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LEFT METHYL 207 METTERNICH Africa 1907-1909 and in 1911 was made field-marshal. METHYL, an organic radical homol- ogous with ethyl. Its formula is CHs, but as it cannot exist in the free state, two such groups of atoms unite together to form ethane, CH3 — CHs. As in the case of ethyl, methyl is the center of a whole group of substances known as the methyl group. Thus, the hydride of methyl, CHsH, known as light carbu- retted hydrogen, marsh gas, or fire damp, is well known as the cause of explosions in coal mines. It is a light, inodorous gas, half as heavy as air; non- poisonous and very inflammable, form- ing an explosive mixture with seven volumes of air. Methyl alcohol. CH3OH, is obtained as a by-product in the manu- facture of beet-root sugar, and by the dry distillation of wood and from other sources. METHYLATED SPIRIT, a mixture of 9 parts of alcohol, sp. gr. 0.920, with 1 part of pyroxylic or wood-spirit. This addition of wood-spirit renders it unfit for drinking, though it scarcely inter- feres with its power as a solvent, METIS, the first wife of Jupiter, whom he was said to have devoured, after which Minerva was formed within his head. METONIC (-ton'-) CYCLE, the cycle of the moon, a period of 19 solar years, after which the new and full moon fall on the same days of the year as they did 19 years before. This cycle was the in- vention of Meton, a celebrated Athenian philosopher, who flourished about 432 B. c. The Metonic cycle contained 235 lunar months, or 6,940 days. METRIC SYSTEM, the system adopt- ed by the French convention in 1799, in which all measures of length, area, ca- pacity, and weight are based on the length of a quadrant of the meridian measured between the equator and the pole. The ten-millionth part of this quadrantal arc was adopted to be the linear measuring unit, which they called "metre," applying it equally to super- ficial and solid measures, taking for the unit of the former the square of the decuple, and for that of the latter the cube of the tenth part of the meter. A meter is=1.09362311 yards or 39.370432 inches, the standard meter being taken as correct at 0° C, and the standard yard, as correct at 16 2-3° C. (See Weights and Measures.) At the same time there was also chosen for the measuring unit of weight the quantity of distilled water equal in bulk to the same cube at a certain temperature. It was also decided that the multiples and sub- multiples of each kind of measure, whether of weight, capacity, surface, or length, shall be always taken in the decimal or decuple proportion, as the most simple, natural, and easy for calcu- lation. The meter is the basis of calcu- lation; from it are derived: Of area: the are, 1 square dekameter; of capacity, the liter, 1 cubic decimeter; of weight: the gramme, 1 cubic centimeter of water. The names of the graduations below the unit are formed from the Latin, and above the unit are formed from the Greek. METRONOME, an instrument for beating and dividing the time in music; a musical time keeper. It has a small pendulum which, being set in motion by clock-work, beats audibly a certain num- ber of times in a minute; and this num- ber may be altered by moving a sliding weight so as to give it the speed re- quired. To be correct, the metronome should beat seconds when set at 60. METROPOLITAN, originally a bishop resident in a metropolis or the chief city of a province, now a bishop having authority over_ the other bishops of a, province; that is, an archbishop. METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. See Art, Metropolitan Museum of. METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE, the home of grand opera in New York. The building of yellow brick and terra cotta is in the style of the Italian Re- naissance and occupies the entire block bounded by Broadway, Seventh Avenue, 39th, and 40th Streets. The seating ca- pacity is 3,426. It was first opened to the public Oct. 22, 1883, when the opera of "Faust" was given. METTERNICH (meVter-mh), CLE- MENS, PRINCE VON, an Austrian statesman; born in Coblenz, Prussia, May 15, 1773. He entered the diplomatic service as secretary at the Congress of Rastadt, in 1799. He was appointed Austrian ambassador, in succession, at the courts of Dresden, Berlin, and Paris. In 1809 he was appointed chancellor of state, on the resignation of Count Stadion. For nearly 40 years from that period, he exercised, almost without con- trol, the highest authority in the Aus- trian empire. One of his first aims after entering on his high office was to bring about a marriage between Napoleon and an Austrian archduchess. After Na- poleon was divorced from Josephine, Mettemich escorted Maria Louisa to Paris. But this expedient of a humiliat-