BENZINE 



689 



.BERESFORD 



pounds obtained from it. One of these, nitro- 

 benzene, has the odor of bitter almonds and is 

 used to produce the flavor of almonds in 

 essences and perfumery, but its chief use is in 

 the manufacture of aniline. Benzene is some- 

 times called benzol. It should not be confused 

 with benzine, which is obtained from the dis- 

 tillation of petroleum. See ANILINE; BENZINE. 



BENZINE, ben' zin or ben' zeen, a light 

 colorless liquid obtained in refining crude petro- 

 leum. It has an odor resembling that of kero- 

 sene, is very inflammable, and evaporates 

 rapidly when exposed to the air. When mixed 

 with air its vapor is highly explosive, and seri- 

 ous accidents may occur if a lighted pipe or 

 cigar, or a lighted match or lamp is brought 

 near benzine exposed to the air. Bringing it 

 near a hot stove may also cause an explosion. 

 Benzine is used for cleaning type and rollers 

 of presses in printing offices, for removing spots 

 from clothing, for dissolving fats, oils and 

 resins, and in the manufacture of illuminating 

 gas. See PETROLEUM. J.F.S. 



BENZOATE, ben' zo ate, OF SODA, a com- 

 pound of soda and benzoic acid, used to a 

 considerable extent in preserving food sub- 

 stances that are liable to decay or ferment 

 from exposure to the air. The Federal, gov- 

 ernment allows benzoate of soda to be used in 

 quantities not larger than one-tenth of one 

 per cent, careful investigation by the Referee 

 Board of the Department of Agriculture having 

 shown that such small quantities are not injur- 

 ious to health. On account of the prejudice 

 existing against it, however, many manufac- 

 turers of foods prefer to avoid its use. J.F.S. 



BEOWULF, ba' o wool}, an Anglo-Saxon epic 

 poem, the most important relic of Old English 

 literature. The only existing manuscript of 

 this was written about A. D. 1000 and may now 

 be seen in the British Museum. The poem 

 recounts the adventures of the hero Beowulf, 

 especially his delivery of the Danish kingdom 

 from the half-human monster Grendel and his 

 equally formidable mother, the slaughter of a 

 fiery dragon and the death of the hero from 

 wounds received in the conflict. The character 

 of the hero is attractive through his noble 

 simplicity and disregard of self. In imagina- 

 tive quality and strength this poem compares 

 well with the epics of Homer. 



BERBERS, bur 'burs, the people of the 

 Mediterranean coast of Africa. Their name 

 and the word Barbary are probably derived 

 from the Greek Barbaras, which meant one 

 who babbles hence, anyone who did not talk 

 44 



Greek, that is, a foreigner. Our word bar- 

 barian is from the same source. 



Berbers are often nearly black, with shiny 

 brown hair. They are sparely built, not tall, 

 but strong and graceful. They cultivate the 

 land after a primitive fashion, and raise many 

 sheep, goats and camels. They live usually in 

 tents, but are finding their way into towns in 

 increasing numbers. There are three distinct 

 types, known as Tuaregs, Kabyles and Shil- 

 luhs. The Tuaregs are desert wanderers, 

 dreaded, by all peaceful tribes, and call them- 

 selves "Amazirg," meaning the free. The 

 Kabyles and Shilluhs have been brought more 

 under the influence of civilization. 



BEREA, be re' a, COLLEGE, a school at 

 Berea, Ky., founded in 1855 for the purpose of 

 educating both white and negro youths of both 

 sexes. It is situated in the Cumberland Moun- 

 tains and has gained a wide reputation by 

 providing courses of study and methods of 

 training especially suited to the needs of the 

 mountain people of this region. Most of its 

 students come from the mountain sections of 

 Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia 

 and West Virginia. It has a model school, and 

 industrial, academic, normal, collegiate, com- 

 mercial and music departments. Since 1904 

 the work for whites and negroes has been car- 

 ried on in separate institutions, by requirement 

 of the state law. 



Berea College is non-sectarian, has about 55 

 professors, over 1,700 students, and a library 

 of 25,000 volumes. 



BERESFORD, her' esjerd, LORD CHARLES 

 WILLIAM DE LA POER (1846- ), a British ad- 

 miral who rendered great assistance .in raising 

 the British navy to a high state of efficiency. 

 Entering the navy in 1868, he gave indication 

 at once of great ability and proved gallantry in 

 action. At the bombardment of Alexandria 

 in 1882, while in command of H. M. S. Condor, 

 he distinguished himself and received special 

 recognition. Entering Parliament soon after- 

 wards, he devoted his energies to forcing on 

 the government' a complete reorganization of 

 the naval program. In this he was only par- 

 tially successful, and he brought on himself the 

 enmity of the Admiralty, or navy department. 

 In 1906, however, he was appointed com- 

 mander-in-chief of the Channel Fleet. In 1910, 

 his term of command having expired, he was 

 again returned to Parliament as member for 

 Portsmouth. Owing to his advanced age he 

 did not take a command in the War of the 

 Nations. 



