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meo de Guzmao, who died in 1724. The principles of | Godard's great Montgolfier or fire balloon ascends
aeronautics include: 1, the power of a balloon to rise in
the air; 2, the velocity of its ascent; and, 3, the stabil-
ity of its suspension at any given height. The appli-
cation of sails and rudders has been duly considered,
and judged to be futile; but in 1872 Helmholtz thought
they might be steered, if moving slowly. Fatal acci-
dents to the voyagers have been estimated at 2 or 3 per
cent. The Aeronautical Society of Great Britain, found-
ed with the object of fostering and developing aeronau-
tics and aerology, by the duke of Argyll, Mr. James
Glaisher, sir Charles Bright, and others, 12 Jan. 1866.
Francis Lana, a Jesuit, proposed to navigate the air by
means of a boat raised by four hollow balls made of
thin copper, from which the air had been exhausted..
Joseph Galien suggested the filling a bag with the fine
diffuse air of the upper regions of the atmosphere... 1755
Henry Cavendish discovered that hydrogen gas is 10.8
times lighter than common air......

28 July and 3 Aug. 1864
Ascent of Nadar and others in his great balloon at Brus-
..26 Sept.
Mr. Coxwell ascends from Belfast in a new balloon; sev-
eral persons are injured by the balloon becoming un-
controllable; it escapes...
Ascent of Nadar in his Géant balloon, Paris....23 June, 1866
....3 July, 1865
Mr. Coxwell said to have made 550 successful ascents
up to April, 1867

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Joseph and Stephen Montgolfier ascend and descend
safely by means of a fire balloon at Annonay, for
which they received many honors..
5 June, 1733
First ascent in a balloon filled with hydrogen, at Paris,
by MM. Robert and Charles...
....27 Ang.
Joseph Montgolfier ascends in a balloon inflated with
smoke of burned straw and wool.
19 Sept.
First aerial voyage in a fire balloon-Pilâtre de Rozier
and the marquis d'Arlandes .
....21 Nov.
Second ascent of Charles in a hydrogen balloon to the
height of 9770 feet
.1 Dec.
Mr. Tytler ascended in a Montgolfier balloon at Edin-
burgh..
.27 Aug. 1784

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Ascents become numerous: Andreani, 25 Feb.; Blanch-
ard, 2 March; Guyton de Morveau, the chemist, 25
April and 12 June; Fleurant and Madame Thible (the
first female aeronaut), 28 June; the duke of Chartres
(Philip Egalité)...
19 Sept.
The first ascent in England, made by Lunardi, at Moor-
fields, London ...
...15 Sept. 66
Blanchard and Jeffries ascend at Dover; cross the Chan-
nel; alight near Calais
7 Jan. 1785
The first ascent in Ireland, from Ranelagh Gardens, Dub-
lin..
19 Jan.
Rozier and Romain killed in their descent near Bou-
logne; the balloon took fire...
15 June,
Parachutes constructed and used by Blanchard....Aug.
Garnerin's narrow escape when descending in one in
London..
2 Sept.
Sadler, who made many previous expeditions in Eng-
land, fell into the sea, near Holyhead, but was taken up,

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1802

9 Oct. 1812

1825

Madame Blanchard ascended from Tivoli at night; the
balloon, being surrounded by fireworks, took fire, and
she was precipitated to the ground and killed..6 July, 1819
Mr. Charles Green's first ascent (he introduced coal gas
in ballooning). .
...19 July, 1821
Lieut. Harris killed in a balloon descent........25 May, 1824
Sadler, jun., killed, falling from a balloon..
The great Nassau balloon, which had for some time pre-
viously been exhibited to the inhabitants of London in
repeated ascents from Vauxhall Gardens, started from
that place on an experimental voyage, having three
individuals in the car, and after having been eighteen
hours in the air descended at Weilburg, in the duchy
of Nassau..
..7 Nov. 1836
Mr. Cocking ascended from Vauxhall to try his para-
chute; in its descent from the balloon it collapsed, and
he was thrown out and killed...
24 July, 1837
An Italian aeronaut ascended from Copenhagen, in Den-
mark; his corpse was subsequently found on the sea-
shore in a contiguous island, dashed to pieces. 14 Sept. 1851
Ascent from Adrian, Michigan, by which Mr. Ira Thurs-
ton lost his life..
Sept. 1856
J. B. Lassie's model of an "aerial ship," in which the
screw was used, was submitted to the academy of sci-
ences at Paris, 1859; and exhibited at Washington, U. S. 1859
Mr. Wise and three others ascended from St. Louis (after
travelling 1150 miles they descended in Jefferson coun-
ty, New York, nearly dead)...
..23 June,
Nadar's great balloon (largest ever made) when fully in-
flated contained 215,363 cubic feet of gas; the car, a
cottage in wicker work, ra sed 35 soldiers at Paris;
Nadar hoped by means of a screw to steer a balloon in
the heavens; his first ascent, with 14 persons, success-
ful...
4 Oct. 1863
His second ascent; voyagers injured; saved by presence
of in nd of M. Jules Godard; descend at Nieuburg,
Hanover
.....12 Oct.
Nadar and his balloon at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham,
Nov. 6.
Society for promoting aerial navigation formed at M. Na-
dar's, at Paris; president, M. Barral,.. ........15 Jan. 1364

