BAS 
BAS 
EAS 
white ; but if an excess of barytes water is 
added, the precipitates are redissolved. 
Barytes does not combine with the alka- 
lies. Its component parts are unknown ; but 
it resembles the alkalies in so many of its 
properties, that it is thought the composition 
of both is analogous. 
BASALT ES, in natural history, a kind of 
stone of a very tine texture, of a deep glossy 
black, resembling that of polished steel, and 
mixed with no other colour, nor any extra- 
neous matter of any kind. The most re- 
markable quality of this stone is its figure, 
being never found in strata, but standing up 
in the form of regular angular columns, com- 
posed of a number of joints, one placed on 
and nicely iitted to another, as if formed by 
the hands of a skilful workman. It is re- 
markably hard and heavy, will not strike fire 
with steel, and is a fine touchstone. 
The basaltes was originally found in co- 
lumns in Ethiopia, in fragments in the river 
Tmolus, and some other places; w r e now 
have it frequently", both in columns and 
small pieces, in Spain, Russia, Poland, near 
Dresden, and in Silesia ; but the noblest store 
in the world seems to be that called the 
giant’s causeway in Ireland, where it rises 
far up in the country, runs into the sea, 
crosses its bottom, and rises again on the 
opposite land. 
The constituent parts of this mineral are : 
Silex - 44 
Alumina - 16 
Oxyd of iron 16 
Lime - 9 
Water - 5 
Soda - 4 
Muriatic acid 1 
95. 
Besides the use of basalt in building and 
paving, it is now employed as an ingredient 
5n the manufacture of glass bottles: and 
when calcined and pulverized it makes ex- 
cellent mortar, which has the property of 
hardening under water. 
A dispute is still carried on in the philo- 
sophical world concerning the origin of 
basaltes ; some considering it as a crystal- 
lization in w r ater, others regarding it as a 
species of lava. 
BASARUCO, in commerce, a small base 
coin in the East Indies, being made only of 
very bad tin. 
BASE, in geometry, the lowest side of the 
perimeter of a figure : thus, the base of a 
triangle may be said of any of its sides, but 
more properly of the lowest, or that which is 
parallel to the horizon. In rectangled tri- 
angles, the base is properly that side opposite 
to the right angle. 
Base of a solid figure, the lowest side, or 
that on which it stands ; and if the solid has 
two opposite parallel plane sides, and one of 
them is the base, then the other is called the 
base also. 
Base of a conic section, a right line in the 
hyperbola and parabola, arising from the com- 
mon intersection of the secant plane, and the 
base of the cone. 
Base, in architecture, is used for any body 
which bears another, but particularly for the 
lower part of a column and pedestal. 
The base of a column is that part between 
the shaft and the pedestal, if there be any 
pedestal, or if there be none, between the 
shaft and the plinth, or zocle. The base is 
different in the different orders. See Plates 
Architecture. 
Base, in fortification, the exterior side of 
the polygon, or that imaginary line which is 
drawn from the flanked angle of a bastion to 
the angle opposite to it. 
Base, in gunnery, the least sort of ord- 
nance, the diameter of whose bore is If inch, 
weight 200 pounds, length 4 feet, load 5 
pound, shot Impound weight, and diameter 
If inch. 
Base line, in perspective, the common 
section of a picture, and the geometrical 
plane. 
Base, or Basis. By this term modern che- 
mists express either species or families of sa- 
line matters, which differ with regard to the 
aeidfcbut agree as to the alkali, earth, or me- 
tallic oxyd, which they r contain. Thus, salts 
with the base of potash include all those 
which are formed by the combination of the 
several acids with potash. Salts with an al- 
kaline base comprehend those, the bases of 
which are potash, soda, or ammonia, as dis- 
tinguished from those with earthy or metallic 
bases. 
Tim term base is used to denote species ; 
as when we say sulphuric acid is composed of 
oxygen united with a base of sulphur: the 
vegetable acids consist of oxygen and com- 
pound base of hydrogen and carbon. The 
term is also used more indefinitely ; as phos- 
phate of lime is the base of animal bone, azote 
is the base of muscular fibre; that is, the cha- 
racteristic or principal part. 
Base, in law. Base estate, such as base 
tenants have in their hands. Base tenure, the 
holding by villenage or other customary ser- 
vices, as distinguished from the higher tenures 
in capite, or by military service. Base fee, is 
to hold in fee at the will of the lord, as dis- 
tinguished from soccage tenure. Base court, 
any court not of record. 
