186 Ancient Celtic Ecclesiastical Bell. By J. A. Smith. 



The bell measures 11 inches in height, not including the 

 handle. It is 6:^ inches in length along the top by 3 inches in 

 breadth across, and gradually widens to 8 inches in the greater 

 diameter of its open mouth ; by 6^ inches across, or in breadth. 

 The handle is 2 inches in height from the top of the bell, and 4f 

 inches in length by 1 inch across in breadth, and the bell now 

 weighs 13 lbs. 8 ounces avoirdupois. The whole bell is in a 

 wonderfully perfect state of preservation, being broken a little 

 only at the corner of the plate at one of its sides ; although it has 

 now lost the greater part of its original bronze coating, at least, 

 on the outer surface. The bell is well shown in the annexed 

 careful drawing. When the bell is struck it still gives forth a 

 very musical sound, more so than one would expect from its 

 appearance. 



With the permission of the oflB.cials of the Museum, and at my 

 request, Mr W. Ivison Macadam has been good enough to make 

 the following careful analysis, both of the iron plate and the 

 bronze coating of the bell : — 



Analytical Labohatoby, Surgeons' Hall, 

 Edinburgh, lith April, 1882. 



Analysis of an old Square-sided Bell, received from Dr. John 

 Alexander Smith, Edinburgh. 





Bronze taken 



from outside 



of Bell. 



Bronze taken 



from inside 



of Bell. 



Bronze form- 

 ing Handle 

 of Bell. 



Copper, .... 



Tin, 



Ferric oxide, 



Insoluble siliceous matter, . 



82-719 



16-001 



• 0-764 



0-516 



82-675 



16-047 



0-850 



0-428 



82-771 

 16-036 

 0-717 

 0-476 



100-000 



100-000 



100-000 



The ferric oxide is most probably derived from the inner framework of 

 the bell. 



The bell consists of an iron plate bent into shape, and riveted with iron 

 bolts. The surface of this framework has afterwards been coated with 

 bronze of the above composition. 



I have made a series of experiments, and find that iron plates may- 

 very readily be coated with bronze. The iron plate is first cleaned 

 thoroughly dried, slightly heated, care being taken to prevent the oxjda- 



