B R '1 
BRO 
B R O 
272 
feet six inches in rise, being a segment of a 
circle ot 480 feet. The blocks of which the 
ribs are composed, are similar to those in the 
"VVearmouth-bridge, except that these have 
only two concentric arcs instead of three, as 
at the latter. The arcs are cast hollow, and 
the blocks connected by means of dowels and 
keys ; thus obviating the great defect observ- 
ed at \\ earmouth, of having so much ham- 
mered iron exposed to the action of the air. 
Four ribs form the width of the arch, which 
are connected together by cross frames. 
The spandrels are filled, with circles which 
support a covering of iron plates an inch 
thick : on this is laid the road-way twenty- 
seven feet wide. Two hundred and seventy 
tons are the weight of the iron employed in 
the bridge, and three hundred and thirty of 
the road-way. See Plate. 
BRIEF, any writ in writing issued out of 
any of the kings courts of record at West- 
minster, whereby any thing is commanded 
to be done in order to justice. 
Briefs for collecting charity are to be read 
in all churches and chapels within two months 
after receipt thereof, and the sums thereby 
collected shall be paid over to the undertaker 
ot briefs, within six months after the delivery 
of the briefs under penalty of 20/. 
Brief also signifies an abridgment of the 
client’s case made out for the instruction of 
counsel, on a trial at law, which is to be fully 
but briefly stated. 
Briefs apostolical, letters which .the pope 
dispatches to princes, or other magistrates, 
relating to any public, affair. These briefs 
are distinguished from bulls, the latter being 
more ample and always written on parch- 
ment a“nd sealed with lead or green wax, 
whereas briefs are very concise, written on 
paper, sealed with red wax, and with the seal 
of the fisherman, or St. Peter in a boat. 
BRIGADE, in the military art, a party or 
division of a body of soldiers, whether horse 
or foot, under the command of a brigadier. 
An army is divided into brigades of horse 
and brigades of foot : a brigade of horse is 
a body ot eight or ten squadrons; a brigade of 
toot, consists of four, five, or six battalions. 
Brigade-major is an officer appointed 
by the brigadier, to assist him in t lie manage- 
ment and ordering of his brigade. 
BRIGADIER is the general officer who j 
has the command of a brigade. The eldest 
colonels are generally advanced to this post. 
He that is upon duty is brigadier of the day. 
They march at the head of their own bri- 
gades, and are allowed a serjeant and ten 
men of their own brigade for their guard. 
BRIGANTINE, a coat of mail, a kind of | 
antient defensive armour, consisting of thin 
jointed scale's of plate, pliant and easy to the 
body. 
BRIMSTONE. See Sulphur. Brim- 
stone medals, figures, &c. may be cast from 
a composition consisting of equal weights of 
sulphur and vermilion melted together, and 
when cleared it. may be cast in a mould 
smeared with oil. If it should change to a 
yellowish hue, wet it with aquafortis and it 
will have the appearance of tine coral. 
BRINE-BANS, the pits in which salt- 
water is retained, and suffered to stand, to 
bear the action ot the sun, by which it is con- 
verted into salt. 
Brine-pit, the salt spring from which the 
water to be boiled into salt is taken. 'There 
are many of these springs in this country; 
that at I'santwich, in Cheshire, is said to he 
sufficient to yield salt for the whole king- 
dom. 
BRING-to, in naval affairs, to check or 
ret ard the velocity, or rate of sailing of a ship, 
by arranging the sails in such a manner, 
that they shall counteract each other, and 
thus prevent her either from advancing a- 
head, or getting stern-way. 
BRINING of grain; the practice of im- 
mersing it in some sort of liquor or pickle 
to prevent the smut, or other diseases, and 
also to guard it from the ravages of insects. 
Mr. Arthur Young, in his Farmer’s Calen- 
dar, says, that from various experiments it 
appears that steeping wheat from twelve to 
twenty-four hours in a lye of wood-ashes, in 
lime-water, and in a solution of arsenic, gave 
clean crops from extremely smutty seed. 
Brining of hay, the blending of salt with 
hay in the operation of stacking, to pre- 
serve and render it palatable. This practice 
is useful in rainy seasons, and it prevails 
chiefly in America. 
BRISTLE, a thick glossy kind of hair, 
with which the swine kind are more especi- 
ally covered. They are hard, transparent, 
horny substances, of a pvismatical figure, with- 
out any appearance of cavities or pores in 
them. • Cat’s bristles, or whiskers, have a 
solid pith in the middle. Hog’s bristles con- 
stitute an important article ot’ exportation in 
Russia ; those imported into this country 
pay a heavy duly. 
Bristle-dice, a sort of false dice, fur- 
nished with a piece of hog’s -bristle stuck in 
the corners, to prevent them from fallimr on 
certain sides, and to make them run high or J 
low at pleasure. 
