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gulf, connected with the North sea. It washes the coasts of Denmark, Germany and Prussia, of Courland, Livonia and other parts of Russia and of Sweden; extends to 65° 30′ N. lat.; is above 600 miles long, from 75 to 150 broad, and its superficial extent, together with the contents of the gulfs of Bothnia and Finland, amounts to 120,000 square miles. Its small breadth, its depth amounting, on an average, to from 15 to 20 fathoms, but in many places to hardly half so much, the shallowness of the Prussian shore, and the rugged nature of the Swedish coasts, but, above all, the sudden and frequent changes of the wind, accompanied by violent storms, render this sea dangerous for navigators, although its waves are less terrible than those of the North sea. A chain of islands separates the southern part of this sea from the northern, or the gulf of Bothnia. In the north-east, the gulf of Finland stretches far into Finland, and separates that province from Esthonia. A third gulf is that of Riga or Livonia. The Curische Haff and the Frische Haff are inlets on the Prussian coast. The water of the Baltic is colder and clearer than that of the ocean: it contains a smaller proportion of salt, and the ice obstructs the navigation three or four inonths in the year. The ebb and flow of the tide are inconsiderable, as is the case in other inland seas, whose outlets are toward the west; yet the water rises and falls from time to time, although from other causes, particularly on account of the violent current, through the Sound and both the Belts, into the Cattegat. In stormy weather, amber is found on the coasts of Prussia and Courland, which the waves wash upon the shore. 40 streams empty into the Baltic: among them are the Neva, Dwina, Warnow, Trave, Peene, Oder, Persante, Wipper, Vistula, Pregel, Niemen (or Memel), and the generally insignificant Swedish rivers. Besides Zealand and Fuhnen, may be noticed the following islands: Samsoe, Mön, Bornholm, Langeland, Laaland, which belong to Denmark; the Swedish islands Gothland and Oeland, likewise Hween in the Sound, with the ruins of Oranienburg, the observatory built by Tycho Brahe; Rügen, now belonging to Prussia; lastly, the islands of Aland, at the entrance of the gulf of Bothnia, and Dagoe, together with Oesel, on the coast of Livonia, which belong to the Russian empire. Three passages lead from the Cattegat into the Baltic sea-the Sound, the Great and the Little Belt. At all three

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a toll is paid, often amounting to 500,000 or 600,000 rix dollars yearly. From 4000 to 6000 ships enter yearly from the North sea into the Baltic.

BALTIMORE; a city and port of entry, in Baltimore county, Maryland, on the north side of the Patapsco, 14 miles above its entrance into Chesapeake bay; 37 N. E. Washington, 100 S. W. Philadelphia. Lon. 76° 36′ W.; lat. 39° 17′ N. Pop. in 1790, 13,758; in 1800, 23,971; in 1810, 46,556, of whom 10,343 were blacks; in 1820, 62,738.-B. has had a remarkably rapid growth. It was first laid out as a town in 1729; and, in 1765, it contained only about 50 houses. It was first erected into a city in 1797, and is now the third in size in the U. States. It is admirably situated for commerce, and is a place of great wealth and trade. It possesses most of the trade of Maryland, about half of that of Pennsylvania, and a portion of that of the Western States. B. is the best market for tobacco in the U. States, and it is the greatest flour market in the world. Its vicinity affords great water privileges, and there are now in operation numerous flour-mills, cotton manufactories, and other water-works. The shipping owned here in 1790 amounted to only 13,564 tons; in 1816, to 101,960 tons.-B., as laid out, is 4 miles square, and it is divided into 12 wards. It is built around a basin, which affords a spacious, secure and commodious harbor, having, at common tides, eight or nine feet of water. The principal part of the city is divided from the portions styled Old Town and Fell's point by a small river, called Jones' falls, over which are erected three elegant stone bridges, and four wooden ones. Vessels of 500 or 600 tons can lie at the wharves at the point in perfect safety; but those of only 200 tons can come up to the town. The mouth of the harbor is a narrow strait, and is effectually commanded by fort M'Henry, which secures the city against a naval force. The situation of a part of the town is low, and it was formerly accounted unhealthy; but the various improvements which have been made, particularly the filling up of low and marshy grounds, have rendered it healthy. It is supplied with excellent water from four public fountains, which are fitted up in an ornamental style.-B. contains a courthouse, a penitentiary, a jail, an almshouse, an hospital, two theatres, a circus, an exchange, a museum and gallery of paintings, 5 market-houses, and about 40 houses of public worship.-The ex

