Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/620

BARRIERE. ble success was a dramatization of Murger's Scènes de la vie de Bohème (Variétés, 1851). This was followed by two other of his best plays — Les filles de marbre (Vaudeville, 1853) and Les faux bonshommes (1856). Besides these, Barrière has written a great number of plays, alone and in collaboration with E. Capendu, Ed. Plouvier, V. Sardou, and others.

BAR'RIER FORTS,. A series of batteries built by the Chinese on the Chu-kiang River, several miles south of Canton, and so named because at this point, during the 'Opium War' with England in 1840-42, a barrier of heavy piles and sunken vessels was constructed to keep out foreign shipping. On November 15, 1856, the Chinese fired without provocation on several American officers, including Captain (later Rear-Admiral) A. H. Foote, who were approaching the forts in an open boat; and in retaliation, Commodore Armstrong, then commanding the American fleet in Chinese waters, captured the forts by storm, after an energetic bombardment, on the 21st, the Americans losing 29 in killed and wounded, the Chinese fully 300. The incident caused no interruption in the friendly relations between the United States and China. The forts were subsequently demolished by the Chinese.

BARRIER REEF, The Great. A chain of coral reefs off the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia (Map: Australia, H 2). It extends northward from Cape Sandy, in latitude 24° 40' S., to Torres Strait, a distance of 1250 miles, and is separated from the mainland by a channel 10 to 150 miles wide. The chain is intersected by numerous inlets, some of which are wide enough for the passage of steamers, as the Olinda En- trance, in latitude 11° 20' S., and the Raines Inlet, in latitude 11° 40' S. The sea between the coast and the reefs is calm, and the channel is used by steamers, but is dangerous for sailing vessels. The reefs protrude above the surface at low tide, and even at high tide, when invisible, their location is indicated by the turbulent state of the water. The area covered by the reefs is estimated at 100,000 .square miles. Pearls, pearl- shells, and trepang are obtained from the reefs and surrounding waters. Consult Saville-Kent, The Great Barrier Reef of Australia (London, 1893).

BARRIERS,. A battle fought between the French and the Allied troops under the walls of Paris, March, 1814, in which the latter were victorious. It was after this battle that Napoleon abdicated.

BARRIER TREA'TY. A treaty framed in 1715 after the Peace of Utrecht, confirming treaties concluded between England and the Netherlands in 1709 and 1713. It was guaranteed that Holland should have the right of garrisoning the fortified places of the Belgian Netherlands, Austria to pay a subsidy for the expenses incurred. The parties to it were the Emperor, the King of England, and the States-General of the United Provinces. Consult Dumont, Corps diplomatique (Amsterdam, 1726-31).

BARRILI, b-ir-re'l?, (1836—). A popular and highly prolific Italian novelist. He was born at Savona, December 14, 1836, took part in the campaign of 1859, and later served under Garibaldi during 1866-67. Abandoning his first profession — that of law — for journalism, he became in 1860 editor of Il Movimento, and in 1872 of Il Caffaro, which is still the best-known journal of Genoa. Four years later he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies, and in 1889 was made professor of Italian literature at the University of Genoa. Since 1865 he has published upward of 60 volumes, including romances, comedies, poems, addresses, and critical studies. Among his many novels, the best known include: I misteri de Genova (1867); Il libro nero (1869); Semiramide (1873); Cuor di ferro e cuor d'oro (1877); Il tesoro di Golconda (1879); Dalla rupe (1884); Scudi e corone (1890); Diamante vero (1897); Raggio di Dio (1899). Barrili writes stories for the stories' sake. Realism, psychology, the problem novel, are matters which have had slight practical influence upon his literary methods. But his volumes of criticism, such as Il rinnovamento letterario italiano (1890), show the attention with which he watches current literary movements, even though he does not follow them.

BARRINGER, bar'rin-jer, (1821-95). An American lawyer, born in Cabarrus County, N. C. He graduated at the university of his native State; studied for the bar, and afterwards settled at Concord to begin the practice of the law. He was elected to the Legislature in 1848, and became a State senator in 1850. Although strongly in favor of the continuance of the Union, he nevertheless, when the Civil War broke out, cast in his lot with his native State, joined a cavalry regiment, and gradually rose to the rank of brigadier-general. After the war, during which he had taken part in more than 70 engagements, and had been seriously wounded several times, he returned to the practice of law at Charlotte, where he remained until 1884, when he retired from the bar, and thereafter until his death devoted himself to the management of his farm.

BAR'RING-OUT'. A prank once common among schoolboys in Great Britain. On the eve of vacation the boys would attempt to bar the master out, it being understood that if they succeeded in preventing his entrance for three days they might dictate terms regarding holidays and recreation for the ensuing year. But if they failed, they were at the master's mercy. Even the gentle Addison is reported by Johnson to have been a leader in an escapade of this kind at Lichfield. Though not unknown in the United States, barring-out has been here practiced for pure mischief, with no hope of ulterior reward.

BAR'RINGTON. A seaport of Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the head of Barrington Bay, 173 miles west of Halifax by rail (Map: Nova Scotia. D 6). It has a resident United States consular agent, ship-building and fishing industries, and a shipping trade. Population, 1500. Barrington Passage, a small fishing suburb and the railway station for Barrington. communicates by ferry with Cape Sable Island, which lies at the entrance to the bay.

BARRINGTON, (1729-1800). An English lawyer and antiquary. It is said that he was educated at Oxford, but he took no degree. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple, from 1751 to 1753 was marshal of the High Court of Admiralty, and in 1764 became recorder