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1817, on the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo, when the prince-regent, the duke of Wellington, and other distinguished personages were present. Its length within the abutments is 1242 feet; its width within the balustrades is 42 feet; and the span of each arch, of which there are nine, is 120 feet. Bought for 475,000l. by Metropolitan Board of Works; opened toll-free, 5 Oct. 1878; lit by electric light from 10 Oct. 1879.

On 9 Oct. 1857, two youths named Kilsby found on one of the abutments of the bridge a carpet-bag containing human bones and flesh, which had been cut up, salted, and boiled, and some foreign clothes. No clew could be found respecting these remains, which were interred in Woking cemetery.

Waterloo Cup, see Dogs.

Water-mills, used for grinding corn, are said to have been invented by Belisarius, the general of Justinian, while besieged in Rome by the Goths, 555. The ancients parched their corn, and pounded it in mortars. Afterwards mills were invented, which were turned by men and beasts with great labor; yet Pliny mentions wheels turned by water; see Telo-dynamic transmitter.

Water-spout. Two water-spouts fell on the Glatz mountains in Germany, and caused dreadful devastation to Hautenbach and many other villages; many persons perished, 13 July, 1827. A water-spout at Glanflesk, near Killarney, in Ireland, passed over a farm of Mr. John Macarthy, destroying farm-houses and other buildings; seventeen persons perished, 4 Aug. 1831. The estimated length of one seen near Calcutta, 27 Sept. 1855, was 1000 feet. It lasted ten minutes, and was absorbed upwards. One seen on 24 Sept. 1856, burst into heavy rain. The town of Miskolcz, Hungary, destroyed by a water-spout; great loss of life and property, 30 Aug. 1878. Watling Street, see Roman Roads.

Wattignies (N. France). Here Jourdan and the French republicans defeated the Austrians under the prince of Coburg, and raised the siege of Maubeuge,

14-16 Oct. 1793.

Wave Principle (in accordance with which the curves of the hull of a ship should be adapted to the curves of a wave of the sea) formed the subject of experiments begun by Mr. John Scott Russell in 1832, with the view of increasing the speed of ships. Col. Beaufoy is said to have spent 30,000l. in researches upon this matter. It was also taken up by the British Association, who have published reports of the investigations. The principle has been adopted by naval architects; see Undulatory Theory and Yacht.

Waverley Novels. The publication of the series began with "Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since," in 1814, and closed with "Tales of my Landlord," fourth series, in 1831. The authorship was acknowledged by sir Walter Scott, at a dinner, 23 Feb. 1827. The original MSS. of several of Scott's poems and novels were sold by auction by Christie and Manson for 1255 guineas, 6 July, 1867.

Wawz, or WAWER (Poland). The Poles under Skrzynecki attacked the Russians at Wawz, and after two days' hard fighting all the Russian positions were carried by storm, and they retreated, with the loss of 12,000 men and 2000 prisoners, 31 March, 1831. loss of the Poles was small, but their triumph was soon followed by defeat and ruin.

The

Wax came into use for candles in the twelfth century; and wax candles were esteemed a luxury in 1300, being but little used. In China, candles of vegetable wax have been in use for centuries; see Candleberry. The wax-tree, Ligustrum lucidum, was brought from China before 1794.-SEALING-WAX was not brought into use in England until about 1556. Its use has been much superseded by the introduction of adhesive envelopes, about 1844.

We. Sovereigns generally use we for I, which style began with king John, 1199.-Coke. The German emperors and French kings used the plural about 1200.

Weald of Kent and Sussex, the site of very large, ancient forests; St. Leonard's still remaining; near which, in the Wealden formation, Dr. G. A. Mantell discovered the remains of huge extinct animals, 1825 et seq. Mr. R. Furley published an exhaustive "History of the Weald of Kent,” 1871-4.

Weather, see Meteorology.