change is a very large edifice, 366 feet by 140, somewhat resembling an H, having four wings-one for the United States branch bank, one for the custom-house, and one for a coffee-house. The Roman Catholic cathedral and the Unitarian church are very conspicuous and handsome edifices. St. Paul's church, the court-house and the Union bank are spacious and elegant. Several of the other public buildings are large and elegant. The Washington monument, a lofty structure of stone, is situated on an elevation just above the compact part of the city. The base is 50 feet square and 23 high, on which is placed another square of about half the extent and elevation. On this is a column 20 feet in diameter at the base, and 14 at the top. The statue of Washington is to be placed on the summit, 163 feet from the ground. The city is generally well built, mostly of brick. Many of the houses, particularly of those recently erected, display much elegance and taste. The streets are well paved, and many of them are spacious. The principal street, called Baltimore or Market street, is about a mile long, and about 80 feet wide, runs nearly east and west, parallel with the water, and is intersected at right angles, like those in Philadelphia. North and east of the city, the land rises to a considerable elevation, and affords a fine and variegated prospect. The town, the point, the shipping, both in the bay and at Fell's point, the bay as far as the eye can reach, rising ground on the right and left of the harbor, a fine grove of trees on the declivity at the right, and a stream of water breaking over the rocks at the hill on the left, make a scene of much beauty. The two principal literary institutions of B. are St. Mary's college and a medical college. The former, which was incorporated in 1806, is a Catholic institution, well endowed, and has a library containing about 10,000 volumes. The medical college was founded in 1807, and, in 1812, it received a new charter with the title of university. -A formidable attack was made on this city during the late war, on the 13th and 14th of Sept. 1814, by the British, under general Ross. On the 13th, the battle at North point was fought; and, on the 14th, fort M'Henry was bombarded. The enemy was repulsed, and general Ross slain. An elegant structure of marble, about 35 feet high, called the battle monument, has been erected to commemorate this event. On the column are inscribed the names of those who fell in

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defence of the city. (For the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, see Railroad.)

BALTIMORE BIRD (icterus Baltimore; oriolus Baltimore, Wilson; called, also, hang-nest, golden robin, fire-bird, hangingnest). The Baltimore bird is a beautiful visitor from the south, which arrives in Pennsylvania about the beginning of May, and departs towards the last of August or first of September. It is most generally known by the name of Baltimore bird, so called, according to Catesby, from its black and orange plumage, these colors being those of Calvert ford Baltimore, proprietary of the province of Maryland.-The bird is seven inches long, and has a nearly straight, strong, black bill, tapering to a point. The head, throat and upper part of the back and wings are black; the inferior part of the back, rump and whole of the body beneath are of a brilliant orange hue. The tail is slightly forked; the legs are of a lead color, and the irides hazel. The colors of the female are far less brilliant than those of the male. Beautiful figures of both sexes are given in Wilson's American Ornithology, whence this account is sketched.-The nest of the Baltimore bird is formed by fastening strong strings of hemp or flax round two forked twigs, corresponding to the intended width of the nest, on the high bending extremities of apple, willow or tulip-tree branches, near farm-houses. With similar materials, together with loose tow, a strong sort of cloth is interwoven, resembling raw felt, forming a pouch six or seven inches deep. This is well lined with soft substances, which are worked into the outward netting, and, finally, with a layer of horse-hair; the whole being protected from sun and rain by the overhanging leaves. The nests, however, are not uniformly of the same shape, and some are more perfect than others.While making their nests, these birds will carry off any thread or strings left within their reach; they will even attempt to pull off the strings with which grafts are secured. All such materials are interwoven in the fabric with great ingenuity, and the strongest and best materials are uniformly found in parts by which the whole nest is supported.-The Baltimore bird feeds on bugs, caterpillars, beetles, &c. His song is a clear, mellow whistle, repeated at short intervals: when alarmed, a rapid chirping is uttered, but always followed by his peculiar mellow notes. The species inhabits North America, from Canada to Mexico, and is found even as far south as Brazil,