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25 May, 1869
Charles Green, acronaut, said to have made about 600
ascents, died aged 84..
....27 March, 1870
Dupuy de Lôme at Vincennes ascended with his "nav-
igable" balloon, with 13 persons; experiment reported
to be successful..
.2 Feb. 1871

Professor Wise proposed to cross the Atlantic from New
York to Liverpool in a balloon, 100 feet in diameter,
110 feet perpendicular, with a supplementary balloon
36 feet in diameter; the two giving a lifting power
of 15,900 lbs., a carrying power of 9500 lbs., and dis-
posable ballast 7500 lbs., July; the balloon was reported
imperfect, Sept.; a smaller balloon, under the man-
agement of W. J. Donaldson, started (with a life-boat)
9.19 A. M., 6 Oct., and descended during a storm over
Connecticut; the men narrowly escaped.......7 Oct. 1873
Vincent de Groof, a Belgian (named the "flying man"),
constructed a parachute to imitate the flight of a bird;
he brought it to London; ascended from Cremorne
Gardens, and descended from a height between 300
and 400 feet in Essex, 29 June; at his next attempt,
the parachute, either detached by himself or by acci-
dent, was disarranged, and he was killed by falling,
9 July, 1874
Under the Government Balloon Committee, Mr. Coxwell
ascended at Woolwich to try C. A. Bowdler's appara-
tus (based on the screw-propeller) for steering bal-
loons; failure reported..
25 July,
[It has been proved that a screw with a vertical axis
can raise or depress a balloon, and thereby save gas
and ballast.]

M. and Mad. Duruof (see above, 1870) ascend from Calais
to cross the channel, 31 Aug; carried out to sea; the
balloon fell into the water and drifted towards Nor-
way; rescued by a smack (the Grand Charge); the
aeronauts were landed at Grimsby..
.4 Sept.
Duruof and others ascend from the Crystal Palace,
14 Sept.

Menier's new hot air balloon fails on trial,

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The use of balloons for postal purposes invented by Mr.
G. Shepherd, C. E...
Balloons were used during the battle of Solferino, 24
June, 1859; and by the Federal army near Washing-
July, 1861
The Balloon Corps of the United States Army was em-
ployed by gen. McClellan during the first s.ege of Rich-
mond, 1862. In consequence of the breaking of the
rope which held his balloon captive, gen. Fitz-John
Porter was carried over the Confederate lines (June,
1862); but, in descending, entered a current of air
which blew in the opposite direction, and thus es-
caped capture.

M. Duruof conveyed the mail-bags from Paris to Tours
during the siege..
...23 Sept. 1870

Postal balloons from Metz and Paris..

.Sept.-Dec. 1870 | George Grote introduced into the commons a ballot bill six times....

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Postal balloon sent up from Crystal Palace, Sydenham (successfully).......... .6 Oct. M. Gambetta escaped from Paris in a balloon, and arrived at Rouen... ....8 Oct. Many balloons despatched from Paris and other places, Oct. 1870-Feb. 1871 Military experiments; ascent of "Univers;" very cold weather; valve burst; several hurt; near Vincennes; no deaths... ..8 Dec. 1875 Military ascents and balloon equipment for military purposes adopted at Woolwich, announced.. ...April, 1879 Captive balloon at the volunteer review, Brighton, 29 March, 1880

EQUESTRIAN ASCENTS. Mr. Green affirmed that he ascended from London, on a horse attached to a balloon... .May, 1828 He did so from Vauxhall Gardens with a very diminutive pony. ....July, 1850 Lieut. Gale, an Englishman, made an ascent with a horse from the Hippodrome of Vincennes, near Bordeaux. On descending and detaching the animal from the balloon, the people who held its ropes, from some misconception, prematurely let them go, and the unfortunate aeronaut was rapidly borne in the air before he was quite ready to resume his voyage. (He was discovered next morning dashed to pieces in a field a mile from where the balloon was found).... .....8 Sept. 1850 The ascent of Madame Poitevin from Cremorne Gardens, near London, as "Europa on a bull" (a feat she had often performed in France), and several ascents on horses, brought the parties concerned before the police-courts on a charge of cruelty to animals, and put an end to experiments that outraged public feeling, M. Poitevin ascended on a horse in the vicinity of Paris, about the time just mentioned; was nearly drowned in the sea, near Malaga, while descending from his balloon (and died soon after)..