Weaving appears to have been practised in China more than a thousand years before it was known in Europe or Asia. The Egyptians ascribed the art to Isis, the Greeks to Minerva, and the Peruvians to the wife of Manco Capac. Our Saviour's vest, or coat, had not any seam, being woven from the top throughout, in one whole piece. The print of a frame for weaving such a vest may be seen in Calmet's "Dictionary" under the word Vestments. Two weavers from Brabant settled at York, where they manufactured woollens, which, says king Edward, “may prove of great benefit to us and our subjects" (1331). Flemish dyers, cloth-drapers, linen

makers, silk-throwsters, etc., settled at Canterbury, Norwich, Colchester, Southampton, and other places, on account of the duke of Alva's persecution, 1567; see Loom and Electric Loom.

Wedding-rings were used by the ancients, and put upon the wedding-finger, from a supposed connection with a vein there with the heart. According to Pliny, they were made of iron; in the time of Tertullian of gold. Wedding-rings are to be of standard gold by statute, 1855; see Adriatic.

Weddings. Silver weddings are celebrated after a union of 25 years, golden weddings after a union of 50 years, and diamond weddings after a union of 60 years. John, king of Saxony, celebrated his golden wedding 10 Nov. 1872.

Wedge-like Characters, see Cuneiform.

duced by Mr. Josiah Wedgwood of Staffordshire in 1762.
Wedgwood Ware, pottery and porcelain pro-

His potteries, termed Etruria, were founded in 1771.
Previous to 1763 much earthenware was imported from
France and Holland.

from the Saxon idol Woden, or Odin, worshipped on this
Wednesday, the fourth day of the week, so called
day. Woden was the reputed author of magic and the
inventor of all the arts, and was thought to answer to
the Mercury of the Greeks and Romans.

Weedon Inquiry (Northamptonshire). Commissioners were appointed to inquire into the accounts of Mr. Elliot, superintendent of the great military clothing establishment at this place, in July, 1858, and commenced sitting in September. Many of the statements were afterwards disputed, and caused much dissatisfaction.

been first used among the Jews, who observed the sabbath Week, the space of seven days, supposed to have every seventh day. They had three sorts of weeks-the common one of seven days; the second of years, seven years; the third of seven times seven years, at the end of which was the jubilee. All the present English names are derived from the Saxon:

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Weights and Measures. These and the stamp- | subscription in memory of the great duke of Wellington ing of gold and silver money are attributed to Pheidon, for the support and education of orphan sons of commistyrant of Argos, 895 B.C.; see Arundelian Marbles. sioned officers. The first stone was laid by the queen Weights were originally taken from grains of wheat, on 2 June, 1856; and the building was opened by her the lowest being still called a grain.-Chalmers. See majesty on 29 Jan. 1859. Out of the 159,000%. subCrith. scribed, 55,000l. were expended on the building, and the rest invested for the maintenance of the institution. A controversy respecting its management; certain charges explained or rebutted..... Proposal for royal commission of inquiry negatived in the commons Commission appointed: lord Penzance, bishop of Exeter, Mr. R. Lowe (since lord Sherbrooke), col. Chesney, etc., June, 1879; report recommending greater economy and improvement of income....

Much information is given by Mr. H. W. Chisholm in his work "On the Science of Weighing and Measuring."

1877.

The Jews ascribed weights and measures to Cain; the Egyptians to Theuth, or Thoth; the Greeks to Hermes (the Roman Mercury).

The basis of ancient measures was the natural proportions of the human body; the digit, or breadth of the middle part of the first joint of the forefinger, being the lowest unit of the scale.

The Egyptian cubit (six palms), under the Pharaohs, was about 18.24 English inches; the cubit of Ptolemy about 21.87 inches; he determined the length of a stadium and of a degree.

The sacred cubit of the Jews (Newton), 24.7 inches. Assyrian weights are described by Mr. Layard in his "Nineveh."

972

1197

The standard measure was originally kept at Winchester
by the law of king Edgar...
Standards of weights and measures were provided for
the whole kingdom of England by the sheriffs of Lon-
don, 9 Rich. I...
A public weighing machine was set up in London, and all
commodities ordered to be weighed by the city officer,
called the weigh-master, who was to do justice between
buyer and seller, stat. 3 Edw. II.-Stow..
Edward III. ordered that there should be "one weight,
measure, and yard" throughout the kingdom.....
First statute, directing the use of avoirdupois weight, of
24 Hen. VIII..

