Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/517

LEFT BAEOCCO 425 BAaONET BAEOCCO, or BAROQUE, a terra ap- plied to the last phase of the classic re- 'ival of the fine arts in Italy. Its gen- eral tendency was away from the classic refinement and restraint, in the direcrlon of ostentation. Much of the work is with- out meaning and at times vulgar. It found its expression chiefly in architec- ttire, where many examples still exist in Italy and throughout Europe. BAEODA, the second city of Guzerat, and third in the presidency of Bombay, India; capital of the native state of the same name. It is 248 miles N. of Bom- bay, has several palaces, Hindu and other temples, contains the chief court of the state, a high class school, and two ver- nacular schools. Baroda occupies an im- portant situation between the coast and the interior, and its trade is consider- able. Pop. about 100,000. The state has an area of 8,182 square mUes and a pop- ulation of over 2.000.000. The soil is fertile; ruined temples, deserted towns and t-anks half filled with mud are a witness of former prosperity. In the N. division there is a famous breed of large white cattle; grain, cotton, tobacco, sugar-cane, and oU seeds are the chief agricultural products, and grow lux- uriantly. BAEOMETEE, an instrument used for measuring the atmospheric pressure. The most common form of barometer is what is called a cistern barometer. It consists essentially of a straight glass tube about 33 inches long, fijfled with mercury, and dipping into a cistern of the same metal. It is af&xed to a stand, on the upper part of which is a grad- uated scale to mark the height in inches at which the mercury stands. When complete, a thermometer stands side by side with it to note the temperature at which the pressure of the atmosphere is tested. Gay-Lussac's barometer is in the form of a siphon. It has two scales with a common zero point, and graduated in contrary directions. As the one branch, the shorter one. corresponds to the cis- tern, and the other or longer one to the tube, the difl'erence between the two levels is the true height of the mercury. A barometer is popularly termed a weather glass. In order to adapt it for this purpose Hooke devised what is called the wheel barometer. It is a siphon ba- rometer, having in its shorter leg a float, i string from which passes over a pul- ley, and is connected with a weight some- what lighter than the float. To the pul- ley is affixed a needle, which moves round a circle graduated to represent the dif- ferent variations in the weather. Speak- ing broadly, a barometer rises for good and falls for bad weather, but there are exceptions to this rule. BAEOX, in the feudal system of the Middle Ages, the title baron, derived from the Latin vara, which signifies a man, and, sometimes, a servant, was given, at first, to the immediate tenant of any superior. In old records, the citizens of London are so styled. This title was introduced by William the Con- queror into England, from Normandy, and used to signify an immediate vassal of the crown, who had a seat and vote in the royal court and tribunals, and, sut-sequently, in the House of Peers. It was the second rank of nobility, until dukes and marquises were introduced, and placed above the earls, and viscounts also set above the barons. In Germany, the ancient barons of the empire were the immediate vassals of the crown. They appeared in the imperial court and diet, and belonged to the high nobility. But these ancient feudatories were early elevated to the rank of counts or princes. The modem barons only form a rank of lower nobility after the counts. In Eng- land, baron is the lowest grade of raiJc in the House of Lords. A baron is styled right honorable, and his children enjoy the prefix of honorable. In England, too, the four puisne judges of the Court of Exchequer bear the title of baron, and the chief judge that of Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Barons of the Cinque Ports: formerly members of the House of Commons, elected, two for each, by the seven Cinque Ports. BAEOXET. originally a term ap- parently in use as early as the time of Edward III. for certain landed gentle- men not of the dignity of lords, sum- moned to Parliament to counterbalance the power of the clergy. Subsequently it became the name given to three titled orders. 1. Baronets of Great Britain : A titled order, the lowest that is hereditary. Speaking broadly, they rank in prece- dence next after the younger sons of viscounts and barons: but in reality they are inferior to the Knights of the Oraer of St. George or of the Garter, certain official dignitaries, and knights- banneret created on the actual field of battle. The order was instituted by James I., on May 22. 1611. to raise money by fee5 paid for the dignity, and thus obtain resources for the settlement of L'lster. The badge of a baronet is sin- ister, a hand gules ( = a bloody hand) in a field of argent. Etiquette requires that he be addressed as "Sir A. B., Bart," 2. Baronets of Ireland: A titled or- der instituted by James I. in 1619. It is