SCIENTIFIC ASCENTS.

Aug. 1852

1858

Gay-Lussac and Biot at Paris, 23 Aug.; Gay-Lussac (to the height of 22,977 feet). .15 Sept. 1804 Bixio and Barral at Paris (to the height of 19,000 feet. They passed through a cloud 9000 feet thick).. 1850 Mr. Welsh ascends, 17, 26 Aug. ; 21 Oct. and 10 Nov..... 1852 Scientific balloon ascents having been recommended by the British Association and funds provided, Mr. James Glaisher commenced his series of ascents, provided with suitable apparatus, in Mr. Coxwell's great balloon, at Wolverhampton: he reached the height of 5 miles, 17 July, 1862 He ascended at the Crystal Palace 18 April, 11, 21 July; at Wolverton, 26 June; at Newcastle, during the meeting of the British Association.. .31 Aug. 1863 He ascended to the height of about 7 miles at Wolverhampton; at 54 miles high he became insensible; Mr. Coxwell lost the use of his hands, but was able to open the valve with his teeth; they thus descended in safety,

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64 5 Sept. .9 Oct. Brandon's,

66

.12 Jan. 1864 ..30 Dec. .27 Feb. 1865

in May, 1866 ...Jan. 1871 .22 Sept. 1873

Other ascents. .......2 Oct., 2 Dec. 1865; and
Glaisher's Travels in the Air" published..
Mr. Coxwell's scientific ascent in the Nassau " at Horn-
sey..

BALLOON SOCIETIES.

The French Académie d'Acrostation de Météorologique, authorized... ...20 Sept. 1872 BALLOON SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN was formed 21 July, 1880, by some members of the Aeronautical, Geographical, Astronomical, Chemical, and Meteorological societies, and other scientific bodies, to promote aeronautics and record and utilize observations made during ascents. Silver medals were awarded for ascents made, 4 Sept. 1880

Ballot (French ballotte, a little ball). Secret voting was practised by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and the modern Venetians, and is now employed in France, in the United States of North America, and, since 1872, in Great Britain and colonies; see Scrutin.

A ballot box used in the election of aldermen of London, 1526 Its use by the company of merchant adventurers, in electing an agent, prohibited by Charles I......17 Dec. 1637 The ballot-box used by the "Rota," a political club at Miles's coffee-house, Westminster..

1659

1833-39 The ballot an open question in Whig governments.... 1835-72 The house of commons rejected the ballot-257 being against, and 189 for it.. ..30 June, 1851 Secret voting existed in the chamber of deputies `n France from 1840 to 1845. It has been employed since the coup d'état in..

The ballot adopted in Victoria, Australia...

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1856

.......Dec. A test- ballot was adopted at Manchester, and Ernest Jones was thus chosen as a candidate for representing the city in parliament. He died the next day. 22,23 Jan. 1869 For many years it was annually proposed by Mr. Henry Berkeley; it was rejected (by 161 to 112, 12 July, 1867). He died... .10 March, 1870 Mr. E. Leatham introduced a ballot bill into parliament, March; and Mr. Gladstone spoke in favor of the ballot; bill withdrawn.. ..27 July, The ballot was employed in electing the London school board in 9 districts... .29 Nov. The ballot recommended in the queen's speech, 9 Feb.; a bill for it introduced, passed by the commons; rejected by the lords (97 to 43).... 10 Aug. 1871

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Bill to amend the law relating to procedure at parlia mentary and municipal elections, including the ballot, read in the commons, 2d time, 109-51, 15 Feb.; passed the commons, 271-216, 30 May; read second time in the lords (86-56); important amendments carried in committee, making secret voting optional (162-91); read a third time, and passed, 25 June; lords' amendments mostly rejected by the commons; the optional clause given up by the lords, 8 July; royal assent (to continue in force till 31 Dec. 1880). 13 July, 1872 The first election by ballot was at Pontefract, when Mr. H. E. Childers was re-elected very peacefully..15 Aug.

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Ball's Bluff, Virginia, on the banks of the Potomac, North America. On 21 Oct. 1861, by direction of the Federal gen. C. P. Stone the heroic col. Baker crossed the river to reconnoitre. He attacked the Confederate camp at Leesburg, and was defeated with the loss of nearly 1000 men (Lossing) in killed, wounded, and missing. The Confederates lost 153 killed, but the number of their wounded is unknown. The disaster was attributed to mismanagement, and in Feb. 1862, gen. Stone was arrested on suspicion of treason.

