Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/663

BASSANO. lion; but Louis Philippe restored him to the peerage iu 1831, and made him the head of a short-lived ministry.

BAS'SARIS, or BASARISK. The Caeo-niistli' Ul-v.).

BASS (has) DRUM. A musical instrument of pereu.-ision. It lias a eylindrical body of wood, over l>oth ends of which a membrane is stretched tightly by means of hoops. The bass drum is played by beating either one or both heads with sticks having soft, padded knobs at their ends. See Uktm.

BASSEIN, bas-san' (Hind. Vassim). A town in the Presidency of Bombay, India, situat- ed on an island of the same name, 28 miles north of the city of Bombay; latitude of island, 19° 20' to 10° 2S'' N. In 1720 it had over 00,000 inhab- itants ; but through war, plague, and other causes has decayed until its population had dwindled to 11.000 in 1901. In 1534 it was ceded to the Por- tuguese; in 176,5, after a possession of 231 years, it was wrested from them by the itahrattas; in 1780 it surrendered to the IJritish after a siege of 12 days. The island contains about 35 scpiare miles; it is separated from the continent by a narrow channel, which, as a shelter for shipping, constituted its value in the eyes of the Portu- guese. Bassein is of historical interest, having been promised, though never delivered, as j)art of the dowry of Charles II. 's Portuguese consort.

BASSEIN, or BASSIM. The capital of the district of Bassein in Lower Burma, on the left bank of a mouth of the Irrawaddj', 90 miles from the sea (Map: Burma, B 3). It has a con- siderable trade in rice. The United States is represented by a consular agent. The place is of military importance, as it commands the navi-. gation of the stream. It was captured bv the British in 1852. Population of town, 30,000; area of district, 4127 square miles; population, in 1891, 311.260; iu 1901, 383,100.

BASSELIN, bas'laN', or BACHELIN, Oli- vier (e.l3r)0-c.l419) . A French poet, born in the Valde-Vire, Normandy. Songs on convivial themes, ascribed to him, but now- attributed to Jean le Hou.^^ (Livre des chansons nonvcaux et X aux-de-V ire, 1610 and 18.58), are usually re- garded as the origin of modern vaudeville. The song "To Jly Nose," celebrating its ruddy efflo- rescence, is the best known. Consult: Gastcs Etude sur Oliincr BassFlin et les compnrjnons du Vail dc Tire (Caen, 1866); and Gastf", Olivier Basselin et le Vau de Vire (Paris, 1887)'.

BASSERMANN, ba'ser-man, Heineich (1849 — ). A German theologian. He was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, and was educated at Jena, Zurich, and Heidelberg. In 1880 he was appointed professor of theology at the I'niversity of Heidellicrg. His numerous writings include: Hnndbiwh der (icistlichen Brredsamkeit (1885) ; Akademische Predifiten (1886) ; Entwurf eines Systems evanpelist^hrr Liturfiik (1888) ; Sine Ira et filudio. Der Entrurf der neuen prenssischen Amende hrurteilt (1894).

BASSES-ALPES, bas'iilp'. A southeastern de- partment of France, bordering on Italy (Map: France, N 7). It has an area of 2685 square miles; is mountainous, watered by the Durance, has good pasturage, and is famed for its fruit. Population, in 1896, 110,028; in 1901, 112,763. Capital, Digne.

BASSES-PYRENEES, Uis'pe'ra'nfi'. A south-western department of France, bordering on Spain and the Bay of Biscay (Map: France, F 8). It has an area of 2943 square miles, nearly half of which is marshland. The chief rivers are the Nive and the Odour. It has active industries and a considerable trade through the city and port of Bayonne. Population, in 1896, 421,955; in 1901, 423,164. Capital, Pan.

BAS'SET, or BAS'SET HOUND. See B.d- GER Dog and Hoinu.

BASSE-TERRE, Ixls'tar' (Fr., lowland). The capital of the British West Indian island of Saint Christopher, or Saint Kitts, situated on the southwestern coast. It is well built and is of some commercial importance, having a trade in sugar, salt. etc. Population, about 10,000.

BASSE-TERRE. The capital of the French West Indian island of Guadaloupe, situated on the southwestern coast of the island, at the mouth of the Riviere-au.x-Herljcs (Map: West Indies, R 6). Its poor harbor has little com- mercial value. Basse-Terre is the scat of a bishop, and contains a number of fine public buildings. Population, about 8000.

BAS'SET HORN, or CORNO DI BASSETTO, kor'nu de bas-set'to (It. hass<'flo, some- what low, dim. of basso, low -f- horn.). A wooden wind-instrument similar to a clarinet in tone and fingering. It is now almost obsolete. Vi compass is two and a half octaves, the notes Avritten for it being from F to C^ It sounds a fifth lower than the notes are written.

'''BAS'SETT, (1834—). An American missionary, born near Hamilton. Ont. He graduated in 1859 at Lane Theological Seminary, served as chaplain from 1802 to 1803 in the Fed- eral Army, and from 1863 to 1871 held various pastorates. In 1871 he became a missionary for the Presbyterian Board and traveled widely throughout Europe, spending many years in Turkey and Persia, in which latter country he was a pioneer missionary worker. He is believed to have been the first American to penetrate as far east as the tomb of Harun-al-Rashid at Meshed, Eastern Khorasan. He founded the mis- sion in Eastern and Central Persia, and did much to effect the appointment of a United States legation to Persia. His publications include: Hi/mns in Persian (1873) ; Anwiiri the Turcomans (1880) ; a translation into Gaghatti Tartar of the Gospel According to Mattheiv; A (Urammatical Note on the Simnnni l)ialects of the Persian (1884); and Persia, the Land of the Imams (1886).

BASSETT, John Spencer (1807—). An American historian; born at Tarboro, N. C. He graduated at Trinity College, N. C, in 1888, and afterwards was appointed professor of history there. His publications deal with researches in the history of North Carolina, and include: The Constitutional Bcqinninqs of Xorth Caro- lina, J6fi3-1729 (Baltimore, "1894; Johns Bop- kins University Studies in Hisitory and Political Science, Vol. NTT., No. 3) ; Slavery and Servi- tude in the Colony of North Carolina (ib., 1896; do. Vol. XIV., Nos. 4, 5) ; and Slavery in the State of North Carolina (ib., 1899; do. Vol. XVIL, Nos. 7, 8).