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Rh BÁÑEZ, VICENTE BLASCO (1867- ), Spanish novelist, was born at Valencia in 1867. His earliest works, such as Flor de Mayo (1895), are pictures of provincial life in Valencia, but he later developed a realistic and minute style, reminiscent of Zola. His work is remarkable for its keen observation and power of description, and has become widely popular in England and France. His novels include Sonnica la Cortesana (1901; Eng. trans., Sonnica, 1915); La Catedral (1903; Eng. trans., The Shadow of the Cathedral, 1909) ; Sangre y Arena, a study of the career of a bull-fighter (1908; Eng. trans., Blood and Sand, 1913); Los Cuatro Jinetes del Apocalipsis (1916; Eng. trans., The Four Horsemen of the, Apocalypse, 1918); and Mare Nostrum (1918; Eng. trans., Our Sea, 1920).

See E. Zamacois, Mis Contempordneos: V. Blasco Ibdnez (1910).

IBN SA'UD (see 2.267 an d 28.245), the name of the Wahabite dynasty of Dar'iya and Riyadh (Nejd). 'Abd el 'Aziz ibn Sa'ud, the ruling emir, about 54 years of age in 1921, succeeded to the throne in 1902. The Ibn Sa'ud dynasty suffered eclipse at the hands of Ibn Rashid, emir of Hail (Jebel Shammar) from the middle of the eighties of the last century. The rightful emir, 'Abdurrahman ibn Faisal, and his son 'Abd el 'Aziz ibn Sa'ud were in exile at Kuwait, such power in Nejd as remained to the Sa'ud dynasty being wielded by an uncle, as mediatized ruler, until his murder by Ibn Rashid's order in 1902. In March 1902, with the help of Mubarak, sheikh of Kuwait, 'Abd el 'Aziz his father stepping aside regained Riyadh by a coup d'etat against Ibn Rashid, who called in the Turks to aid him. Never- theless, owing to the anarchy prevailing in Hail at the time, and with the help of the people of Nejd (who were traditionally attached to the house of Ibn Sa'ud), 'Abd el 'Aziz eventually succeeded in restoring and establishing the supremacy of the kingdom of Riyadh. Early in 1913 he extended his rule to El Hasa, driving out the Turks who had garrisoned the district since 1871. On the entry of Turkey into the World War, though the attitude of 'Abd el 'Aziz was at first uncertain, he eventually concluded a treaty with Great Britain on lines similar to those in force with the Persian Gulf states and, thereafter, proved an unswerving ally. He restored the chief towns in Nejd, rendered the roads more or less safe from raiders, encouraged cultivation, and increiSed the material prosperity of his dominions generally. His son, Turki, acted as his able lieutenant in the outlying districts (see ARABIA). ICELAND (see 14.227*). Since the beginning of the 2oth century there has been considerable development in the affairs of Iceland, and especially in its political position, in respect of which an exceedingly important change has taken place. Instead of being as formerly (in accordance with the Danish Act of Jan. 2 1871) regarded as a territory with a wide measure of home rule, forming " an inseparable part of the state of Denmark," Iceland, since 1918, has been recognized as a separate kingdom, with unlimited sovereignty, in personal union with Denmark. According to the Act of Union (Nov. 30 1918), passed both by the Icelandic and the Danish Parliament, and in Iceland confirmed by a plebiscite, there are no real joint affairs; Denmark, however, provisionally till 1940, takes charge of the foreign affairs of Iceland as its mandatory in concert with a deputy appointed by the Icelandic Government. For the same period Danish citizens resident in Iceland and Icelandic citizens resident in Denmark enjoy in every respect equal rights with the citizens born and residing in each of these two states; they also have equal rights of fishing within the territorial waters of both states without regard to their place of residence. Other affairs of common import to the two states, such as communications, trade, the customs, naviga- tion, mail services, telegraphs, etc., are to be arranged by agree- ment or treaty between the Governments of Iceland and Den- mark. Iceland has issued a declaration of perpetual neutrality and of having no military or naval flag. On the other hand, Iceland, since 1915, has had its own merchant flag; this shows a

white Greek cross, inside of which is another in red on a blue ground. Also, in 1918, it acquired national arms of its own, bearing the four guardian spirits of the country as described in Snorri Sturlason's Heimskringla, viz., a dragon, a vulture, a bull and a giant. As to diplomatic representation, Iceland has had, since 1920, a legation in Copenhagen, and is moreover entitled to establish legations or consulates at places where none have been appointed by Denmark; Icelandic attaches may also be appointed at existing Danish legations, which normally act on behalf of both Denmark and Iceland. In Iceland Denmark has a legation; Norway a consul-general and six vice-consuls; Sweden has four vice-consuls and has besides resolved to appoint either a legation or a consul-general; Great Britain a consul and four vice-consuls; France a consul and five vice-consuls; Holland two vice-consuls and Germany a consul; Russia, Belgium and Italy one vice- consul each.

According to the new constitution (1920) the king shares the legislative power with the Parliament, the Althing, an assembly of 42 members, of whom 36 are elected for a period of four years in separate electoral districts, where every man and woman (including servants) is entitled to vote at the age of 25; the re- maining 6 (formerly nominated by the king) are elected for a period of eight years by proportional election in the whole coun- try regarded as one constituency; in this case, however, the electoral right is limited to voters who have attained the age of 35. The Althing meets every year and sits in two divisions, the Upper and the Lower House; but in case of dissension it can assemble as a joint Parliament, in which disagreements are decided by qualified (in financial affairs by simple) majority. The Upper House consists of 14 members, the 6 members elected by the whole country and 8 elected by the other representatives out of their own body. The Lower House consists of the remain- ing 28 members. The Cabinet consists of three ministers, a premier and two secretaries of state, who in every respect (not only, as formerly, for the maintenance of the constitution) are responsible as well to the king as to the Althing. There is (since 1904) no governor-general, although the prime minister to some extent also acts as such, but every legislative act passed by the Althing, as well as many administrative measures, the more important appointments, etc., must be sent to the king in Copen- hagen to be confirmed and signed by him; an Icelandic private secretary (not connected with the above-mentioned legation) is appointed for his assistance in such affairs. In the organization of the judicial power an important change has also taken place: ap- peals to the Danish supreme court in Copenhagen can no longer be made, Iceland having (since 1920) its own supreme court, consisting of five members; in consequence of this the former superior court in Reykjavik has been abolished, and appeals from the sheriff courts lie directly to the supreme court. Iceland also has its own university in Reykjavik (since 1911), consisting of four faculties: divinity, law, medicine and philosophy (including philology and history). Not only the Danish but also the French and the German Governments have appointed lecturers of their own to give lectures on their respective languages and literatures in the university of Iceland; and a similar step was contemplated in 1921 on the part of the United States. Among other improvements in education, the establishment of a teachers' seminary and of several other schools may be mentioned.

In almost every other respect Iceland in this period made con- stant and rapid progress. The total pop. increased from 78,000 in 1001 to 95,000 in 1921, about 43% living in towns and trading sta- tions. There were in 1921 seven towns with chartered privileges, with a total pop. of 30,000, and 34 trading stations with from 100 to 1,000 inhabitants each. The pop. of Reykjavik, the capital, increased from 6,700 in 1901 to 18,000 in 1921. The financial budget of the Icelandic State had for the financial period of 1918-9 advanced to 27 million kronur (1,500,000) from only I \ million kronur in 1904-5, and deposits in the savings banks to 40 million kronur from only 2 million in 1900. Commercial transactions (import and export) had in 1918 advanced to a value of 78 million kronur from only 15 mil-

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 * These figures indicate the volume and page number of the previous article