Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/515

Rh A L E A L E 477 tHe surname Alemanni:us. The origin of this tribe, and the country from which they came, are unknown ; but we have a distinct statement, which is apparently confirmed by the very name of the people, that they had flocked together from all parts, and were a mixed race. They proved most formidable enemies to the Romans as well as to the Gauls, their western neighbours, who to this day apply the name Alemanni (Allemands) to all the Germans indiscriminately, though the Alemanni, properly so called, occupied only the country between the Maine and the Danube. In the reign of Aurelian, 270 A.D., they attempted to invade Italy, but were repulsed. After the death of that emperor, however, they renewed their attacks by invading Gaul, and ravaging the country at different times. Several undertakings against them were of little avail, until in 357 A.D. the Emperor Julian completely defeated them in the neighbourhood of Strasburg, where all their forces were assembled under seven chiefs. This and other defeats, however, did not break the power of the Alemanni, who, being pressed on by other barbarians in the north, were forced to advance southward and westward to conquer new countries for themselves. Hence, after the middle of the 5th century, we find them established not only in the country now called Suabia, but also in a part of Switzer land and in Alsace. In these countries the Alemanni have maintained themselves ever since, and the greater part of the modern Suabians and the northern Swiss are descendants of that ancient race. ALEMBIC (Arab, alanbiq, cognate to the Greek a/V?i), an apparatus for distillation, used chiefly by the alchemists, and now almost entirely superseded by the retort and the worm-still. It varied considerably in form and construc tion, but consisted essentially of three parts a vessel con taining the material to be distilled, and called, from its gourdlike shape, the cucurbit ; a vessel to receive and con dense the vapour, called the head or capital ; and a receiver for the spirit, connected by a pipe with the capital. The entire apparatus was sometimes constructed of glass, but as this rendered it very expensive and brittle, it was more usual to make the cucurbit of copper or earthenware, and the capital alone of glass. ALEMTEJO (Spanish Alentejo), a province of Portu gal, bounded on the N. by Beira, on the E. by Spanish Estreraadura and Andalusia, on the S. by Algarve, and on the W. by the Atlantic and Portuguese Estremadura. It lies between 37 20 and 39 40 N. lat., and 6 45 and 8 53 W. long., and has an area of 10,225 square miles. Alemtejo is traversed by several mountain ranges, whose height does not generally rise much above 2000 feet, though one of the peaks of the Sierra de Monchique has an elevation of 4050 feet. The principal rivers are the Guadiana, which, crossing the Spanish frontier, flows southward through the province ; and the Sado, which rises in the Sierra de Mon chique, and flows to the north. Farther northward are the Soro and the Zatas, tributaries of the Tagus. All these rivers receive numerous affluents. There are several exten sive plains, notably that of Alemtejo, the largest in Portugal, lying S.W. from the mountains of Portalegre ; and that of Ourique, in the southern part of the province. Some por tions of these plains are fruitful, others marshy, while large tracts are mere desolate wastes. The climate in the lower parts of the country is exceedingly hot, and is rendered unhealthy in summer by the stagnant marshes. Towards the Spanish frontier the soil is fertile, and in the south the country is covered by extensive forests of oak, pine,- chestnut, cork, and holm, especially on the sides of the Sierras de Monchique and Caldeiraon. In the more fertile parts of the province, grapes, figs, citrons, pomegranates, and other fruits are produced. Wheat, maize, and rice are grown, and some attention is given to the rearing of mules, asses, goats, cattle, and sheep. Agriculture is, however, in a backward state, the sparse population being mostly con centrated in the towns, leaving extensive districts unculti vated and almost uninhabited, Droves of swine are fed on the waste lands, growing to a great size, and affording excellent hams. Minerals are to be found in the moun tains, but they are little wrought. Manufactures scarcely exist, being confined to the preparation of olive oil of particularly good quality, and the making of earthenware, woollen cloths, and leather. For administrative purposes Alemtejo is divided into three districts Beja, Evora, and Portalegre; and it contains 50 communal divisions and 315 parishes. The chief towns are Evora, Portalegre, Elvas, Beja, Estamoz, and Mourn. There are no seaports of importance in the province. Population in 1868, 332,237. ALENQON, the chief town of the French department of Orne, situated in a wide and fertile plain, on the Sarthe, close to its confluence with the Briante. It is a clean, regularly-built town, with broad handsome streets. It is the seat of a bishop; and the Gothic church of Notre Dame, called the cathedral, is a fine building of the 16th century. The only remains of the ancient castle of Alencon are three towers that form part of the present town-hall. The lace known as &quot; point d Alencon &quot; is the most noted manu facture of the town, although of late years its importance has somewhat diminished. Among the other industries are tanning, spinning, bleaching, linen manufacturing, and cider-making. The cutting of qiiartz crystals, often called Alencon diamonds, is also carried on. Alencon was a place of small importance when it was handed over to the Normans by Charles the Simple in the beginning of the 10th century. In 1025 it became subject to the De Belesmes, counts of Alenjon, by whom it was enlarged and fortified. It was ceded to King Philip Augustus in 1221 by Alice, the heiress of the last count. The duchy of Alengon was created about the end of the 14th century, and remained with the original family, a branch of the house of Valois, until the middle of the 1 6th. The town was repeatedly taken and retaken in wars with Henry V. and Henry VI. of England, and also in the time of the League. In the war between France and Germany, Alencon was taken by the Germans under the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg on the 17th of January 1871. The towns people did not offer much resistance. The mayor and municipality were, indeed, in favour of yielding without a struggle ; but the newly-appointed prefect, an ultra-repub lican, insisted on a more martial policy. A feeble skirmish took place outside the town on the evening of the 1 6th of January, and the grand duke entered on the following morn ing withoiit any further opposition. The Germans, as a punishment for the previous resistance, imposed on the citizens a fine of 300,000 francs, besides a large contribu tion of cattle, corn, and other provisions. Population (1872), 16,037. ALENIO, GIULIO, a missionary of the Jesuit order, born at Brescia in 1582, died 1649. He became a member of the order in 1600, and arrived at Macao as a propa gandist in 1610. For upwards of thirty years he laboured to spread Christianity in China, adopting, in accordance with the principles of his order, the dress and manners of the country. He was the first who planted the faith in the province of Kiang-Si, and he built several churches in the province of Fo-Kien. He composed a number of works in the Chinese language, of which he was thoroughly master, the most important being a Life of Christ and a Cosmography. ALEPPO, or HALEB, a city of Syria,, capital of the Turkish vilayet of the same name, in 36 12 N. lat., 37 12 E. long., 70 miles E. of the Mediterranean, near the N.W. extremity of the great Syrian desert. It occupies the site