File:Sir Benjamin Stone's pictures; records of national life and history reproduced from the collection of photographs made by Sir Benjamin Stone, M.P (1906) (14778785675).jpg

Identifier: sirbenjaminstone02ston (find matches)
Title: Sir Benjamin Stone's pictures; records of national life and history reproduced from the collection of photographs made by Sir Benjamin Stone, M.P
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Stone, John Benjamin, Sir, 1838-1914 MacDonagh, Michael, 1862-1946
Subjects: Great Britain. Parliament Statesmen
Publisher: London : Cassell
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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enty-three feet in diameter. Frombelow, the minutes on the dial look as if they stoodclose together; they are fourteen inches apart. Thenumerals are two feet long. The minute hand isfourteen feet, and the hour hand six feet, in length.The mighty pendulum hangs through two apartmentsof the tower. At niglit the dials are illuminated byseventy-two gas-jets. The time is regulated by electriccommunication with Greenwich Observatory. The clock has a large bell to toll the hour, andfour smaller ones to chime the quarters. The largebell is called Big Ben after Sir Benjamin Hall,who was First Commissioner of Works when the ClockTower was erected. It weighs sixteen tons. Twentymen could stand under it. For a clapper it has a pieceof iron two feet long, twelve inches in diameter, andweighing 12 cwt. No wonder there are few things more imjircssivethan Big Ben booming out the hour of twelvemidnight, in his slow, measured, and solemn tones,wlien tli(; roar of the Metropolis is hushed in slmnber. 4a
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SIR EDWINDURNING-LAWRENCE, BART. There are many men in the House of Commons whorarely, if ever, take part in debate, but who discliargeduties of the greatest public usefulness by serving onthe Select Committees to which private bills—bills inwhicli companies or local authorities seek for powersto carry out schemes involving interference witli rightsof property—are referred. Among these Sir EdwinDurning-Lawreuce will always be remembered. There is a popular belief that Members of SelectCommittees are paid five guineas a day. They do notget a penny. But they enjoy one quaint and curiousprivilege. If a Member wants to retain a certain seatin the Chamber for the sitting he must attend the open-ing prayers. From this rule Members serving on SelectCommittees are exempted. They may secure their seatsbefore the House actually assembles. The chief reward for this unattractive work—for theCommittees sit early and long, dealing M-ith oddcnce ondull facts and figures and dry technical detai

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