Our Sweet Naval Bells

The best gift that any American city has made to the cruiser natned aftcr it was San l'raneisco's service of plate to the beautiful ship of that name. Tbere Ib somuchof this great and costly set f plate, says the New York Sun, that tho cabinets containing it are found above and below stairs, in the admiral's and eaptain's quarters and in the wardroom. All tlie piecea are large and heavy, the biggest being a hug-e punch bowl of great beauty and design. Every lid in the servioe is surmounted by a solid gold bear, the symbol of C alifornia, and the effect of the ! brig-ht yellow on" the white silver is very pleasing. Phlladelphia did very poorly by her ship. now tho flagship of Bear Admiral Gherardi. Thia gift is a great bronze clock that ivon't keep time; indeed, it won't 'o. Itbearsthe name of a Philadelphia finn of jewelers, who would be wiso oither to put the thing in order or chisel the finn name ott. This clock i.s not boautiful. lts design is artistic, butdoes not vvork out offecti vely in bronze. If the silver bell that this city is to give to the new cruiser New York is as melodious as a silver bell should be the gift will be prized. Few know it, but the bells Uiat ring out the hours and half hours in our white squadron were the delight of our foreign naval visitors herc and in llampton lïoads. All the bells on the white ships contain a great deal of silver, and produce clear, sweet and extra musical notes. Sir John O. llopkins, the British vice admiral, would stop his own part in a conversation at any time on his quarter deck on the Blake to listen to the bells of our Yankee ships. lic said that they were the sweetest bells lie had ever heard, and he wished they liad such ones in the British navy. In that navy the bells go from ship to ship, as fashions in war change, and on some ship to-day the bell that rang out the time for Nelson or for Blake is tolling away as it did in its hour of glory. One of Jselson's bells may be on the Australia or the Partridge, but alas! the British do not carve the dates and names of the ships on their bells, and bo their especial merits are lost. The old bells are thrown in the dockyards and kept there until one is needed for a new vessel. They are deepvoiced, gruff bells, whose sound soon dies out, while the silvery peals of our bells cling to the air and reach f ar out upon the waters.