1353

1532

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1309

...1 Jan. 1826 New acts relating thereto passed in 1834, 1835, 1855, and in..

16 & 17 Vict. c. 29, regulates the weights to be used in the sale of bullion, and adopts the use of the Troy

ounce...

1859

1853

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Weinsberg, see Guelphs.

Weissenburg, see Wissembourg.

Wellington Administration succeeded that of viscount Goderich, Jan. 1828. The duke resigned 16 Nov. 1830.

Duke of Wellington, first lord of the treasury.

Lord Lyndhurst, lord-chancellor.

Henry Goulburn, chancellor of the exchequer.
Earl Bathurst, president of the council.

Lord Ellenborough, privy seal.

Mr. (afterwards sir) Robert Peel, earl Dudley, and Mr. William
Huskisson, home, foreign, and colonial secretaries.

Viscount Melville, board of control.

Mr. Charles Grant, board of trade.

Lord Palmerston, secretary at war.

J. C. Herries, master of the mint.

Earl of Aberdeen, duchy of Lancaster.

Mr. Huskisson, earl Dudley, viscount Palmerston, and Mr.
Grant quitted the ministry, and various changes followed in
May and June same year.

The earl of Aberdeen and sir George Murray became, respec-
tively, foreign and colonial secretaries.

Sir Henry Hardinge, secretary at war.

Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald (afterwards lord Fitzgerald), India board. Lord Lowther, first commissioner of land revenues, etc., May and June, 1828.

Mr. Arbuthnot, Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald, etc.

Wellington College (Sandhurst) was erected by

..Aug.-Oct. 1878

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Arthur Wellesley was born, according to some authori-
ties, in March or April (baptized 30 April); incorrectly
said by others..
...1 May, 1769

Appointed to command in the Mahratta war in India;
takes Poonah and Ahmednuggur, 12 Aug.; gains his
first victory at Assaye, 23 Sept.; defeats Scindiah at
Argaum, Nov.; and at Gawalghur
Becomes secretary for Ireland...
Takes the command in Portugal; defeats Junot at Vi-
meira.

..4 Sept. 1809 Repulses Massena at Busaco, 27 Sept.; and occupies the lines at Torres Vedras

.13 Dec. 1803 1807 .21 Aug. 1808 Defeats Victor at Talavera, 28 July; created viscount Wellington...

Defeats Massena at Fuentes de Onoro, 5 May; takes Almeida...

.10 Oct. 1810 .10 May, 1811 .12 May, 1812

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Passes the Douro and defeats Soult.
Storms Ciudad Rodrigo, 19 Jan.; and Badajos, 6 April;
defeats Marinont at Salamanca, 22 July; enters Madrid,
12 Aug.
Defeats Joseph Bonaparte and Jourdan at Vittoria, 21
June; storms St. Sebastian, 31 Aug.; enters France,
8 Oct. 1813
Defeats Soult at Orthez, 27 Feb.; and at Toulouse,
10 April, 1814
Created duke of Wellington, with an annuity of 13,000.
and a grant of 300,000l..
..May,
First appeared in the house of lords; his patents of crea-
tion as baron, earl, marquess, and duke being read at
the same time....
....28 June,
Commands the army in the Netherlands; repulses an at-
tack of Ney at Quatre Bras, 16 June; defeats Napoleon
at Waterloo, 18 June; invests Paris..
.3 July, 1815
Commands the army of occupation in France,
July, 1815, till Nov. 1818
His assassination attempted by Cantillon, who escapes,
10 Feb. 66
Appointed master-general of the ordnance..
1819
The Wellington shield and supporting columns designed
by Stothard, commemorating all the above-mentioned
victories, presented to the duke by the merchants and
bankers of London. (It was manufactured by Green
and Ward, and cost 11,000l.)..

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A multitude of all ranks, estimated at a million and a half of persons, were congregated in the line of route, a distance of three miles, to witness and share in the imposing spectacle. The military consisted of the household regiments of horse and foot guards, the 2d battalion of the rifles, a battalion of the Royal Marines, the 33d regiment, the 17th Lancers, the 18th Light Dragoons, the regiment of Scots Greys, a body of Chelsea pensioners, and men of different arms of the Indian army.