Ballynahinch (Ireland), where a sanguinary engagement took place between a large body of the insurgent Irish and the British troops, under gen. Nugent, 13 June, 1798. A large part of the town was destroyed, and the royal army suffered very severely.

Balmoral Castle, Deeside, Aberdeenshire; visited by her majesty in 1848, 1849, 1850. The estate was purchased for 32,000l. by prince Albert in 1852. In 1853 the present building, in the Scotch baronial style, was commenced, from designs by Mr. W. Smith of Aberdeen.

Baltic Sea,* OSTSEE, or EASTERN SEA, separates Sweden and the Danish isles from Russia, Prussia, and Germany. Declared neutral for commerce by treaty between Russia and Sweden, 1759, and Denmark, 1760. It is often partially frozen. Charles X. of Sweden, with an army, crossed the Belts in 1658, and the Russians passed from Finland to Sweden on the ice in 1809.

BALTIC EXPEDITIONS.

Against Denmark; see Armed Neutrality. 1. Under lord Nelson and admiral Parker, Copenhagen was bombarded, and twenty-eight sail of the Danish fleet taken or destroyed..... ..2 April, 1801

20 March,

64

2. Under admiral Gambier and lord Cathcart, eighteen sail of the line, fifteen frigates, and thirty-one brigs and gunboats surrendered to the British......26 July, 1807 Against Russia.-1. The British fleet, commanded by sir Charles Napier, sailed from Spithead in presence of the queen, who led it out to sea in her yacht, the Fairy, It arrived in Wingo Sound, 15 March; and in the Baltic, 11 March, 1854 The gulf of Finland blockaded.. 12 April, 10,000 French troops embarked at Calais for the Baltic in English ships of war, in presence of the emperor, 15 July, Capture of Bomarsund, one of the Aland islands, and surrender of the garrison (see Bomarsund)....... 16 Aug. English and French fleets begin to return homeward to winter... 15 Oct. 2. Expedition sailed. .20 March-4 April, 1855 It consisted of 85 English ships (2098 guns), commanded

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The fleet proceeded towards Cronstadt.
machines were discovered. Sveaborg was attacked;
see Sveaborg....

Shortly after the fleet returned to England.

.9 Aug.

66

Baltimore, a maritime city in Maryland, U. S., founded in 1729. Population in 1880, 332,190. On 12 Sept. 1814, the British army under col. Ross advanced against this place. He was killed in a skirmish; and the command was assumed by col. Brooke, who attacked the American army. A severe conflict followed. At evening both armies went into bivouac, and during the night the British fleet bombarded Fort McHenry. It was during this bombardment, which lasted from the morning of 12 Sept. to the morning of 13 Sept., that the national song "The Star-spangled Banner" was written. At 3 o'clock A.M. 14 Sept., the British abandoned the attack by sea and land, and withdrew their forces. The loss of the Americans was 213 men; that of the British 289; see United States, 1861.

was incorporated with Brazil, while another part became independent, as the republic of Uruguay.

Bangalore (S. India) was besieged by the British under lord Cornwallis, 6 March, and taken by storm, 21 March, 1791. Bangalore was restored to Tippoo in 1792, when he destroyed the strong fort, deemed the bulwark of Mysore.

Bangor (Banchor Iskoed, or Monachorum), Flintshire, the site of an ancient monastery, very populous, if it be true that 1200 monks were slain by Ethelfrid, king of the Angles, for praying for the Welsh in their conflict with him in 607.-Tanner.

Bangor (Maine), an important city and lumber market, which has chiefly grown up since 1836. The British held the place for a brief time, 1814.

Bangor (N. Caernarvonshire). The church is dedicated to St. Daniel, who was a bishop, 516. Owen Glendower greatly defaced the cathedral; and the bishop Bulkeley alienated many of the lands, and even sold the bells of the church, 1553. The see is valued in the king's books at 131/. 168. 4d. An order in council, directing that the sees of Bangor and St. Asaph be united on the next vacancy in either, was issued in 1838; but rescinded in 1847. Present income, 4200/

BISHOPS OF BANGOR.

1800. William Cleaver, translated to St. Asaph, 1806.
1806. John Randolph, translated to London, 1809.
1809. Henry William Majendie, died 9 July, 1830.
1830. Christopher Bethell, died 19 April, 1859.
1859. James Colquhoun Campbell.
The cathedral was reopened after restoration, 11 May, 1880.

