  The random-phase-approximation semiclassical scheme for description of
plasmon excitations in large metallic nanospheres (with radius 10--100 nm) is
developed for a case of presence of dynamical electric field. The spectrum of
plasmons in metallic nanosphere is determined including both surface and volume
type excitations and their mutual connections. It is demonstrated that only
surface plasmons of dipole type can be excited by a homogeneous dynamical
electric field. The Lorentz friction due to irradiation of e-m energy by
plasmon oscillations is analysed with respect to the sphere dimension. The
resulting shift of resonance frequency due to plasmon damping is compared with
experimental data for various sphere radii. Collective of wave-type
oscillations of surface plasmons in long chains of metallic spheres are
described. The undamped region of propagation of plasmon waves along the chain
is found in agreement with some previous numerical simulations.