1881, settled

138th annual conference opened..

.31 July, 1880 ....19 July, 1881

The body was placed upon a sumptuous funeral-car, drawn by | An oecumenical conference to be held in the autumn of twelve horses richly caparisoned, and the coffin was thus seen by the whole of the crowd. The procession moved about seven o'clock, and it was three o'clock before the body was lowered into the vault beside the remains of Nelson, under the dome of St. Paul's cathedral.

Memorial by Marochetti erected by the present duke, his son, and tenants at Strathfieldsaye, July, 1866.

WELLINGTON MONUMENT IN ST. PAUL'S.

A number of models exhibited in Westminster hall; none chosen, 1857.

The execution of the monument intrusted to Mr. A. Stevens, sculptor, and Mr. Penrose, architect. The stone sarcophagus was completed in 1858.

In Aug. 1870, above 17,000l. had been expended, and it was stated that 15,000l. more were required. Parliament had granted 20,000. Fresh arrangements were made with Mr. Stevens. He died 1 May, 1875. Monument reported complete, 1 Feb.; uncovered 20 April, 1878.

Out of the original connection have seceded:

New Connection in 1796.
Primitive Methodists (1810)..
Bible Christians, or Bryanites (1815).
Wesleyan Methodist Association (1834)..
Wesleyan Methodist Reformers (1849).

Chapels in 1851

301

2871

493

329

2000

The last arose out of the publication of "Fly Sheets," advocating reform in the body (1844-8). The suspected authors and their friends were expelled. By these disruptions the main body is thought to have lost 100,000 members. This sect in America numbered about a million in 1844, when a division took place on the slavery question.

Wesleyan Methodist church members in Great Britain in 1868, 342,380; in 1872, 346,580; in 1874, 357,645; in 1876, 372,538; in 1878, 380,867 (1412 ministers); in 1880, 376,678.

Letter from Dr. Pusey, requesting aid in opposing Coleridge's bill for admitting dissenters to the universities, The establishment of a high-school for Wesleyans at read at the conference, but not received......13 Aug. 1868 Cambridge (to prepare for the university) proposed,

May, 1872

The chapel in the City road, London, founded by John Wesley, 1 April, 1777, was nearly destroyed by fire,

7 Dec. 1879

Wells were dug by Abraham, 1892 B.C., and Isaac, 1804 (Gen. xxi. 30, and xxvi. 19). Danaus is said to have introduced well-digging into Greece from Egypt. Norton's "tube-well," patented Oct. 1867, is said to be the invention of Hiram J. Messenger, Stephen Brewer, and Byron Mudge, Americans, of the state of New York. The apparatus consists of an iron tube perforated with holes at the lower end, and shod with a steel point, which readily enters the hardest soil when forcibly drivWest African Settlements - Sierra Leone, en. It was used with great advantage during the civil war, 1861-4; by the British in their campaign in Abyssir Garnet Wolseley, Aug. 1873; Cornelius H. Kortright, Gambia, etc. Governor, sir Arthur E. Kennedy, 1867; sinia in 1867-8; and by the Russians in Khiva, 1873. Messrs. Meux, brewers, New Oxford street, London, boring, found water beneath the green-sand, about 1000 feet deep, April, 1877.

Wells (Somerset). The cathedral church was built by Ina, king of the West Saxons, 704, and by him dedicated to St. Andrew. Other West Saxon kings endowed it, and it was erected into a bishopric in 909, during the reign of Edward the Elder. The present church was begun by Robert, 18th bishop of this see, and completed by his immediate successor. The first bishop was Ethelm, or Adelmus (afterwards bishop of Canterbury). The see was united with Bath (which see) in 1088.

Welsh Charity Schools; established in Gray's Inn road, London, 1715; removed to Ashford, near Staines, Middlesex, 1852.

Wends, a branch of the Slavonic family which spread over Germany in the sixth century, and settled especially in the northeastern parts.

