80 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



of new life. There was a voice of universal gladness 

 when it was told that one of Nantucket's sons — Wil- 

 liam Had wen Starbuck, a merchant of New York City 

 — had presented his native town with a new town 

 clock, to take the place of the old one.- At the annual 

 town meeting held in February last, a committee was 

 appointed, with Hon. James Easton, 2d, chairman, 

 delegating to him " full power to confer and co-operate 

 with Wm. H. Starbuck of New York City, relative to 

 procuring and placing in the tower of the Second Con- 

 gregational Meeting-House the clock donated by him 

 at a cost of one thousand dollars." This splendid gift 

 is from the manufactory of the Howard Watch and 

 Clock Company of Boston, who have the reputation 

 of making the best tower clocks. From the admirable 

 report to the selectmen of Nantucket, written by Hon. 

 James Easton, 2d, I quote the following: — 



" The clock itself weighs 1,800 pounds, and carries 

 hands on four dials nine feet four inches in diameter. 

 The wheels are all made from brass, cast especially for 

 the purpose. The pinions are made from the best of 

 square steel forged round. The arbors also are of steel. 

 The journals are made from brass, and all run in compo- 

 sition boxes, and so arranged that any one of the shafts 

 can be removed without disturbing the others, assisting 

 very much when the clock requires cleaning. The 

 length of the pendulum is ten feet, and beats thirty-six 

 times to the minute. The pendulum ball weighs one 

 hundred and seventy-five pounds. In arranging the 

 winding, there is a pinion attached to the key, the key 

 turning round three times to the barrel once, thereby 

 enabling one to wind with more ease. In the place 