BALZAC, Jean Louis Guez de, a member of the French academy, born at Angoulême, in 1594, lived in Rome as agent of the cardinal de Lavalette, after two years established himself in Paris, and, by his talents, attracted the favorable notice of the cardinal Richelieu, who conferred upon him a salary of 2000 livres, with the title of a counsellor of state. He was considered as one of the greatest scholars and most eloquent men of his age in France; yet his numerous writings found severe critics. Among these, Goulu, general of the Feuillans (a monastic order, under the rule of St. Bernard), pushed his criticisms even to insult and abuse. This induced B. to leave Paris. He died in Angoulême, in 1654, in the 60th year of his age. Aiming at dignity of style, he fell into bombast, affectation and exaggeration, so that his works have gradually lost their reputation as taste has improved in purity. Nevertheless, we must do justice to the harmony of his periods, and acknowledge that he has done much towards the improvement of the French prose. He had studied the ancients, and his Latin poems, although without remarkable poetical merit, are pure, and free from the faults of his French writings. The most perfect of his works is, without doubt, a treatise upon Latin verse. The assertion of Voltaire and Laharpe, that he occupied himself more with words than with ideas, is too severe. A complete edition of his works appeared at Paris, in 1665, in two volumes, folio.

BAMBARRA; one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms of Central Africa; bounded N. by the Great Desert, W. by Kaarta, Mandingo and Ladamar, E. by Timbuctoo, and S. by Kong. It is traversed from W. to E. by the Niger, and is generally very fertile. The inhabitants are a mixture of Moors and Negroes. Among the towns are Sego, the capital, Jenne and Sansanding.

BAMBERG. This town, formerly the capital and place of residence of a bishop, whose see contained 1375 square miles and 200,000 inhabitants, now the seat of the provincial authorities of the Bavarian circle of the Upper Maine, and of an archbishop, has about 20,000 inhabitants. The prince of Neufchatel, Berthier, the son-inlaw of duke William of Bavaria, here threw himself from a window, in the palace of the latter, in 1815, on account of the new revolution in France. The cathedral church was built as early as 1110. The university there is also very ancient.

BAMBOO CANE. The bamboo cane (bambusa arundinacea) has a hollow, round, straight and shining stem, and sometimes grows to the length of 40 feet and upwards; has knots at the distance of 10 or 12 inches from each other, with thick, rough and hairy sheaths, alternate branches, and small, entire and spearshaped leaves. There is scarcely any plant so common in hot climates as this, and few are more extensively useful. It occurs within the tropical regions, both of the eastern and western hemispheres, throughout the East Indies and the greater part of China, in the West Indies and America. In temperate climates, it can only be cultivated in a hot-house; and its growth is so rapid, even there, that a strong shoot has been known to spring from the ground and attain the height of 20 feet in 6 weeks.-The inhabitants of many parts of India build their houses almost wholly of bamboo, and make all sorts of furniture with it in a very ingenious manner. They likewise form with it several kinds of utensils for their kitchens and tables; and from two pieces of bamboo, rubbed hard together, they produce fire. The masts of boats, boxes, baskets, and innumerable other articles, are made of bamboo. After having been bruised, steeped in water, and formed into a pulp, paper is manufactured from the sheaths and leaves. The stems are frequently bored, and used as pipes for conveying water; and the strongest serve to make the sticks or poles with which the slaves or servants carry those litters, so common in the East, called palanquins. The stems of the bamboo serve as the usual fence for gardens and other enclosures; and the leaves are generally put round the tea exported from China to Europe and America. Some of the Malays preserve the small and tender shoots in vinegar and pepper, to be eaten with their food. Many of the walking canes used in Europe and the U. States are formed of young bamboo shoots. The Chinese make a kind of frame-work of bamboo, by which they are enabled to float in water; and the Chinese merchants, when going on a voyage, always provide themselves with this simple apparatus to save their lives in case of shipwreck. It is formed by placing four bamboos horizontally across each other, so as to leave a square place in the middle for the body, and, when used, is slipped over the head, and secured by being tied to the waist.