Wesleyan Methodists, a sect founded by John Wesley (born 1703, died 1791) and his brother Charles, who in 1727, with a few other students, formed themselves into a small society for the purpose of mutual edification by religious exercises. From their strictness of life they were called Methodists, in 1729. John Wesley went to Georgia, in America, in 1735, with a view of converting the Indians. On his return to England, in 1738, he commenced itinerant preaching, and gathered many followers. On finding many churches shut against him, he built spacious meeting-houses in London, Bristol, and other places. For some time he was united with George Whitefield; but, differing with him respecting the doctrine of election, they separated in 1741; see Whitefield. Wesley was almost continually engaged in travelling through the United Kingdom. His two leading doctrines were the instantaneousness of conversion and Christian perfection, or deliverance from all sin. His society was well organized, and he preserved his influence over it to the last. "His genius for government was not inferior to that of Richelieu."— Macaulay. The deed of declaration establishing the conference is dated 28 Feb. 1784. In 1851 there were 428 circuits in Great Britain, with between 13,000 and 14,000 local or lay preachers, and about 920 itinerant preachers, and 6579 chapels.

The Conference, the highest Wesleyan court, till lately composed of 100 ministers, who meet annually. It was instituted by John Wesley in...

1784

At the centenary of the existence of Methodism 216,000l. were collected, to be expended on the objects of the society...

1839

Wessex, see Britain.

1875; Dr. Samuel Rowe, 1876; see Ashantees.

West Indies, islands discovered by Columbus, St. Salvador being the first land he made in the New World, and first seen by him in the night between the 11th and 12th Oct. 1492. The largest are Cuba, Hayti (or St. Domingo), Jamaica, Porto Rico, Trinidad, and Guadaloupe; see the Islands respectively.

West Saxons, see Wessex, in Britain.

formed by separation from Virginia in consequence of West Virginia, a state of the United States, the secession of the latter. Convention of West Virginia repudiated the act of secession, 11 June, 1861; elected governor, 20 June. At an election held for that purpose, the people voted to set up the new state of Kanawha, 24 Oct. 1861. Constitution adopted in convention, Nov. 1861; ratified by the people, 3 May, 1862, the name having been changed to West Virginia 3 Dec.

1861.

State admitted to the Union, 20 April, 1863. Western Australia, formerly SWAN RIVER SETTLEMENT, which was projected by col. Peel in 1828. Regulations issued from the colonial office, and capt. Stirling, appointed lieutenant - governor Jan. 17, 1829, arrived at the appointed site in August following. The three towns of Perth, Freemantle, and Guildford were founded the same year. In March, 1830, fifty ships, with 2000 emigrants, with property amounting to 1,000,000l., had arrived before hardly any dwellings had been erected or land surveyed. The more energetic settlers left for home or the neighboring colonies, and the colony languished for twenty years for want of suitable inhabitants-the first settlers, from their previous habits and rank in life, proving unfit for the rough work of colonization. In 1848 the colonists requested that convicts might be sent out to them, and in 1849 a band arrived, who were kindly received and well treated. The best results ensued. By 1853 2000 had arrived, and the inhabitants of Perth had requested that 1000 should be sent out annually. The reception of convicts is to cease in after-years, in consequence of the energetic opposition of the other Australian colonies (1865).—The settlement of King George's Sound was founded in 1826 by the government of New South Wales. It was used as a military station for four years. In 1830 the home government ordered the settlement to be transferred to Swan River. Since the establishment of steam communication, the little town of Albany here, employed as a coaling-station, has become a thriving seaport. It possesses an excellent harbor, used by whalers. A journal called the Freemantle Guzette was published here in March,

See Palace of

1831. Population of Western Australia in 1859, 14,837; of Scotsmen who came over after the accession of James Jan. 1862, 15,555; Jan. 1877, about 27,321. Governor I. occasioned the building of Westminster, and united it John Stephen Hampton, appointed 1861; sir Benjamin with London.-Howel's Londinopolis. C. C. Pine, May, 1868; Frederick A. Weld, 1869; Will- Westminster and Parliament. iam C. F. Robinson, 1874; major-gen. sir Harry St. George Ord, 1877; sir W. F. Robinson, 1880.