Bamberg (Bavaria), said to have been founded by Saxons, in 804, and endowed with a church by Charlemagne. It was made a bishopric in 1007, and the bishop was a prince of the empire till the treaty of Luneville, It was incor1801, when Bamberg was secularized. porated with Bavaria in 1803. The noble cathedral, rebuilt in 1110, has been recently repaired. Bamberg was taken and pillaged by the Prussians in 1759. Bamborough, or BAMBURG, Northumberland, according to the "Saxon Chronicle," was built by king Ida about 547, and named Bebbanburgh. The castle and estate, the property of the Forsters, and forfeited to the crown, through their taking part in the rebellion in 1715, were purchased by Nathaniel lord Crewe, bishop" of Durham, and bequeathed by him for various charitable purposes. The valuable library was founded by the trustees in 1778. The books are lent to persons residing within 20 miles of the castle.

John

Bampton Lectures (Theological), delivered at Oxford annually, began in 1780, with a lecture by James Bandinel, D.D. The lecturer is paid out of the proceeds of an estate bequeathed for the purpose by the rev. Bampton (died 1751), and the lectures are published. Among the more remarkable lectures were those by White (1784), Heber (1815), Whately (1822), Milman (1827), Hampden (1832), and Mansel (1858).

Banbury, Oxfordshire, a Saxon town. The castle, erected by Alexander de Blois, bishop of Lincoln, 1125, has been frequently besieged. In 1646 it was taken by the parliamentarians and demolished. At Edgecot or Danesmore, near Banbury, during an insurrection, the army of Edward IV., under the earl of Pembroke, was defeated 26 July, 1469; their leader and his brother Banwere soon after taken prisoners and executed. bury cakes were renowned in the time of Ben Jonson, and Banbury Cross was destroyed by the Puritans. Cakes were presented to the queen at Banbury 30 Nov.

Bangorian Controversy was occasioned by Dr. Benjamin Hoadley, bishop of Bangor, preaching a sermon before George I., 31 March, 1717, upon the text, My kingdom is not of this world" (John xviii. 36), in which he demonstrated the spiritual nature of the church and kingdom of Christ. He thereby drew upon himself the indignation of almost all the clergy, who published hundreds of pamphlets.

Banishment, an ancient punishment. By 39 Eliz. c. 4 (1597) dangerous rogues were to be banished out of the realm, and to be liable to death if they returned; see Transportation.

Bank. The name is derived from banco, a bench, erected in the market-place for the exchange of money. The first was established in Italy, 808, by the Lombard Jews, of whom some settled in Lombard street, London, where many bankers still reside. The Mint in the Tower of London was anciently the depository for merchants' cash, until Charles I. seized the money as a loan, and in 1640 the traders lodged their money with the goldsmiths in Lombard street; see Bank of England; Bankers' Books; Drafts; Savings-banks.

..about B.C. 700 Egibe's bank at Babylon, mentioned. Barcelona bank (earliest existing bank) founded...about 1401 Samuel Lamb, a London banker, recommended the Protector Cromwell to establish a public bank....1656 and 1658 Francis Child, a goldsmith, established a bank about 1663; Run on the London bankers (said to be the first)... Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, see Gentle- Charles II. arbitrarily suspends all payments to bankers men-at-Arms.

1866.

Banda Isles (ten), Eastern Archipelago, visited by the Portuguese in 1511, who settled on them, 1521, but were expelled by the Dutch about 1600. Rohun island was ceded to the English in 1616. The Bandas were taken by the latter in 1796; restored in 1801; retaken in 1811; and restored in Aug. 1816.

Banda Oriental (South America), a portion of the viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres, one part of which, in 1828,

he died.

..4 Oct. 1713

1667

1680 1694

out of the exchequer of moneys deposited there by ..2 Jan. 1672 them; they lost ultimately 3,321,3137.. Hoare's bank began about, Bank of England established (see next article).. Wood's bank at Gloucester, the oldest county bank, esA list of bankers given in the "Royal Kalendar". Forgeries of Henry Fauntleroy, banker; executed.30 Nov. 1824 Act passed permitting establishment of joint stock banks (which see)..

tablished..

1716 1765

1826

Rowland Stephenson, M. P., banker and treasurer of St. Bartholomew's hospital, absconds; defaulter to the amount of 200,000Z.; 70,000/. in exchequer bills (caused .27 Dec. 1828 a great depression among bankers). 1834 Establishment of joint-stock banks.. 24 Nov. 1844 diame-Rogers's bank robbed of nearly 50,0001. (bank-notes afterwards returned). Failure of Strahan, Paul, & Bates (securities unlawfully ..11 June, 1855 used); private banking much injured... They were said to be the invention Cheque Bank (which see), opened in Pall Mall....23 July, 1873

*These were cones of galvanized iron, 16 inches in Each contained 9 or 10 lbs. of pow ter, and 20 inches long. Little damder, with apparatus for firing by sulphuric acid. age was done by them

of the philosopher Jacobi.