BASELLA, climbing nightshade, from 
Malabar, a genus of the pentandria class of 
plants and trigynia order, and in the natural 
method ranking under the 12th order, holo- 
raceae. The calyx is wanting ; the corolla is 
seven-cleft, with the two opposite divisions 
broader, and at last berried ; there is one seed. 
There are four species, but the two following 
suffice to give an idea of the plant : 
1. Basella alba, with oval, waved, flaccid 
leaves, and small flowers and fruit. These 
plants will climb to a considerable height, and 
send forth a great number of branches ; so 
they should lie trained up to a trellis, or fas- 
tened to the back of the stove, otherwise they 
will twist themselves about whatever plants 
stand near them. 
2. Basella rubra, with red leaves and sim- 
ple footstalks, has thick, strong, succulent 
stalks and leaves, which are of a deep purple 
colour. This plant will climb to the height 
of 10 or 12 feet, provided it is kept in a stove. 
The flowers have no great beauty, but it is 
cultivated on account of the odd appearance 
of its stalks and leaves, and the flowers of a 
whitish green colour tipped with purple. 
The berries are said to he used for staining 
calicoes in India. Mr. Miller assures us, 
that he has seen a very beautiful colour drawn 
from them, but which did not continue long 
when used in painting, lie is of opinion, 
however, that a method of fixing the colour 
20 ; 
might be invented, in which case the plant 
would be very useful. T his, the Scotch En- 
cyclopedists apprehend, might be accom- 
plished by means of solution of tin in aqua 
regia, which has a surprising effect both in 
brightening and giving durability to other ve- 
getable colours. Both species are propagated 
from seeds, which should be sown in a mo- 
derate hotbed in spring, and treated after- 
wards as stove plants. 
BASEMENT, the lower part or story of 
a building, when it is in the form of a pedes- 
tal, with a base or plinth, die, and cortice or 
plat-band. 
BASHAW, a Turkish governor of a pro- 
vince, city, or other district. 
Bashaws include beglerbegs; and sometimes 
sangiacbegs; though a distinction is some- 
times made, and the name bashaw" is appro- 
priated to the middle sort, or such as have 
two ensigns or horse-tails carried before 
them. r lhose who have the honour of three 
tails, are called beglerbegs ; and those who 
have only 7 one, sangiacbegs. 
BASIL, in botany. See Ocymum. 
Basil, among joiners, the sloping edge of 
a chisel, or of the iron of a plane, to work on 
soft wood : they usually make the basil twelve 
degrees, and for hard wood eighteen; it being 
remarked, that the more acute the basil is, 
the better the instrument cuts ; and the more 
obtuse, the stronger and fitter it is for ser- 
vice. 
Basil, order of St., the most antient of all 
the religious orders, was very famous in the 
East. It passed into the West about the year 
1057, anti was held in great esteem, especially 
in Italy 7 . By" their rules, the Italian monks 
of that order fast every Friday in the year: 
they eat meat but three times a week, and 
then but once a day : they work all together 
at certain hours of the day : their habit is 
nearly like that of the Benedictines, and they 
wear a small beard like the fathers of the 
mission. 
BASILIC, in antient architecture, a term 
used for a large hall, or public place, with 
isles, porticos, galleries, tribunals, &c. where 
princes sat and administered justice in person. 
BASILICA, in anatomy, the interior 
branch of the axillary vein, running the whole 
length of the arm. 
BASILICON, in pharmacy, an epithet for 
a great many compositions to be found in the 
antient medicinal writers : but it more par- 
ticularly denotes an officinal ointment, com- 
posed of wax, resin, pitch, and oil of olives, 
from hence called tetrapharmacum. 
BAS1LICS, a body of the Roman laws, 
translated into Greek. The basilics compre- 
hend the institutes, digests, code, novels, 
and some edicts, of Justinian and other em- 
perors. 
BASILICUS, in astronomy, cor leonis, a 
fixed star of the first magnitude in the con- 
stellation Leo. 
BASILIDJANS, in church history, a 
branch of gnostics who maintained that 
Christ’s body was only a phantom, and that 
Simon the Cyrenean suffered in his stead. 
BASILISK, in military affairs, a large piece 
of ordnance, being a forty-eight p under, 
arid weighing about seven thousand two hun- 
dred pounds. 
BASKETS of earth, in the military art, 
called by the French corbeilles, are small 
baskets used in sieges, on the parapet of a 
