Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/781

Rh A M H A M H 737 then changes through yellow and green to colourless; and in this condition is often sold for the aquamarine or topaz. Amethyst is generally found in thick columnar masses, of short hexagonal prisms terminating in pyramids. The faces, especially in Brazilian specimens, are often marked by zig-zag or undulating lines, and the colour in many is similarly disposed, showing a peculiar internal structure in the stone. It has been proposed to name all varieties of quartz, whether coloured or uncoloured, show ing this peculiarity, amethyst, but without sufficient reason. Amethyst, according to Pliny, got its name, d/x.e$uo-To?, from its supposed power of preventing drunkenness. Though not a true gem, it was formerly much valued as an orna mental stone, but has greatly declined in value in the present century, being obtained in great abundance from Brazil. There it is often white or yellow, and named topaz. The finest blue stones are found in Ceylon and Siberia; and less remarkable ones in many places in Europe, India, and Australia. Amethysts may be counterfeited by glasses, to which the proper colour or stain is given by mineral matter. There were fine ones made in France about the year 1G90, which even imposed on connoisseurs, but with the decrease in price there is now less danger of such deceptions. AMHERST, a district and city within the Tenasserim division of British Burrnah, and within the jurisdiction of the chief commissioner of that province. The DISTRICT forms a narrow strip of land between the Indian Ocean and the mountains which separate it from the independent kingdom of Siam. It lies in 16 N. lat., 98 E. long., and consists partly of fertile valleys formed by spurs of the mountain system which divides it from Siam, and partly of a rich alluvial tract created by the great rivers which issue from them. The most important of these are the Salween river and the Houng-da-raw Khyoung. The river highways bring down inexhaustible supplies of rice to Maulmain, the chief town of the district, as also of the province of Tenasserim, and the second city in British Burrnah. The district comprises an area of 15,144 square miles, of which 346 are cultivated, 4889 are capable of being brought under cultivation, and the remaining 9909 square miles are returned as uncultivable. The population in 1872 numbered 235,738 souls, occupying 38,945 houses, and consisting of 203,774 Buddhists, 15,598 Hindus, 12,279 Mahometans, and 4081 Christians. The town of Maulmain contains 53,653 inhabitants. The rainfall is veryheavy, 245 85 inches being registered inl871-72. The temperature is uniform, but not excessive, and averaged 83 at 2 P.M. throughout the month of May 1871, 80 at 2 r.M. throughout July, and the same at 2 P.M. through out December 1871. AMHERST TOWN, situated in the district of the same name, about 30 miles south of Maulmain. It was founded by the English in 1826 on the restoration of the town of Martaban to the Burmese, and named in compliment to the Governor-General of India who projected it. The proclamation inviting the natives to people the town was well adapted to the character and capacities of those whom it addressed. &quot; The inhabitants of the towns and villages who wish to come shall be free from molestation, extortion, and oppression. They shall be free to worship as usual, temples, monasteries, priests, and holy men. The people shall go and come, buy and sell, do and live as they please, conforming to the laws. In regard to slavery, since all men, common people or chiefs, are by nature equal, there shall be under the English government no slaves. Whoever desires to come to the new town may come from all parts and live happy, and those who do not wish to remain may go where they please without hindrance.&quot; Shortly after its settlement the number of houses amounted to 230, and the population to 1200. Large teak forests abound in its neighbourhood, and the timber is exported in considerable quantities. The harbour, though large and capable of accommodating ships of any burden, is difficult of access, and dangerous during tho south-west monsoon. Amherst town has been eclipsed by the rapidly rising city of Maulmain, which has absorbed to itself the trade and mercantile enterprise alike of Amherst district and of the Tenasserim province. AMHERST, a post township of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, United States. It is a picturesque village intersected by two branches of the Connecticut river. Its water-power is utilised for manufactories of machinery, edge tools, cotton goods, paper, &c.; but it is principally known as the seat of Amherst college, a valuable institu tion founded in 1821, mainly for the purpose of educating poor and pious young men for the ministry. The charity fund is large, and pays the tuition fees of forty or fifty students. The faculty of the college consists of eighteen professors, beside the president. The number of students in 1873 was 261. The buildings of Amherst college are situated on a hill at the southern extremity of the village. An octagonal building in advance of the line of college halls is devoted to the purposes of a museum. Some of the collections are of great value, especially those in the palaeontological department. The Massachusetts Agri cultural school, founded in 1863, has also its seat at Amherst. Its handsome buildings are on the edge of a rich plain from which fine views are obtained of the moun tains on the west and south. There is a large farm for experiment attached to the school, which is esteemed one of the best in America. The population of Amherst in 1870 was 4035. AMHERST, EARL (WILLIAM PITT AJIHERST), born in 1773, was the nephew of Jeffery Amherst, who, for his services in America, where he was commander-in-chief at the time of the conquest of Canada, was raised to tho peerage as Baron Amherst in 1776. The patent of nobility was renewed in 1788 with remainder to the subject of this notice, who succeeded to the title in 1797. In 1816 he was sent as ambassador extraordinary to the court of China, with the view of establishing more satisfactoiy commercial relations between that country and Great Britain. On arriving in the Peiho, he was given to understand that he could only be admitted to the emperor s presence on condi tion of performing the ko-tou, a ceremony which Western nations have always considered degrading, and which is, indeed, a homage exacted by the Chinese sovereign from his tributaries. This Lord Amherst, following the advice of Sir George T. Staunton, who accompanied him as second commissioner, refused to consent to, as Lord Macartney had done in 1793, unless the admission was made that hi? sovereign was entitled to the same show of reverence from a mandarin of his rank. In consequence of this he was not allowed to enter Peking, and the object of his mission was frustrated. His ship, the &quot; Alccste,&quot; after a cruise along the coast of Corea and to the Loo-Choo Islands, on proceeding homewards was totally wrecked on a sunken rock in Gaspar Strait. Lord Amherst and part of his shipwrecked com panions escaped in the ship s boats to Batavia, whence relief was sent to the rest. The ship in which he returned to England in 1817 having touched at St Helena, he had several interviews with the Emperor Napoleon (Ellis s Proceedings of the Late Embassy to China, 1817; M Leod s Narrative of a Voyage in H.M.S. &quot;Alceste,&quot; 1817). Lord Amherst held the office of governor-general of India from August 1823 to February 1828. The principal event of his government was the Burmese war, resulting in the cession of Aracan and Tenasserim to Great Britain. He was created Earl Amherst of Aracan in 1826. On his I. - 93