953 



BALTIMORE. 



BAMBARRA. 



851 



rising. Celsius, a century ago, calculated from some traditional data, 

 that this rise amounted to about 45 inches in a century. It is certain 

 that, especially along the Gulf of Bothnia, and still more to the north 

 of the Quarken, several tracts are now dry land which were formerly 

 covered by the sea ; as for instance near Torneo, some places which 

 were passed over in boats by the French astronomers when they 

 measured a degree, are now changed into meadows. As however this 

 portion of the gulf receives very numerous, large, and rapid rivers, 

 which bring down great quantities of stones and earthy matter, it 

 seems not improbable that these changes have been produced by the 

 action of the rivers. 



The Baltic is called by the Germans, Danes, and Swedes, Ostaee, or 

 Eastern Sea. It is uncertain whence the name of Baltic is derived. 

 In a speculation of Dr. Latham's in Smith's ' Greek and Roman 

 Geography,' it is derived from Baltia, a name given to an island oif 

 the coast of Scythia by Pliny (xxxvii. 7). Dr. Latham believes further 

 that the Danish island of Fyen or Sealand, or both, represents Baltia, and 

 that the name of Belli given to the channel by the Danish islands and 

 Jutland, also originated in the ancient Baltia. The term Baltic was 

 first used by Adam of Bremen, a monk of the 1 2th century, in his 

 description of the Baltic and the countries about it. In the Lithuanian 

 language, which probably had some affinity with that of the ancient 

 Prussians, balta signifies ' white ;' and it would seem that seas which 

 in winter are partly covered with ice have frequently been called 

 White Seas. 



(Catteau's Tableau de la Mer Baltique; Travels of Von Buch, 

 Thompson, Schubert.) 



BALTIMORE. [CORK, County of.] 



BALTIMORE, a considerable city in the county of the same name 

 in the state of Maryland, in the United States of America. Baltimore 

 in sitimtod on the north side of the river Patapsco, and between it and 

 Gunpowder River, both of which streams empty themselves into 

 Chesapeake Bay on the west side near its head. The county is sepa- 

 rated from Ann Arundel county on the south and south-west by the 

 Patapsco, and from Harford county on the east and north-east by the 

 Gunpowder. On the west and north-west it joins Frederick county, 

 has Pennsylvania on the north, and is bounded by Chesapeake Bay 

 on the south-east. 



In 1729 an act was passed by the proprietary government of Mary- 

 land for erecting a town on the north side of the Patapsco, and in the 

 following year it was laid out and called Baltimore, from the name of 

 the founder of the colony of Maryland. For many years it did not 

 flourish, and in 1765 it contained only about fifty houses. The rapid 

 extension of the place may be ascribed to its position, which is favour- 

 able for foreign trade. 



The town of Baltimore is built round a basin which forms one of the 

 securest harbours in the United States, and is capable of containing 

 2000 sail of merchant-ships. The entrance to this harbour, which is 

 narrow, is defended by a fort. The harbour is generally deep enough 

 to receive ships of large burden, but only small vessels can go quite 

 up to the town. As from its formation vessels can only depart from 

 thia harbour with the wind in a particular quarter, it is usual for 

 large ships to load and unload in a harbour near the mouth of the 

 basin, which in formed by a neck of land called Fell's Point. For the 

 convenience of being near to the shipping many stores and houses 

 have been built on this point, and these are now so numerous as to be 

 joined to and form a part of the city of Baltimore. 



The exports of Baltimore consist principally of tobacco, wheat, 

 wheat-flour, maize, hemp, and flax ; and its imports of colonial pro- 

 duce and the principal European products and manufactures. Much 

 of the export trade formerly carried on at this port has been transferred 

 to New York. Attempts have been made to revive the commercial 

 activity of Baltimore by the construction of railways and canals. 



Baltimore is laid out with regularity ; the streets, some of which are 

 of considerable width, are generally at right angles to each other. The 

 town contains several large and handsome churches. The cathedral con- 

 tains a fine organ. The citizens have erected a monument to General 

 AVafihington : the statue, which is 15 feet high, is placed on a circular 

 pedestal which stands on a base 50 feet square ; the summit is 160 feet 

 from the ground, and as a spot has been chosen for the erection of the 

 monument which is 100 feet above high- water mark, the statue is a 

 very conspicuous object : it was sculptured in Italy. 



The progress of the town may be seen from the following statement 

 of it* population at various periods : 

 1775, 5,934 



1820, 62,738 



1830, 80,625 



1840, 134,379 



1850, 169,012 



1790, 13,503 

 1800, 26,614 

 1810, 46,555 



During the last war between England and America fin September, 

 1814), an attack was made upon this city by the British troops under 

 'il Rogs. The assailants were repulsed by the citizens with con- 

 siderable lorn on both sides. To commemorate this event the inhabit- 

 ants have erected a monument of marble 35 feet in height, which 

 tli^y call the battle monument, and upon which are inscribed the 

 < of their fellow-citizens who fell on the occasion. 



ivenrity of Maryland, which was incorporated by the state 

 in 1812, is situated in Baltimore, and had in 1851 in its medical school 

 100 student*, under the care of six professors. The Washington 



Medical College, which was incorporated in 1833, also in Baltimore, 

 had 25 students in 1851. Another institution for more general 

 education, which is called St. Mary's College, is under the direction 

 of Roman Catholics. It was founded in 1791, and has a library of 

 19,600 volumes, with a good collection of philosophical and chemical 

 apparatus. 