Banks in 1855.

Bank of England...

English private banks..

1

196

English joint-stock banks (see Banks,

Joint-stock)....

67

Banks in Scotland...

18

Banks in Ireland..

8

290

Bank of

Venice formed..

Geneva..

Barcelona.

Genoa..

Amsterdam..

Hamburg...

Rotterdam

Stockholm

England..

Scotland...

Copenhagen....

Berlin...

Caisse d'Escompte, France. Ireland...

St. Petersburg..

In the East Indies..

In North America..
France*

Italy..

1826

1827

1830 1833

Notes allowed By the advice of the government, branch banks opened Number. to be issued. at Gloucester, 19 July; Manchester, 21 Sept.; Swansea, 23 Oct. 14,000,000 4,999,444 And at Birmingham, 1 Jan.; Liverpool, 2 July; Bristol, 12 July; Leeds, 23 Aug.; Exeter, 17 Dec.. 3,418,277 The bank loses 360,000l. by Fauntleroy's forgeries; esti3,087,209 mated in... 6,354,494 Statements of the bank affairs published quarterly.. Peel's bank charter act (7 & 8 Vict. c. 32); renews charter 31,859,424 till 1 Aug. 1855, and longer, if the debt due from the public to the bank (11,015,100.), with interest, etc., be not paid after due notice; establishes the issue department; requires weekly returns to be published; limited the issue of notes to 14,000,000l., etc.........19 July, 1844 Commercial panic; lord John Russell authorizes relaxa. tion of restriction of issuing notes (not acted on); bank discount 8 per cent...

1157 1345 1401 1407 1607 1619 1635 1688 1694 1695 1736 1765 1776

1783

1786

1787

1791

1803

1865

Imperial Bank of Germany (formerly of Prussia)..1 Jan. 1876

Bank OF ENGLAND was projected by William Paterson, a Scotch merchant (see Darien), to meet the difficulty experienced by William III. in raising the supplies for the war against France. By the influence of Paterson and Michael Godfrey, 40 merchants subscribed 500,000l. towards the sum of 1,200,000l. to be lent to the government at 8 per cent., in consideration of the subscribers being incorporated as a bank. The scheme was violently opposed in parliament, but the bill obtained the royal assent 25 April, 1694, and the charter was granted 27 July following, appointing sir John Houblon the first governor, and Michael Godfrey the first deputy-governor. The bank commenced active operations on 1 Jan. 1695, at Grocers' Hall, Poultry,† issuing notes for 20l. and upwards, and discounting bills for 4 to 6 per cent. The charter was renewed in 1697, 1708, 1713, 1716, 1721, 1724, 1746, 1749, 1764, 1781, 1800, 1808, 1816, 1833, 1844.Lawson.

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1780 1793 26 Feb. 1797 . March, Bank Restriction Act passed... 3 May, " Voluntary contribution of 200,000l. to the government.. 1798 Loss by Aslett's frauds (see Exchequer), 342,6971.. 1803 Resignation of Abraham Newland, 50 years cashier, 18 Sept. 1807 Bramah's machine for numbering notes adopted.... 1809 The bank issues silver tokens for 38. and 18. 6d...9 July, 1811 Peel's act for the gradual resumption of cash payments, July, 1819

Cash payments for notes to be in bullion at the mint price, 1 May, 1821; in the current coin of the realm..1 May, 1823 Great commercial panic-many 1. notes (accidentally found in a box) issued with most beneficial effects.. Dec. 1825 The act for the establishment of joint-stock banks breaks up the monopoly....

1826

* Instituted by laws passed 14 April, 1803, and 22 April, 1806. The statutes were approved 16 Jan. 1808. In 1810 Napoleon said that its duty was to provide money at all times at 4 per cent. interest.

The foundation of the building in Threadneedle street was laid 1 Aug. 1732, by sir Edward Bellamy, governor, and the bank removed there 5 June, 1734; it was erected by G. Sampson, architect. Great additions have been made from time to time by successive architects: sir Robert Taylor, sir John Soane, and Mr. C. R. Cockerell. It now occupies the site of the church, and nearly all the parish of St. Christopher-le-Stocks. The churchyard is now termed "the garden."

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Committee on the bank acts appointed............. .12 May, 1857 Bank discount 9 per cent.; lord Palmerston authorizes addition to issue of notes [to the amount of 2,000,000l. were issued].... 12 Nov. Committee on the bank acts reappointed, 8 Feb.; report recommending continuance of present state of things, Much alarm through the announcement of the bank solicitor that a quantity of bank paper had been stolen from the makers (forged notes soon appeared). 16 Aug. 1862 The culprits, soon detected, were tried and convicted (see Trials)... .7-12 Jan. 1863 (See Bills, 1873.)

