The commencement. of activity on the part of the clock in the tower has once more reminded us that the very fine new Custom House on the Bund is surely approaching completion, and that at Period by no means distant the stof will transferred from the present ramshackle quarters to a place in which they will be able to perform their important duties in comfort. Work on the foundations was commenced in March, 1892, and by the end of this year it is hoped—and the hope seems to have every chance of fulfilnent—the building will have been completed. Though an appreciable amount of work yet remains to be acco plished, a visitor can gain a very fi idea of what the finished structure will be like. Recently a representative of the N.-C. Daily News was very courteously shown aver the works by Me. J. Chambers, the architect, who was encountered in the tower superintending the adjustment of the clock, in company with Mr.
Wymer, Chief Engineer of the R.C. Ling-feng, who has rendered valuable service. The clock is a very interesting and satisfactory piece of work, made by Messrs. Gillett and Johnson of Croydon, and getting it into working order is a somewhat eomplicated and delicate matter, The natural ditticulties of the task in China, were, how: ever, considerably increased by the carelessness of the manufacturers, who, though informed to be particularly careful and explicit because in all probability but Chinese workmen would be available for the putting together, yet arranged the "teeth" on the drum by which the chimes are rung in the wrong order. The bells are struck by an arrangement on the principle of the' musical-box, the ' drum" having some eighty stout steel "teeth" each fixed in its placed by bolt and nut, and the re-arrangement of these, in consequence of the makers' error was a work calling for a good deal of patience. The clock, which is an undoubtedly beautiful piece' of work, reflecting every credit on the makers, is worked with a double three-legged gravity escapement. The pendulum is 15 feet long, and is compensated with zine and iron tubes. The clock gues for eight days after winding, a work which needs the exercise of a good deal of physical strength, as may be apparent when it is stated that the complete winding is equivalent to the lifting of 16 cwt. The diameter of the dial is 9 feet 6 in., and the figures on the face are 2ft. long;'the bells altogether weigh 70 cwt. On Wednesday night the faces of the clock were lighted by electric lights. Before quitting the tower it may be added that from the top an unequalled view of Shanghai can be obtained, whilst the hills at Fénghuangshan can be clearly discerned with the naked eye.
Descending from "he tower, Mr. Chambers conducted our representative over the building. At the top on each side north and south are attics measure {150 ft. by 40 ft. for the star and papers. Below—on the second floor—are eight rooms 24 ft. by 18 ft., and six 16 ft. by 24 ft, for offices, which are well lighted by large windows. On the same level in the tower is an off-room 16 ft. square, On the first floor there are eight rooms 24 ft. by 18 ft. and six feet below, and only 12 fect above the street level,. is the Genieral Office, " fine room 130 ft. by 48 ft. On the ground floor there are also eight rooms, 24 ft. by 18ft., and under the eneral Office are stores' and lnvatori which have a height of 11 ft. Four com: odious staircases give weees to the various floors. The style of architecture is the Tudor, and Mr. Yangtze, the contractor, seems to have carried out his work ina very satisfactory manner, Mr. Chambers, as we have said, is the architect, and in. the ornamental part of the work he was assisted by the late Mr. Cory. No unusual culties have been mot with in the building, beyond the fact that it was necessary to take every care to ensure a good foundation for the tower, which rests upon a bed of concrete 5 ft. thick and 32 ft. square. When the building operations are. finished the court yard will be asphalted, and a light brick and iron fencing will enclose the property.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.