Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 01.djvu/60

ABERCROMBY. Ireland as commander of the forces. He strongly condemned the governmental policy toward that country, however, and this caused his resigna- tion ; but he was at once given a similar appoint- ment in Scotland. In 1709 he was placed in command of the expedition to Holland and began it brilliantly; but he was superseded by the Duke of York, and the campaign ended ignomin- iously. Abercromby alone acquitted himself with credit, and the ministry wished to make him a peer, but he refused to have his name associated with a failure. In 1800 he com- manded the expedition to the ilediterranean, and after some brilliant operations defeated the French in the battle of Alexandria, March 21, 1801. During the action he was .struck by a miisket-ball in the thigh; but not until the battle was won and he saw tlie enemy retreating did he show any sign of pain. He was borne from the field in a hammock, cheered by the blessings of the soldiers as he passed, and conveyed on board the flag-ship Foudroyunt. The ball could not be extracted; mortification ensued, and seven days later, on March 28, 1801, he died, Abercromby was at once gentle and brave, clear-sighted and cool in deliberation: in action, prompt and dar- ing. Apart from his qualities as a soldier, he was a man of liberal accomplishments, free from prejudices, and of sound practical judgment. The national gratitude to this eminent man took the form of a peerage conferred on his widow, afterward enjoyed by his eldest son, with the title of Baron Abercromby. Consult: J. Abercromby, Memoir of the Life of .Sir R. Abercromby (Dublin, 1801) ; ,T. Abercromby, Baron Dunfermline, Memoir of Liciiti nant-Gcneral Sir Ralph Ahcreromhy (London, 1801).

ABERDARE, -ib'er-dar'. A town in Gla- morganshire, Wales, on the right bank of the Cynon, four miles southwest of Mertliyr-Tydvil. It is situated in a rich mineral district, having extensive coal, iron, and tin works (Map: Wales, C 5 ). Aberdare is connected with the coast by a canal and railway. Its growth has been remarkable. From an unimportant village of 0.500 inhabitants in 1841 it has developed into a thriving town of 38,500 in 1891 and 43,400 in 1901.

AB'ERDEEN' (Celtic aber. confluence of waters, i,e., of the Don and Dee). The fourth largest city of Scotland, and the capital of Aberdeenshire. It is situated in the southeast- ern part of the county, on the North Sea, about 95 miles north of Edinburgh (Map: Scotland, F 2); It forms the chief part of a parliamentary burgh of the same name, and comprises all the territory l.ving between the rivers Dee and Don, thus including what was formerly known as Old Aberdeen. It has a mean temperature of about 46° F., and is about B6 feet above the sea level. Aberdeen is a handsome city, largely built of granite quarried in the neighborhood, and is therefore known as the "Granite City." Its streets are for the most part regular and well paved. Union Street, its principal thor- oughfare, has been described as one of the handsomest streets in Europe, and contains many of the notable public buildings. Chief among them are the municipal and county build- ings, an imposing structure in the Scotch baro- nial style. Nearby is "The Cross,"' a curious mon- ument adorned with medallions of Scottish mon- archs. At the western end of Union Street are the Music Hall buildings, particularly notable in point of architecture, and the Trades' Hall, in which are kept the shields of the difl'erent incorporated trades. Several of the bank build- ings are tasteful ediflces. The east and west churches, although comparatively modern, are interesting from the fact that they arc built on the site of the ancient church of St. Nicholas, and are connected by an old wooden tower. Among the many other churches of Aberdeen the Roman Catholic church is notable for its beautiful spire, two hundred feet high, and the cathedral of St. Machar, begun in 1357, for its severe simplicity of .stjde. The River Dee is crossed by four bridges, one of which, a stone bridge, dates from 1527.

Among its advantages the city has an excellent harbor and immense floating docks, enabling it to carry on a large maritime trade in textile goods, agricultural products, and granite. It is a large manufacturing centre, the chief indus- tries including cotton spinning, manufacture of cotton, woolen and linen goods, iron foundries and paper mills. Granite cutting and shipbuild- ing are also quite important, although the latter industry has diminished in. importance since the days of wooden vessels, when the Aberdeen clip- pers were famous. Aberdeen's means of com- munication are excellent. It is at the junction of three railway lines, and is connected by steamer with Leith, NewTastle, Hull, and Lon- don. Its own shipping comprises about 180 steam and 40 sailing vessels, tonnage about 100,- 000. Annually 3000 vessels, representing a gross tonnage of nearly 2,000,000, clear the port. The chief exports are fish, spirits, cloth manvifac- tures, coal products, stone, etc., and the chief imports barle.v, wheat meal, maize, oats, flax- seed, sugar, timber, paper-making materials, etc. The total value of imports and e.xports averages annually £1,100,000 ($5,500,000). Aber- deen is the fourth port of importance in Scot- land. The United States is represented there by an agent.

Aberdeen sends two members to Parliament, and is one of the most progressive of mu- nicipalities. It has the usual authorities, con- sisting of a lord provost, bailies, councilors,, etc. (See Great Britain, paragraph on Govern- ment.) The city owns and operates its water and gas works and an electric light plant, as well as its electric tramways, and maintains public baths, markets, and two cemeteries. It is one of the few municipalities which have taken up the question of the proper housing of the working people, and as a result it has estab- lished a lodging house and erected several work- men's dwellings. Aberdeen's educational insti- tutions are very numerous, and include the Uni- versity of Aberdeen (q.v. ), established in 1800 by the consolidation of King's College of Old Aber- deen, founded in 1494, and Marischal College of New Aberdeen, founded in 1593. In the year 1899-1900 there were about 900 students in attendance. The university libra:-y contains about 130,000 volumes. Among the other col- leges and schools are Gordon's College, which receives a yearly grant from the city, an art school, a navigation school, an ancient grammar school dating from 1203, the Free Church Divin- ity College, and the Mechanics' Institution. Among the benevolent and charitable institutions are the Royal Infirmary, an epidemic hospital and one for incurables, a large lunatic asylum.