1858, 3 per cent. Feb. 1.

BANK DISCOUNT.

1 July, 1858

1860, (demand for gold in France), 6, Nov. 15. 1861, 7, Jan. 7; 8 (demand for money in France, India, United States, etc.), Feb. 14; 3, Nov. 7.

1862, 24, Jan.; 3, April; 24, July 2; July 24; 3, Oct.-Dec. 1863, raised to 4 per cent., Jan. 16; to 5, Jan. 28; reduced to 4, Feb.; to 3 and 3, April; raised to 4, May; raised to 5, 6, in Nov.; to 7 and 8, and reduced to 7, in Dec. 1864, raised to 8, Jan. 20; reduced to 7, Feb. 12; to 6, Feb. 25; raised to 7, April 16; to 8, May 2; to 9, May 5; reduced to 8, May 19; to 7, May 26; to 6, June 16; raised to 7, July 25; to 8, Aug. 4; to 9, Sept. 5; reduced to 8, Nov. 10; to 7, Nov. 24. 1865, reduced to 54, Jan. 12; to 5, Jan. 20; raised to 54, March 2; reduced to 4, March 30; raised to 44, May 4; reduced to 34, June 1; to 3, June 15; raised to 3, July 27; to 4, Aug. 3; to 4, Sept. 28; to 5, Oct. 2; to 6, Oct. 5; to 7, Oct. 7 (three times in one week); reduced to 6, Nov. 23; raised to 7,

Dec. 28.

1866, raised to 8, Jan. 4; reduced to 7, Feb. 22; to 6, March 15; raised to 7, May 3; to 8, May 8; to 9, May 11 (panic-suspension of Bank Act authorized by government); to 10, May 12; reduced to 8, Aug. 16; to 7, Aug. 23; to 6, Aug. 30; to 5, Sept. 6; to 4, Sept. 27; to 4, Nov. 8; to 3 Dec. 20. 1867, reduced to 3, Feb. 7; to 24, May 30; to 2, July 25. 1868, raised to 2 per cent. Nov. 19; to 3, Dec. 3. 1869, raised to 4, April 1; to 44, May 6; reduced to 4, June 10; to 3, June 24; to 3, July 15; to 2, Aug. 19; raised to 3, Nov. 4. 1870, raised to 34, July 21; to 4, July 23; to 5 (Franco-Prussian war), July 28; to 6, Aug. 4; reduced to 5, Aug. 11; to 41, Aug. 18; to 4, Aug. 25; to 34, Sept. 1; to 3, Sept. 15; to 21, Sept. 29. 1871, raised to 3, March 2; reduced to 24, April 13; to 24, June 15; to 2, July 13; raised to 3, Sept. 21; to 4, Sept. 28; to 5, Oct. 7; reduced to 4, Nov. 16; to 34, Nov. 30; to 3, Dec. 14. 1872, raised to 34, April 4; to 4, April 11; to 5, May 9; reduced to 4, May 30; to 34, June 13; to 3, June 20; raised to 31, July 18; to 4, Sept. 18; to 44, Sept. 26; to 5, Oct. 2; to 6, Oct. 10; to 7, Nov. 9; reduced to 6, Nov. 28; to 5, Dec. 12. 1873, reduced to 41, Jan. 9; to 4, Jan. 23; to 34, Jan. 30; raised to 4, March 26; to 41, May 7; to 5, May 10; to 6, May 17; to 7, June 4; reduced to 6, June 12; to 5, July 10; to 4, July 17; to 4, July 24; to 34, July 31; to 3, Aug. 21; raised to 4, Sept. 25; to 5 (panic in New York), Sept. 29; to 6, Oct. 14; to 7, Oct. 18; to 8, Nov. 1; to 9, Nov. 7; reduced to 8, Nov. 20; to 6, Nov. 27; to 5, Dec. 4; to 44, Dec. 11. 1874, reduced to 4, Jan. 8; to 31, Jan. 15; raised to 4, April 30; reduced to 34, May 28; to 3, June 4; to 24, June 18; raised to 3, July 30; to 4, Aug. 6; reduced to 34, Aug. 20; to 3, Aug. 27; raised to 4, Oct. 15; to 5, Nov. 16; to 6, Nov. 30. 1875, reduced to 5, Jan. 7; to 4, Jan. 14; to 3, Jan. 27; raised to 31, Feb. 18; to 3, July 8; reduced to 24, July 29; to 2, Aug. 12; raised to 21, Oct. 7; to 34, Oct. 14; to 4, Oct. 21; reduced to 3, Nov. 18; raised to 4, Dec. 30. 1876, raised to 5, Jan. 6; reduced to 4, Jan. 27; to 3, March 23; to 3, April 6; to 2, April 20.

