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BEGONIA

Bego'nia, a genus of tropical shrubs and herbs, perennial, succulent and often bearing handsome flowers, abounds in South America, Mexico and Central America. Some varieties of begonia are highly popular for the house and garden The roots are often bulbous, but sometimes fibrous. It is to be noted that the fibrous rooted begonia flowers in winter; the tuberous in summer. The begonia needs protection against excessive sun or drought; but is easily grown in the house or conservatory. An Asiatic variety, the Rex Begonia, is remarkable for its handsome foliage.

Begums or Princesses of Oude, The. The wife and mother of Sujah Dowlah, Nabob of Oude, who figured in the impeachment of Warren Hastings, England's great proconsul in India, and in Macaulay's great essay on him and his rule. In 1775 when the nabob died, the two princesses claimed that his hoarded treasure, amounting to two or three million pounds sterling, had been made over to them as their private property and could not be used as revenues of the state for the payment of tribute to the East India Company or for any other purpose. The new ruler, Asaph-ul-Dowlah, by dint of coaxing, had got his mother and grandmother to dole out some of the treasure. It was the remainder of it that Warren Hastings set his eyes upon, and, with the nabob's connivance, endeavored to wring from the princesses, with what success is seen in the impeachment and famous trial of Hastings.

Bel'fast, the second city in Ireland, capital of Ulster and headquarters of Presbyterianism in Ireland, is situated in the county of Antrim, in the northeast part of the island, on the Belfast Lough or Bay, twelve miles from the Irish Sea. Its population is 385,492. Several bridges cross the River Lagan, and a number of pleasant villas lie on either side of the bay. Picturesque hills to the north give the city a pleasant appearance, and much is constantly being done to improve it. Besides public buildings and churches, there are several colleges and schools, such as Queen's College, Belfast Academy and the national schools. The linen and shipbuilding trades are chief among those that give Belfast its prosperity, about five per cent, of the population being employed in the linen trade.

Belgium (bĕl'jĭ-ŭm), one of the smaller European states, lying between France and the Netherlands, the North Sea and Rhenish Prussia. It is divided into nine provinces, and comprises 11,373 square miles, less than one third the size of Indiana. It has a population of 7,160,547, or 629 persons to the square mile, so that Belgium is the most densely populated country in Europe. Dutch, Germans, French, Flemings and Walloons are found among its population. There are twenty-six towns with over 20,000 inhabitants, of which the capital, Brussels (population, 612,401), Antwerp (297,311), Ghent (163,059) and Liege (122,207) are the largest. Most of the country is low, and part of it is protected from the sea by dykes. The Scheldt and the Meuse, with their branches, and a system of canals afford abundant water supply. The farming is like gardening on a large scale, so carefully is every inch of soil cultivated. All kinds of grain are raised. The land is rich in minerals, including coal, iron, lead, copper, zinc and marble. The chief manufactures are linen, woolen, cotton and silk goods, lace, leather and metals, besides sugar-refineries and distilleries, steel works, blast and puddling furnaces.

For many years Belgium led Europe in commerce, and her foreign trade is still very large. The people are mainly Roman Catholic. Culture has been hindered somewhat by the many different dialects in use; but there are many scientific and literary societies and museums, public libraries, music and art schools and universities at Ghent, Louvain, Liege and Brussels. Attached to the universities are schools of engineering, arts, manufactures, mining, etc., with a combined attendance in 1909-10 of 2,407 students. There are also 85 schools of design, with nearly 15,000 students, several royal conservatories and other schools of music with 20,192 students, beside the Royal Academy of Fine Arts at Antwerp, with 850 students in 1909. Belgium numbers Rubens, Teniers and Van Dyck among its great artists.

The standing army is fixed at 42,800 in time of peace, with 180,000 on a war-footing. Belgium has no navy. The government is a constitutional monarchy, in which the succession is hereditary. There are two houses, much like those in the United States —a senate (having 110 members), elected for eight years, and a chamber of representatives (present number being 166), elected for four years.

The history of Belgium as a separate kingdom dates from the year 1831, when it parted from Holland. Its provinces, however, have figured in history from the days of the Cæsars. They often served as the battle-ground of Europe, and the battle of Waterloo was fought on the soil of Brabant, a province of this kingdom. When Belgium became independent, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg was elected king, and in 1865 his son, the present monarch, succeeded as Leopold II. War with Holland has several times threatened, and riots of workingmen and socialists have caused disturbance; but the country is steadily growing in prosperity. The revenue estimated for 1911 amounted to 658,724,000 francs, while the expenditure, as per budget, was a fraction over 658,000,000 francs. The imports for 1910 showed a