rRQCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 517 



With this arrangement very quick music can be played; and a very great 

 variety. lie ph\yed 105 dillerent tunes and 2,000 changes in one day (a 

 greater variety than was ever played upon eleven bells before.) 



Some years since, a Mr. Dennison was charged by the British Govern- 

 raent with the commission of providing bells for the new House of Parlia- 

 ment. In the execution of this trust, he instituted a careful and extended 

 examination into the whole matter of bell-making, including* of course, the 

 best material for bells, and arrived at the following conclusions, which he 

 reported to the government, namely: that simple copper and tin, in propor- 

 tion of about 4 parts of the former to 1 of the latter, constituting what is 

 known to us all as bell-metal or bronze, was the best composition for the 

 purpose, then known. The use of silver, which had been much vaunted as 

 giving to bells a soft melodious sound, he thought a mere whim, and the 

 supposed improvements eift^cted by it, almost imaginary. He found that 

 almost every conceivable alio}' of metals had at one time or another been 

 tried, but that there had been no departure from the compositions of the 

 comnjon bell-metal, wherein any positive advantage had been the result. 

 The sound produced by all other combinations he deemed inferior to this. 



But though Mr. Dennison had arrived at a conclusion entirely justified 

 by what was then known of the possibilities of metal alloys, yet he did not 

 by any means settle the question for all time. He did not, and necessarily 

 could not, close the door against future discoveries and inventions. It 

 remained a fact, as true after his report as before, that to produce a bell 

 capable of giving forth a loud, deep, pleasant, far-reaching sound, required 

 a vast weight of bell-metal, and involved a large expenditure of money; 

 and everj'whcre the additional fact was continued to be recognized, that if 

 the same sound could be produced with less metal and at less expense, it 

 would be a consummation devoutly to be wished. 



It is believed that this de&irable object has been attained, and if so, the 

 credit of the discovery belongs to our own country. The foundation of 

 this new composition is steel, but with it there is mingled som.e other metals 

 which entirely subdues that sha'rp, tliin, cutting sound peculiar to steel, 

 and imparts all the softness, depth, and sonorousness of the best bronze. 

 This composition is also more tough and tenacious than bronze, and it is 

 not necessary to give bells made of it so great a thickness to render them 

 secure against fracture, and hence a given weight of this metal will pro- 

 duce a larger and louder bell than the same weight of bronze. And as 

 this metal cannot be melted except at a very high heat, and cannot easily be 

 broken, the bells made of it are not liable to be injured in cases of fire, by 

 falling from their hangings, or by being struck too hard with the tongue 

 or hannner, in ringing, they are thus more durable than bronze. Bells 

 made of this metal, cost less than one third of those made of bronze. The 

 cost of bronze is 28 cents per pound, while the steel composition can be 

 obtained for 121 cents per pound, and a 1,000 pound bell of this metal, is 

 equal in tone and volume to a 1250 pound bell of bronze. To avoid the 

 danger of breakage, some founders make their bells so soft that they are 

 little better than chunks of cast-iron. Others again make them so thick 

 and out of proportion, that the sound is not half so good as it would be if 

 the bell were made right: for instance a& in the case spoken of at the last 