Western Church (called also the LATIN or RoMAN) broke off communion with the Greek or Eastern Church, 653; see Greek Church. Its history is mainly comprised in that of the popes and of the European kingdoms; see Popes. This church was disturbed by the Arian heresy about 345 and 500; by Pelagianism, about 409; by the introduction of image-worship about 600; by the injunction of the celibacy of the clergy and the rise of the monastic orders, about 649; by the contests between the emperors and the popes respecting ecclesiastical investitures, between 1073 and 1173; by the rise and progress of the Reformation in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries; by the contests between the Jesuits and Jansenists in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; and by the progress of modern philosophy and rationalism, and by ultramontanism, in the nineteenth; see Roman Catholics.

Western Empire. The Roman empire was divided into Eastern and Western by Diocletian in 296; but was reunited under Constans in 340. It was again divided into Eastern and Western by Valentinian and Valens, the former having the Western portion, or Rome, 364; see Eastern Empire, Italy, and Rome.

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392. Eugenius, a usurper, assumes the imperial dignity; he and Arbogastes are defeated by

394. Theodosius the Great, who becomes sole emperor.

[Andragathius threw himself into the sea, and Arbogastes died by his own hand.]

395. Honorius, son of Theodosius, reigns, on his father's death, in the West, and his brother Arcadius in the East. Honorius dies in 423.

Ravenna.

Earl Grosvenor created marquess of Westminster, 1831; the marquess created duke. Westminster Industrial Exhibition, opened 24 May; closed......

1874

...9 Aug. 1879

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.1714-60

..9 July, 1803 1809

Mr. Wyatt commenced restoring the dilapidated parts, at an expense of 42,000l., in.

.27 April, 1829

A fire, without any serious injury. The evening services for the working classes, when a sermon was preached by the dean, Dr. Trench, commenced on... .3 Jan. 1858 28 Dec. 1865

The 800th anniversary of the foundation celebrated,

29 April, 1872

7000l. voted by parliament to restore the chapter-house
(G. Gilbert Scott employed), 1 May, 1866; re-opened,
Lectures in the Abbey on foreign missions; prof. Max
Müller, a layman, 3 Dec. 1873; principal Caird, of
Scotch church, 30 Nov. 1874; rev. Robert Moffat, father-
in-law of Livingstone..
.30 Nov. 1875

Sir Charles Lyell, sir Wm. Sterndale Bennett, and bishop
Connop Thirlwall buried in the Abbey.

1875

Westminster Aquarium, see Aquarium. 423. Usurpation of John, the Notary, defeated and slain near the dissolution of monasteries, Westminster Abbey was Westminster Bishopric AND DEANERY. At 425. Valentinian III., son of the empress Placidia, daughter valued at 39777. per annum; king Henry VIII., in 1539, of Theodosius the Great; murdered at the instance of erected it into a deanery, and in 1540 into a bishopric, 455. Maximus: he marries Eudoxia, widow of Valentinian, and appointed Thomas Thirlby prelate. He was transwho, to avenge the death of her first husband and the lated to Norwich in 1550, and with him ended the guilt of her second, invites the African Vandals into bishopric of Westminster; Middlesex, his diocese, being Italy, and Rome is sacked. Maximus stoned to death. restored to London. The dean presided until the acces455. Marcus Mæcilius Avitus; forced to resign, and dies in hission of Mary, who restored the abbot. Elizabeth disflight towards the Alps.

his successor,

457. Julius Valerius Majorianus; murdered at the instance of his minister, Ricimer, who raises 461. Libius Severus to the throne, but holds the supreme power; Severus poisoned by Ricimer. 465. [Interregnum. Ricimer retains the authority, without assuming the title of emperor.]

467. Anthemius, chosen by the joint suffrages of the senate and army; murdered by Ricimer, who dies soon after. 479. Flavius Anicius Olybrius; slain by the Goths soon after

his accession.

473. Glycerius; forced to abdicate by his successor, 474. Julius Nepos: deposed by his general, Orestes, and retires to Salonæ.

475. Romulus (called Augustulus, or Little Augustus), son of Orestes. Orestes is slain, and the emperor deposed by 476. Odoacer, king of the Heruli; takes Rome, assumes the style of king of Italy, and completes the fall of the Western empire.