Baltimore sends two members to the House of Delegates, and one 

 member to the Senate of the state of Maryland. 



The city is about 34 miles N.E. from Washington, and 83 miles 

 W.S.W. from Philadelphia. It is situated in 39" 19' N. lat., and 76" 44' 

 W. long. 



(Thompson's A fyedo ; Hall's Travels in A merica ; A merican A Imanac ; 

 Papers Presented to Congress.) 



BALTINGLASS, county of Wicklow, Ireland, a post-town and the 

 seat of a Poor-Law Union, in the parish of Baltinglasa and barony of 

 Upper Talbotstown, is situated on the river Slaney in the moun- 

 tainous district of Wicklow, in 62 56' N. lat., 6 43' W. long. ; distant 

 37 miles S.S.W. from Dublin: the population in 1851 was 1572 in the 

 town, 1016 in the workhouse, 12 in the fever hospital, and 35 in the 

 bridewell. Baltinglass Poor-Law Union comprises 28 elec^al divi- 

 sions, with an area of 139,108 acres, and a population in 1841 of 

 38,305, in 1851 of 27,324. 



Baltinglass formerly possessed a considerable trade in the manufac- 

 ture of linens, woollens, and diapers. Its trade ia now confined to 

 bleaching. The town ia well built and is agreeably situated. It pos- 

 sesses a good market-place, an infirmary, a dispensary, a bridewell, 

 and a savings bank. Quarter and petty sessions are held. The county 

 constabulary have a station here. Ten fairs are held in the course of 

 the year. The parish church, standing in the valley a little above the 

 town, comprises a portion of the ancient Cistercian abbey, called 

 De Valla Salutis, founded here by Dermot MacMurrogh, king of 

 Leinster, about the middle of the 12th century. The abbot's castle 

 adjoining, in later times occupied by the Lords Baltinglass, remains 

 in good preservation. Baltinglass before the Union sent two members 

 to the Irish Parliament. An eminence on the east is crowned by a 

 remarkable ancient entrenchment called Rathcoran. 



BAMBARRA is an extensive country in the interior of Northern 

 Africa. On the west it extends to 5 W. long., and on the east 

 probably at least to the meridian of Greenwich. Towards the north 

 it is bounded by the great desert of the Sahara, about 16 N. lat., 

 and to the south it extends perhaps to about 9 N. lat. It derives 

 its name from the Bambarras, a tribe of negroes who are the native 

 occupants of this part of Africa. 



The eastern and greater part of the country is a plain, slightly 

 undulating, and intersected by rivers of considerable size, which in 

 the rainy season overflow their banks, and inundate considerable 

 tracts of land. Along the banks of the principal river of the country 

 (the Joliba) a dead flat of great extent lies on both sides. A con- 

 siderable part of this division has been changed into marshes by the 

 annual inundations of the rivers. The western or less extensive half 

 is hilly and even mountainous, comprehending the eastern declivities 

 of an extensive mountain system called the KONQ MOUNTAINS. 



The climate is various. It is sultry and oppressive in the plains, 

 especially on the boundary of the Great Desert, but where the country 

 rises into hills the air is comparatively cool. About the middle 

 of June violent gusts of wind accompanied by thunder and rain 

 usher in the rainy season, which continues till the month of 

 November. During this time the diurnal rains are very heavy, and 

 the prevailing winds are from the south-west. The termination of 

 the rainy season is likewise attended with violent tornadoes, after 

 which the wind shifts to the north-east, and continues to blow from 

 that quarter for the rest of the year. The north-east wind changes the 

 face of the country : the grass soon becomes dry and withered ; the 

 rivers subside very rapidly, and many of the trees shed their leaves. 



The principal river is the Niger, here called Joliba or D'joliba, that 

 is, 'the great water,' or 'the great river.' [NIGER.] Where this river 

 descends from the mountain region it forms some cataracts near 

 Bammakoo, not far from the western boundary of Bambarra. From 

 this point it runs through the hilly country and the plain, commonly 

 between extremely low banks towards the east, north-east, and north- 

 north-east. Numerous villages and some considerable places, as Sego, 

 Sansanding, Silla, and Jennde, stand upon this stream. Below Sego 

 the river divides into two branches, which again unite at Isaca, a 

 village situated at a considerable distance below Jennde. Afterwards 

 it falls into the eastern part of a large lake called D'ebbee or D'ebo, 

 and issuing from itbn the northern side passes to Timbuctoo. In this 

 tract the river is navigated by vessels of from 60 to 80 tons burden, 

 and drawing six or seven feet water. No considerable river joins it in 

 its course through Bambarra from the north ; but from the south it 

 receives many tributaries, as the Bagoe and the Koraba. The Koraba 

 is navigated by vessels of 60 or 80 tons burden. 



Of the mineral wealth of Bambarra not much is known. Iron 

 seems to abound in many districts, and utensils of this metal arc 

 made and exported to the neighbouring countries. Salt is imported 

 in largo quantities from the Sahara and the coast of Guinea. 



Among the vegetables cultivated are maize, millet, cassava, yams, 

 cotton, and water-melons; also French beans and onions. In the 

 rainy season cabbages, carrots, and turnips are raised. Tobacco is 



