filled up tho space left open in the mould, lb was ali over in a moment. "Ami how many of these bells make up the Imperial Institute peal?" "Ten, making up a total weight of nearly 159cwt. Each boll is named after some member of tho royal family. Thus, tho treble is named ' Maud,' tho second to the ninth, respectively, * Victoria,'' Louise,' 'George,' 'Albert Victor,' 'Arthur,' 'Alfred,' 'Alexandra,' and 'Albert Edward,' and the tenor bell, 'Victoria, K. 1., 18371857.' " "1 suppose ' Great Paul' is your largest bell so far ?" l " Yes, our largest, and the largest bell in the kingdom. At the time it was oast, November, 1881, three furnaces poured out more than twenty tons of molten metal into the gigantic mould of "Groat Paul.' It was about 8J hours in the course of melting, and was placed in the furnaces in an afternoon and pronounced fit for use at half-past ten at night. Four minutes after the rush of molten lead tho mould was full, and 'Great Paul' came into existence. It was not until the evening of Tuesday, November 29, that the boat had sufficiently abated to allow the men to hoist out of the pit the mould and bell in their case. The oast-iron case had an all-important duty to perform, and it was made strong enough to bear a • pressure of '200 tons. After the casting Sir John Stainer examined the bell and tested its tone. He found its musical purity impressive -so he saidbeyond description. The cost of the ball and hoisting it into its place was about £3000. It would be impossible to give the names of tho many cathedrals, town halls, and other buildings in which bells by these noted founders are hung. One interesting installation was that made in the tower of the Cathedral, Christchurch, New Zealand. Of a peal of ten bells, eight were given by a gentleman named Rhodes, in whose honour the following verses were inscribed on the tenor bell: — ' Through all the ROADS of life, the best We'll strive to bo your Ruitle ; And let our notes tin your heUeat By tolling far and wido. We've crossed the seas to this fair land, ' To do God all the honour ; From clime to clime we'll ring our chime, 1 And tell of Raoi'ES, Mia donor,