BAMBOUK, OF BAMBUC ; a town in Africa, and capital of a kingdom of the same

name, between the Faleme and Senegal rivers; lon. 9° 30′ W.; lat. 13° 25′ N. The country is situated between 122 30 and 14° 15' N. lat.; about 36 leagues from N. to S., and 28 in breadth, and said to contain about 60,000 inhabitants. It is composed chiefly of lofty, naked and barren mountains, and its wealth consists entirely in its mineral productions. These are gold (which is abundan), silver, iron, tin, lead and loadstone. The most remarkable animals are a species of asses, extremely white (which the inhabitants will not allow to be sent out of the country), white foxes and the giraffe. The little which is known of this state is derived from a Frenchman named Compagnon, who resided there a year and a half, in the beginning of the last century. (Labat, Afrique Occidentale, iv. 5.)

BAN, in ancient jurisprudence; a declaration of outlawry, of which we have recently had an instance in the proclamation issued against Napoleon after his return from Elba.-Ban, in political law, is equivalent to excommunication in ecclesiastical. The emperor of Germany had the right to declare a member of the empire under the ban, and to dispose of his feud. The ban, like the excommunication, forbids every one to have intercourse with the person proscribed, or to give him food or shelter. Very often, however, the sentence was repealed, and the party restored to all his rights and privileges.-Ban, in military affairs, is an order, given by beating the drum or sounding the trumpet, requiring the strict observance of discipline, or announcing the appointment of an officer, &c.

BAN (bannus). This name is given to the governors of Dalmatia, Sclavonia, Croatia, placed at the head of civil and military affairs in these countries. Ban signifies, in the Sclavonian tongue, a master. A province, over which a bannus was placed, is called bannat. At present, the only ban is that of Croatia, who has the third place among the secular nobles of Hungary. Before him come the palatinus regni and the judex curia.

BANANA. The banana is a valuable plant (musa sapientium) which grows in the West Indies and other tropical countries, and has leaves about six feet in length and a foot broad in the middle, and fruit four or five inches long, and about the shape of the cucumber. When ripe, the banana is a very agreeable fruit, with a soft and luscious pulp, and is frequently introduced in desserts in the West Indies, but never eaten green, like the

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plantain. The Spaniards have a superstitious dislike to cut this fruit across; they always slice it from end to end, because, in the former case, the section presents an imaginary resemblance to the instrument of our Savior's crucifixion. The banana is sometimes fried in slices as fritters. If the pulp of this fruit be squeezed through a fine sieve, it may be formed into small loaves, which, after having been properly dried, may be kept for a great length of time.

BANCA, an island belonging to the Netherlands, near Sumatra, one of the vassal states of Palembang, containing 60,000 inhabitants, among them 25,000 Chinese, is known on account of its tin mines, worked by the Dutch East India company (the annual profit of which, to the Dutch, is estimated at 150,000£), and its pearl fishery, which is also productive on the shores of the group of Solo islands, north-east from Borneo. The tin of Banca is pure and easily obtained. The southeasterly part of Banca has not yet been examined. The Banca islands, in 2° 22′ S. lat., and 105° 41′ E. lon., afford shelter from S. W. by S. to N. W., with a good supply of water and fuel.

BANDA ISLANDS; a group of islands belonging to the Netherlands, in the Eastern ocean, lying E. of the Celebes; so called from Banda, the principal of them; lon. 130° 37' E.; lat. 4° 12′ S. They contain but 5763 inhabitants, though they are said formerly to have contained 15,000. Their chief produce is nutmegs, of which they are competent to supply the want to the rest of the world. The whole quantity produced on these islands cannot be accurately stated. The annual sales are said formerly to have amounted to 350,000 pounds of nutmegs and 100,000 pounds of mace. When, however, they were taken by the English, in 1796, the half year's crop was found to be little more than 80,000 pounds of nutmegs and about 24,000 pounds of mace. The trees in all the other islands were carefully extirpated by command of the Dutch; and the whole trade of those where the growth is cherished is a complete monopoly.-The names of the islands are Banda, or Lantor; Puloway, or Poolaway; Pulo Run, or Poolaron; Neira, Gunong_Assi, or Guanapee Rosyngen; Pulo Prampon, Pulo Suanjée Capal, and Nylacky. The inhabitants are in alliance with the Dutch East India company. These islands can never be expected to yield any advantage beside that derived from the spice trade. Entirely cut off from the other parts of

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India, and deprived of all commerce, save a trifling bartering with the indigent natives of the south-eastern and south-western islands, they are even destitute of the means of subsistence for their own inhabitants, and must be supplied with every necessary from abroad, as nature, which has lavishly bestowed upon them articles of luxury, has denied them those of immediate necessity. Banda is likewise accounted a most unhealthy place, especially at the chief settlement of Neira. Some attribute this circumstance to the neighborhood of the volcano, in the island of Gunong Api, and others to a deleterious quality in the water.