(See Italy, Rome, and Germany.) Westminster, so called on account of its western situation with regard to St. Paul's cathedral, or from there being formerly a monastery named East Minster on the hill now called Great Tower-hill. This city joins London at Temple Bar. Formerly Westminster was called Thorney, or Thorney Island; and in ancient times Canute had a palace here, burned in 1263. Westminster and London were one mile asunder in 1603, when the houses were thatched, and there were mud walls in the Strand. It is said that the great number

placed the abbot, and erected the abbey into a collegiate tinues. On the revival of the order of the Bath, in church of a dean and twelve prebendaries, as it still con1725, the dean of Westminster was appointed dean of that order, which honor has been continued. Dr. Nicholas Wiseman was created archbishop of Westminster by the pope Pius IX., 30 Sept. 1850; see Papal Aggression. Dr. Wiseman died 8 Feb. 1865; Henry Manning was consecrated his successor 8 June following. Dr. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, an eminent dean, died 18 July, and was buried in the abbey, 25 July, 1881.

Westminster Bridges. The handsome old bridge was begun (after a design of M. Labelye), 13 Sept. 1738; the first stone laid, 29 Jan. 1738-9; opened for passengers, 18 Nov. 1750; cost 426,6507. It was built of Portland stone, and crossed the river where the breadth is 1223 feet.

Owing to the sinking of several of its piers, most of the balustrades on both sides were removed, to relieve the structure of its weight.

By 16 & 17 Vict. c. 46, the estates of its commissioners were transferred to her majesty's commissioners of works, who were empowered to remove the then existing bridge, and build a NEW BRIDGE (near the old one), The contract required the completion of the works by 4 Aug. 1853 1 June, 1857

1648, between France, the emperor, and Sweden; Spain continuing the war against France. By this peace (ending the Thirty Years' war) the principle of a balance of power in Europe was first recognized; Alsace given to France, and part of Pomerania and some other dis

The works were suspended for a time in consequence of the failure of Messrs. Mare, the contractors. The government eventually undertook the building, which they intrusted to Mr. Thomas Page, the engineer. One half of the new bridge was opened for use early in 1860; the whole on...... ......24 May, 1862 Westminster Confession OF FAITH AND CATE-tricts to Sweden; the Lower Palatinate restored to the CHISMS were drawn up by the "Assembly of Divines" (partly consisting of laymen), who sat by authority of parliament, in Henry VII.'s chapel, Westminster, from 1643 to 1647. These have ever since been the doctrinal standards of Scotch Presbyterians.

Westminster Hall (London), first built by William Rufus in 1097, for a banqueting-hall; and here, in 1099, on his return from Normandy, "he kept his feast of Whitsuntide very royally." The hall became ruinous before the reign of Richard II., who repaired it in 1397, raised the walls, altered the windows, and added a new roof, as well as a stately porch and other buildings. In 1236, Henry III., on New Year's Day, caused 6000 poor persons to be entertained in this hall, and in the other rooms of his palace, as a celebration of queen Eleanor's coronation; and here Richard II.. held his Christmas festival in 1397, when the number of the guests each day the feast lasted was 10,000.-Stow. The courts of law were established here by king John.-Idem. Westminster Hall was stated to be the largest room in Europe unsupported by pillars (except a hall of justice at Padua); it is 270 feet in length, 74 feet broad. The hall underwent a general repair in 1802. Concurrently with the erection of the palace of Westminster, many improvements and alterations have lately been made in this magnificent hall. The Volunteer Rifle Corps were drilled in the hall in the winter of 1859, and since. Westminster Hospital, founded 1719 chartered, 1836.

Westminster Palace, see under Palace of Westminster, and Parliament.

"Westminster Review," liberal in religion and politics, first appeared, 1824, as the organ of the philosophic radicals, termed the Westminster school, friends of Jeremy Bentham; see Utilitarianism.

Westminster School, or ST. PETER'S COLLEGE, was founded by queen Elizabeth in 1560, for the education of forty boys, denominated the queen's scholars, who are prepared for the university. It is situated within the abbey enclosure. Besides the scholars on the foundation, many of the nobility and gentry send their sons to Westminster for instruction. A proposal in 1860 to remove the school was disapproved of in 1861. Westminster Schools, United, comprise Emanuel and St. Margaret's hospitals, and rev. James Palmer's and Emery Hill's school charities, which were abolished by the endowed school commissioners, 27 June, 1873. New schools are to

be erected.

