"This is London Calling!"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23850, 28 December 1940, Page 4 (Supplement)

"This is London Calling!"

DOES your heart beat more I rapidly when you hear Daventrv telling of some landmark being damaged or destroyed in Lon : don? If so, you may have either lived in that wonderful old city or have the blood of a Londoner coursing through your veins. One of its world-famed buildings is the Palace of Westminster, _ better known as the Houses of Parliament. This structure is probably the finest example of modern Gothic (Late Per-

By JULIET YOUNG

pendicular) architecture in the world. Viewed from across the Thames it has a frontage of rare beauty, 300 vards in length, with a terrace rising directly from the Japping waves of the river. Five Hundred Rooms The magnificent edifice covers about eight acres. Within its walls are nearly 500 rooms, 100 staircases and two miles of corridors. Building was begun in 1840 and completed in 1807. Sir William Barry was the architect. I hough damaged, we all hope and pray that

the pawns of the madman won't succeed in destroying the Houses of Parliament beyond repair. On the north side of tho building, proud and stately, stands the Clock Tower, it is 320 feet high and 40 feet square, and bears the great clock which chimes the hours and quarters. 1 never realised the size of the clockdial until one day, passing by, .1 looked up to find out the exact hour of day, when I saw what seemed to be elongated spots moving on its surface. They were men cleaning the face of the time-piece. .Being of a curious disposition, I inquired the size of the clock and was told the face is L'.'i feet in diameter, the hour hand !) feet long, the minute hand 14 feet long and the figures 2 feet in length. Scarred Face Although the tace of this huge clock is now said to be scarred by German vandals, so long as the tower is not toppled over, Big Ben will continue to boom out the hours with faithful precision. The radio broadcasts these chimes all over the world. Many a happy memory is awakened bv the tones in the heart of the English "listeners. Big Ben weighs about 14 tons, and was cast by George .Wears under the, direction ol the first Lord of Crimthorpe in IftoS. This large bell performs the duty of ringing tho hours. The smaller hells which chime the quarters were east in 1856 by W a rner. I have boon accused of always detecting tlie possible maggot in a rose. But as I am writing with strict accuracy to-day, 1 must admit that Big Ben is known to bo cracked. But we love its sound just the same, and it needs an acute ear to detect a slight disturbance in the waves ol liiigerinsi overtones. . . ... When Parliament has a sitting after dark, the fact is announced by a light being displayed I'rom the summit ol the dock tower. There is another tower (Victoria Tower) which stands above the Koyal entrance at the south-west corner of the building, .'MO feet high and 75 feet square. It is from there a flag is flown when Parliament meets in the daytime.