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LEFT JAVA 242 JAXARTES was defeated by a Monarchist candidate. Soon after he became famous as a So- cialist speaker and as editor of the So- cialist organ, L'Humanite, which he founded in 1904. He became interna- tionally prominent when he joined fimile Zola, the novelist, in the defence of Captain Dreyfus and the exposure of the corruption in the French Army which made of Dreyfus a scapegoat. Jaures was a continuous advocate of an agree- ment with Germany for mutual disarma- ment. He also, within the Socialist party, favored a general strike against war, but only on condition the strike was international, and not confined only to one of the belligerent countries. On July 31, 1914, he was assassinated in a cafe in Paris, by a fanatical patriot, be- cause of his efforts to avert the impend- ing war. JAVA, an island of the Dutch East Indies; between St. Nicholas Point and South Cape S., and is washed on the N. by the Sea of Java, on the E. by the Strait of Bali, on the S. by the Indian Ocean, and on the W. by Sunda Strait; extends almost due W. and E. The ex- treme length is about 600 miles, the breadth 40 to 125 miles, the superficial area about 49,000 square miles, pop. about 35,000,000. Batavia, the capital had a pop. of about 230,000. The coast line is not much developed; a few large bays, protected by islands, furnish safe anchorage for vessels. From end to end of the island there is a mountain chain, named Gunung Kendang, and, especially in the W. part of the island, several parallel shorter chains. There are 43 volcanoes, several of which are still active. The rivers are generally small, but become torrents when swollen by rain; only a few of them are navigable. The climate depends on the altitude; it is rather hot and unhealthy on the coast, but pleasant in the hills. The natives belong to the Malay race. The Madurese, in the E. part of the is- land, the Sundanese, living in the W. part, and the Javanese proper differ in phy- sique and in language. Most of them are Mohammedans, at least in name, for niuch of the belief of their ancestors sur- vives in the Islamism that is now prac- ticed. A few tribes, however, profess the old religion (viz., the Baduwis in Bantam and the "Heathen" of the Teng- ger Mountains). The native Christians number about 12,000, and the Chinese Christians a few hundred. The inhabit- ants are more civilized than those of the other islands of the archipelago. There are 39 Dutch Protestant and 21 Roman Catholic clergymen for the whole of the Dutch East Indies, besides those who are working among the natives. Every form of religious belief is free, but proselytiz- ing is strictly prohibited. The chief wealth of Java consists in its luxuriant vegetation, though the pro- duction power seems to be now a little exhausted, at least to judge from the many diseases by which the plantations have been visited of late. The animal kingdom is not very rich; tigers, rhin- oceros, deer, and wild swine are the chief representatives of the quadrupeds; there are only a few birds that are conspicu- ous for their plumage. Several species of serpents (some venomous) and croco- diles are found on the island. The earliest historical references date back to the beginning of the 5th century. In A. D. 412 Fa-Hien visited Hindu col- onies in Java. About the year 800 the intercourse of the Hindus with the island appears to have become more important. In 1808 the kingdom of Bantam was in- corporated with the Dutch possessions; but these in 1811 became part of the French empire. In the same year Java was occupied by the English, and re- mained in their hands up to 1817. A short time after the Dutch had resumed possession of Java an insurrection burst out in Jok Jakarta in 1825 under Dipa Negara, and the struggle lasted till 1830, when the chief of the rebels submitted to the Dutch authorities. JAVABY, or YAVARY, a river flow- ing into the S. part of the Amazon and forming the boundary between Brazil and Peru. It is navigable throughout most of its course. JAVA SEA, that portion of the Eastern Sea which lies between the is- land of Java to the S., Sumatra to the W., the islands of Banca, Billiton, and Borneo to the N., and the island of Cele- bes to the E. The width of the sea be- tween Java and Borneo is 250 miles, and it is crossed by two approved routes to China, the one by the Straits of Macas- sar, and the other by Pitt's Passage. JAVELIN, a light spear thrown by the hand, formerly used by horse and foot in ancient warfare. Also a hunting spear, about 5% feet long, having a wooden shaft and an iron head. It is yet used in Europe in hunting the boar, and by many savage nations in ordinary hunting. JAXARTES, now called Sihun, or Syr-Daria, a river of Western Asia, which rises at an altitude of 12,000 feet, 30 miles S. of Lake Issik-kul, in the Tian-Shan Mountains. Its total length