BRISTOL-water. See Mineral Wa- j 
TERS. j 
BRIZA, in botany, quaking grass: a genus | 
of the dig) nia order, and triandria class of ! 
plants; and in the natural method ranking! 
under the 4th order, gramina. The calyx I 
is two-valvec), and inultitiorous ; the spicula i 
bifarious, with the small valves heart-shaped ; 
and blunt, and the inner one small in pro- j 
portion to the rest. There are six species 
of briza: two of which are natives of Britain, 
viz. 
1 . Briza media, the middle quaking-grass, 
and 
2. Briza minor, the small quaking-grass. 
Both grow in pasture grounds. The briza 
maxima is a native of the south of Europe, 
ami is a very ornamental plant in gardens. 
BROCADE, a stuff of gold, silver, or silk, 
raised and enriched with (lowers, foliages, and 
other ornaments, according to the fancy of 
the merchants or manufacturers. Formerly 
th.e word signified only a stuff, woven allot’ 
gold, both in the warp and in the woof, or 
all of silver, or of both mixed together; 
thence it passed to those of stuffs in which 
there was silk mixed, to raise and terminate 
the gold or silver flowers : but now all stuffs, 
even those of silk alone, whether they are 
grograms of 'Fours or of Naples, satins, and 
even tabetics or lutestrings, if they are 
but adorned and worked with some flowers, 
or other figures, are called brocades. 
BROKER, a name given to persons of 
several and very different professions, the 
chief of which are exchange-brokers, stock- 
brokers, pawn-brokers, and brokers simply 
so called, who sell, household furniture, and 
second-hand apparel. 
Brokers, exchange, are a kind of agents, 
or negotiators, who contrive, propose, and 
conclude bargains between merchants, and 
between merchants and tradesmen, in matters 
of bills of exchange, or merchandise, for 
which they have so much commission. These, 
by th.e statute of 8 and 9 William III. are to 
be licensed in London by the lord-mayor, who 
administers to them an oath, and takes bond 
for the faithful execution of their offices. If 
any person shall act as broker, without being 
thus licensed and admitted, he shall forfeit 
the sum of 500/. and persons employing him 
Si. and brokers are to register contracts, &c. j 
under the like penalty; also brokers shall not 
deal for themselves, on pain of forfeiting j 
200/. 'They are to carry about with them a j 
silver medal, having the king’s arms, and the ] 
arms of the city, and pay 4t).y. a year to the ; 
chamber of the city. 
The exchange-brokers make it their bush 
ness to know the alteration of the course of ' 
exchange, to inform merchants how it goes, 
and to give notice to those who have money I 
. to receive, or pay, beyond sea ; they are the i 
proper persons for negotiating the exchange, 
and when the matter is accomplished, that is, 
when the money for the bill is paid, and the 
bill delivered, tnevhave for brokerage 2s. for 
100/. sterling. 
Brokers, stock, are those employed to ] 
buy and sell shares in the joint stock of a j 
company, or in the public funds. r j he ne- 
gotiations of these brokers are regulated by 
certain acts of parliament, which among other 
things enact, that contracts in tfie nature of, 
wagers, incur a penalty of 500/. and by the | 
sale of stock, ot which the seller is not pos- 
sessed, and which he does not transfer, a for- 
feit of 100/,; and contracts for the sale of 
any stock, of which the contractors are not 
actually possessed, or to which they are not 
entitled, are void, and the parties agreeing 
to sell, &c. incur a penalty of 500/. ; and 
that brokers keep a book in which all con- j 
tracts, &c. shall be regularly entered. 
Brokers, paten, are persons who keep j 
shops, and let out money, to necessitous ; 
people, upon pledges, on interest. This j 
trade is regulated by statutes, which prevent j 
the demand of exorbitant interest; which 
prohibit pawnbrokers from purchasing goods j 
in their custody, and from lending money to 
any person appearing to be under twelve 
years of age, or intoxicated. Pawnbrokers 
are to place in their shops, a table of rates j 
allowed by act of parliament ; they are sub- 1 
ject also to divers other restrictions, evi- ] 
dently intended as a security to the poor, | 
whose ’ exigencies or misfortunes oblige them i 
to part with their property, to satisfy their 
most pressing wants. 
BROMELIA, the pine-apple; See Plate I 
Nat. Hist. fig. t>4. a genus of the monogynia j 
order, and hexandria class of plants ; and in 1 
the natural method ranking under the tenth 
order, coronariai. The essential character | 
is calyx, trifid, superior: corolla with nec- j 
tareous scales at the base of each berry, three- j 
celled. There are nine species of which the j 
following are the most remarkable : 
1. Bromelia ananas, with leaves very like ] 
some sorts of aloes, but not so thick and suc- 
culent, which are strongly armed with black 
spines. From the centre of the plant arises 
