Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/501

LEFT LA SEBINA 425 LATHROP employed him in the administration. After Waterloo he obtained leave to share the exile of Napoleon in St. Helena, where the ex-emperor dictated to him a part of his "Memoirs." In 1816 Las Cases was sent back to Europe, and after Napoleon's death published "Memorial of St. Helena" (8 vols. 1821-1823). Las Cases died in Passy, France, May 15, 1842. LA SERINA, a city in Chile, the capi- tal of the province of Coquimbo. Situ- ated on very high ground overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the climate and out- look are delightful. It is connected with Valparaiso, 215 miles distant, by a rail- road. Population about 17,500. LASKER, EMANUEL, a German chess player; born in Berlinchen, Prus- sia, Dec. 24, 1868. He inherited his great abilities at the game to some ex- tent, and about 1890 took a high place at a chess tournament which was held in Berlin, where he defeated some of the leading masters. In 1892 he visited England, and defeated Blackburne, the English expert. In the New York tour- nament of 1893 he won his games with all the 13 leading players, including Steinitz, the champion of the world. A set match with Steinitz took place at Moscow in December, 1896, and January, 1897, and this Lasker won by 10 games to 2, 5 be- ing drawn. LAS PALMAS, chief town of the Canary Islands on the N. E. coast of Gran Canaria; is the seat of a bishop, and has sea-bathing and ship-building yards. Pop. about 63,000. LASSA. See Lhassa. LASSALLE^ FERDINAND (la-sal'), a (lerman agitator, founder of the Ger- man social Democracy; born of Jewish parents named Lassal, in Breslau, April 11, 1825. Before entering politics he had earned high distinction in philo- sophical thought. Among his writings of this period are "Franz von Sickingen," a historical drama (1859) ; "The Philoso- phy of Heraclitus the Obscure" (2 vols. 1858) ; "The System of Acquired Rights" (2 vols. 1860) ; "Fichte's Philosophy and the Popular Mind of Germany" (1862). He first came into the political arena as the spokesman of the German working- man in 1862, when he published the "Workingmen's Programme." For this he was arrested and imprisoned. He further developed the Socialist progi'am in an "Open Reply to the Central Com- jnittee" (1863). His last work was a spirited attack on one of the foremost op- ponents of the Social Democracy. His talents won him the admiration even of his enemies. He died in Geneva, Aug. 31, 1864. LATAKIA (la-ta-ke'ya) (Turkish Ladikiyeh), a formerly important seaport of Syria, with a sanded-up harbor, on a rocky cape 75 miles N. of Tripoli. It possesses remains of Roman buildings, having been a flourishing port during the early empire. The present town occu- pies the site of the ancient Laodicea ad Mare, founded by Seleucus Nicator, and named after his mother. The principal exports are Latakia tobacco, grain, silk, sponges, and oils. Pop. about 25,000. LATERAN, CHURCH OF ST. JOHN, the first in dignity of the Roman churches, and styled in Roman usage "the Mother and Head of all the churches of the city and the world." As cathedral church of Rome it surpasses St. Peter's in dignity. It is called Lateran from its occupying the site of the splendid palace of Plautius Lateranus. It was orig- inally dedicated to the Saviour; but Lu- cius II., who rebuilt it in the middle of the 12th century, dedicated it to John the Baptist; in 1586 it was completely demolished by Sixtus V., and rebuilt from plans by Fontana. It has been the scene of five councils, regarded as oecumenical by the Roman Church. The Lateran Palace was the habitual resi- dence of the Popes till the 14th century. It is now under the control of the Italian government. Pius IX. converted a por- tion of it into a museum of classical sculpture and early Christian antiqui- ties. LATERAN COUNCILS, in Church history, certain councils held in the Church of St. John Lateran in Rome. In all five general councils held, besides an important council, not oecumenical, against the Monothelites in a. d. 649. LATHE, a machine for turning and polishing flat, round, cylindrical, or other shaped pieces of wood, ivory, metal, etc., in which the object revolves while it is shaped or polished by a tool applied to it. LATHROP, GEORGE PARSONS, an American author; born in the Hawaiian Islands, Aug. 25, 1851 ; was for some years employed editorially on the "At- lantic Monthly"; wrote "Rose and Roof- Tree," verses (1875) ; "A Studv of Haw- thorne" (1876); "An Echo of Passion" (1882); "Spanish Vistas" (1883); "Dreams and Days," verses (1892); "Gold of Pleasure," (1892), a novel; "Story of Courage," with Rose Haw- thorne. He died in New York, April 19, 1898. LATHROP, JULIA CLIFFORD, an American public ofiicial, born at Rock-