BANDA ORIENTAL. This tract of country has fixed public attention, as the subject of an obstinate war between Brazil and the United Provinces of La Plata, and seems destined, by its geographical position, to possess much importance hereafter. It is situated between the eastern bank of the river Uruguay and the ocean, and between the river La Plata on the south and the Sierra do Topas on the north (which separates it from Brazil), and receives its name from its position with respect to the Uruguay. It is fertile and healthy, and, although checked in its prosperity by political misfortunes, had gained a white population of 80,000 souls. Having been originally settled by a Spanish colony from Buenos Ayres, it fell under the authority of Spain, but came, at length, to be the occasion of contention with Portugal. Both nations prized it; Spain, as giving her the control of both sides of the river La Plata; Portugal, as necessary to the free and secure navigation of the immense interior of Brazil; and each nation asserted a claim to a territory of so much consequence. During the long wars between Portugal and Spain, relative to the various boundaries of their vast possessions in South America, the Banda Oriental was overrun and wasted, sometimes by one and sometimes by the other, and their respective pretensions were differently regulated by successive treaties. In 1777, Portugal was forced to consent to the line of the Sierra do Topas, but afterwards seized on the district of the Missions, which she consented to restore, in 1804, as the price of the Portuguese fortress of Olivenza, held by Spain. When the revolution commenced, the Orientalists naturally sided with the government of Buenos Ayres; but whether they merely acted in concert with the latter, or acknowledged a dependance, does not appear. Certain it is

that they soon made themselves independent of Buenos Ayres, under the guidance of Artigas, in consequence of a victory gained by him over the Buenos Ayreans, in 1815, at Gaubiju. But, soon afterwards, the Brazilians, pretending to fear that Artigas would propagate his revolutionary doctrines in Brazil, attacked him, broke up his forces, and compelled him to fly into Paraguay.—Brazil continued to hold military possession of the country, although resisted by the inhabitants, until 1822, when they were induced, ostensibly by persuasion, but really by intimidation, to send delegates to a convention at their capital, Monte Video, and to consent to be annexed to Brazil, by the name of the Cis-Platine province, which don Pedro claims as a voluntary union of the people with the empire of Brazil. When Brazil separated from Portugal, in 1822, the Orientalists joined a party of the army which declared for Portugal, and, on the submission of these troops, called upon Buenos Ayres for aid. Assistance was given them in arms, money and men, but not ostensibly by the congress, until their leaders, Lavalleja and Fructuoso Rivera, had shut up the Brazilians in Monte Video, and a provisional government, organized in the town of Florida, formally declared the Banda Oriental to be reunited to Buenos Ayres. The standard of independence was raised by Fructuoso Rivera, April 27th, 1826; and, as he was immediately aided, by Lavalleja, with forces organized in Buenos Ayres, this may be considered as the actual commencement of the war. Oct. 12, Lavalleja gained the victory of Sarandi, and the republic no longer hesitated to assume a quarrel, which began to wear a prosperous aspect. But no formal declaration of war was issued until that of Pedro, dated Dec. 30th, 1826, which entered into an elaborate exposition of the alleged rights of Brazil. The war has been alike prejudicial to both countries. While Pedro blockaded Buenos Ayres, the cruisers of the latter cut up the commerce of Brazil; and while both parties contributed to waste the Banda Oriental, the Orientalists carried similar devastation into the Brazilian province of Rio Grande. But neither party possessed adequate resources to strike a decisive blow; and the solicitations of Great Britain, who, like other neutral nations, suffered by the war, at length brought about a peace, which was signed at Rio, Aug. 28th, 1828, and, in substance, provided that the Banda Oriental should