1877, raised to 3, May 3; reduced to 24, July 5; to 2, July 12; raised to 3, Aug. 28; to 4, Oct. 4; to 5, Oct. 11; reduced to 4, Nov. 29.

1878, reduced to 3, Jan. 10; to 2, Jan. 31; raised to 3, March 28; reduced to 24, May 30; [minimum omitted in Bank notices, June]; raised to 3, June 27; to 34, July 4; to 4, Aug. 1; to 5, Aug. 12; to 6, Oct. 14; reduced to 5, Nov. 21.

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1694 1708

£1,200,000 | 1716

2,175,027 1721.

..£14,686,000 11,015,700

.£4,175,027 | 1742.
9,100,000 1746............

.£10,700,000 1816.
11,686,000 1844-S1..........

Bank Holidays Act, passed 25 May, 1871, chief- | Lord Eldon's Act appointing commissioners. ly by the instrumentality of sir John Lubbock. BANK HOLIDAYS.-England and Ireland:

Easter Monday, Monday in Whitsun-week, first Monday in August, 26 December (if a week-day).-Scotland: New Year's day, Christmas day (if either falls on Sunday, the following Monday to be a bank holiday), Good Friday, first Monday in May and August.

BANK HOLIDAYS, U. S.-Christmas and New Year's day, 22 February, 30 May, 4 July, and all other legal holidays of the states in which banks are situated.

Bank oF IRELAND. On 9 Dec. 1721, the Irish house of commons rejected a bill for establishing a national bank. Important failures in Irish banks occurred in 1727, 1733, and 1758; this led gradually to the establishment of the Bank of Ireland at St. Mary's abbey, Dublin, 1 June, 1783. The business was removed to the late parliament house, in College Green, in May, 1808. Branch banks of this establishment have been formed in most of the provincial towns in Ireland, all since 1828. Irish Banking Act passed, 21 July, 1845.

Bank OF SAVINGS, see Savings-banks.
Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 39 & 40 Vict.
c. 48, passed 11 Aug. 1876; repealed by a fresh act, 23
May, 1879.

Bankers' Institute, meeting to establish it, 29 May, 1878; sir John Lubbock elected president, 11 March, 1879; first general meeting, 23 May, 1879. (1300 members.)

1825

New Bankruptcy Court erected by 2 Will. IV. c. 56 (Lord
Brougham's Act); official assignees appointed, etc.... 1831
Bills for reforming bankruptcy law were in vain brought
before parliament...

.1859, 1860

Bill by the lord chancellor Westbury (formerly sir R. Bethell), 24 & 25 Vict. c. 134, passed (1861); great changes made; the court for relief of insolvent debtors abolished, and increased powers given to the commissioners in bankruptcy, etc.; the new orders issued,

12 Oct. 1861

By Lord Hatherley's Bankruptcy Act, passed 9 Aug.
1869, a new bankruptcy court was established in place
of the commissioners', which sat last time, when above
300 petitions of bankruptcy were received, 31 Dec.
1869. "Paid trustee system," clauses 125, 126, termed
The
"a gentlemanly way of getting rid of debts."
new judge, the hon. James Bacon, sat..........1 Jan. 1870
Justice Giffard, the judge of the Bankruptcy Appeal
Court, decided (in the case of the duke of Newcastle)
that a peer can be made a bankrupt, Nov. 1869, which
decision was affirmed on appeal to the house of lords
in the following year; other petitions against peers
have been filed. It was decided that bankrupts cannot
.10 Feb. 1871
sit in the house of peers......

BANKRUPTCY DISQUALIFICATION ACT disqualifies a peer
from sitting or voting in parliament, passed...13 July,
Irish bankruptcy laws consolidated in 1836, and further
Scotch bankruptcy laws consolidated in 1856, and further

amended in..

amended in..

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1857

.....6 Aug. 1872

New Bankruptcy Act for Ireland, passed..
Four bankruptcy bills introduced by lord chancellor

Cairns, and withdrawn..

..1876-80

liquidations by arranged compositions; many said to Bankruptcies have diminished through great number of be fraudulent; 3651 of these in 1870; 11,976 in 1879; about 20,000,000!. wasted.

Bankrupt (signifying either bank or bench broken), New bankruptcy bill brought in by Mr. Chamberlain,

a trader declared to be unable to pay his just debts. The laws on the subject (1543, 1571 et seq.) were consolidated and amended in 1825, 1849, 1852, 1854, 1861, 1868, and 1869; see Debtors.

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