Westminster, STATUTES OF, are 3 and 13 Edward I., 1275-90; see Acts of Parliament.

Westmoreland. This county and Cumberland were granted as a fief to Malcolm of Scotland by Edward the Elder in 945; but resumed by Henry III. in 1237. Neville, earl of Westmoreland, revolted against Elizabeth in 1569, and was attainted in 1570.

elector palatine; the religious and political rights of the German states established; and the independence of the Swiss Confederation recognized by Germany.

Weymouth (Dorsetshire) was given by Henry I. to St. Swithin's, Winchester. Taken from Charles I. by the parliamentarians, 1644; visited and brought into note by George III., 1789. First Dorset industrial exhibition was opened here, 25 July, 1878.

Whale-fishery, it is said, was first carried on by the Norwegians in the ninth century.-Lenglet. Whales were killed at Newfoundland and Iceland, for their oil only, 1578; the use of their fins and bones was not yet known, consequently (a writer adds) no stays were worn by the ladies. The English whale-fishing commenced at Spitzbergen in 1598; but the Dutch had been previously fishing there. The fishery was much promoted by an act of parliament passed in 1749. From 1800 to 2000 whales have been killed annually on the coast of Greenland, etc. The quantity of whale-oil imported in 1814 was 33,567 tuns; in 1826, when gas-light became general, 25,000 tuns; in 1840, about 22,000 tuns; in 1850, 21,360 tuns; in 1861, 19,176 tuns; in 1864, 14,701 tuns; in 1867, 15,945 tuns; in 1871, 24,679 tuns; in 1872, 18,719 tuns; in 1877, 19,365 tuns. A living whale from Labrador, 9 feet 6 inches long, placed in the Westminster Aquarium, 26 Sept.; died 29 Sept. 1877. White whale (Beluga), arrived 28 May; died in the latter part of June.

Wharncliffe Meetings of public companies (held to give enlarged powers under certain prescribed conditions) are so called because the standing orders of the house of lords, under which they are held, were introduced by Lord Wharncliffe, about 1846.

Wheat. The Chinese ascribe to their emperor Ching-Noung, who succeeded Fohi, the art of husbandry, and method of making bread from wheat, about 2000 years before the Christian era. Wheat was introduced into Britain in the sixth century, by Coll ap Coll Frewi.

Roberts. The first wheat imported into England of which we have a note was in 1347. Various statutes have regulated the sales of wheat, and restrained its importation, in order to encourage its being raised at home. In 1862 attention was drawn to the probable utility of considering the pedigree of wheat. In 1871 it was estimated that 3,571,894 acres in the United Kingdom were devoted to wheat; in 1876, 3,124,342; see Bread and Corn Laws. Greatest producers (in order), United States, Russia, France, Great Britain, etc. The wheat crop of the United States for 1880 was 480,849,723 bushels. The following table shows the value, in dollars, of the exports of wheat and flour from the United States in the several years named:

Year.

1821...

1830... 1840...

1850.. 1860... 1870..

1879...

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1864...

1866...

1868..

1871..

1872.

1874...

1877..

1878..

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Westphalia (Germany). This duchy belonged in former times to the dukes of Saxony, and afterwards became subject to the archbishop of Cologne. On the secularization, in 1802, it was made over to Hesse-Darmstadt; and in 1814 was ceded for an equivalent to Prussia. The kingdom of Westphalia, one of the temporary kingdoms of Bonaparte, composed of conquests 1854.. from Prussia, Hesse-Cassel, Hanover, and the smaller states to the west of the Elbe, was created by decree 18 Aug. 1806, and Jerome Bonaparte appointed king 1 Dec. 1807. Hanover was annexed to it, 1 March, 1810. The kingdom was abolished in 1813, and the countries were restored to their former rulers.

1861.. 1862..

Westphalia, or MUNSTER, PEACE OF, the treaties signed at Osnaburg, 6 Aug., and at Munster, 24 Oct. 1879...

6,152,938 66 7,207,113

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