Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/846

BENARES. tion. now known as the Queen's Collece, oc- cupies a modern building of Perpendicular architecture. It is attended by numerous Hindus, and a few Mussulmans and native Cliristians. Benares is industrious and wealthy, as well as holy. Besides extensive manufac- tures in cotton, wool, silk, and ornamental brass-work, its commanding position on the grand line of communication — road, river, and rail alike — renders it the principal emporium of tile neighboring regions. It is the great mart for the shawls of the north, the diamonds of the soutli, and the muslins of the east; while it eir- cnlates the varied productions of Eurcijie and America over Bundelkhand, Gorakhpur, Nepal, etc. The municipal institutions include a hos- pital, dispensaries, asylums for lunatics, lepers, and blind people, jail, swimming-bath, fine pub- lie gardens, and water-works. Popidation, in ISnf, 210,500; in 1001, 203,100. Benares was ceded to the East India Company in 1775. The fanatical character of the inhabitants added its sliare of anxiety to the mutiny of 1857. but a ris- ing was promptl_y suppressed, and the popula- tion was keijt in check by tlie frequent passage of troops from Calcutta to the north. Consult: Sherring, Sacred City of the Hindus (London, 1S60) ; Ralph, "The Sacred City of the Hindoos," in ^'ol. C. Hdi-jwf's Manaziie (New York, 1000).

BEN BOLT. A song by Thomas Dunn Eng- lish (1843), first published in the New York ^yeehly Mirror, and widely reprinted. It owed its popularity largely to the old German air to which it was set. The song was revived in re- cent years through figuring in the extraordi- narily successful Trilby of Du Jlaurier.

BEN'BOW, John (1653-1702). A famous English admiral. He was born at Shrewsbury; entered the navy in 1078, and first distinguished himself as captain of a merchantnian, in a bloody action with Sallee pirates in l(i86. He attracted the notice of James II., who gave him a commission in the navy. After the Revolution he obtained the command of a large ship, and in the course of a few years was made rear- admiral by William III. The most memorable of this gallant sailor's exploits was his last, where his stubborn valor contrasted nobly with the dastardly behavior of his captains. Of Santa Marta, in the West Indies, on August 19, 1702, he came up with a superior French force under Admiral Du Casse. For four days he kept up a running fight with the enemy, almost deserted by Ihe rest of his squadron. On the morning of the S4th his right leg was smashed by a chain-shot. His officers condoled with him. "I had rather have lost them both," said the sturdy admiral, ''than have seen this dishonor brought n])on the English nation. But. hark ye — if another shot should take me off, behave like men. and fight it out!" As soon as his wound was dressed, ho was carried to the quarter-deck, and directed the fight wliile it lasted. The enemy sustained severe loss; but the infamois cowardice of the other cap- tains, who refused to obey the admiral's signals, made the contest hopeless, and Benbow sailed away to Jamaica. He died of his wound on November 4. The recusant officers were tried by court-martial, and two captains were shot. Benbow's emplo,Tnent of explosive vessels at Saint Malo seems to have been an anticipation of Lord Dundonald's method at Basque Roads. Consult Fletcher, "Admiral Benbow," in Mac- millan's Magazine, Vol. LXXXIV. (London, 1901).

BENCH. As a legal term, originally, thfe seat occupied by judges when holding court; later, the court or tribunal itself; and, then, the judges as a class, in contradistinction to the bar. The Court of Common Bench is another name for the Court of Common Pleas. The King's Bench (called the Queen's Bench during the reign of a queen) was formerly the highest court of conunon law in Britain. " During the Com- monwealth it was known as the Upper Bench. It is now included in the High Court of Justice. See Courts; Cuki.v Regis; Ki.xg's Bench.

BENCH, BENCH-MARK. A mark made on some permanent body and used in tidal observations and leveling surveys. The bench is an assumed datum-level to which the reading of the tide-gauge is referred. A heneh-mnrk is a reference mark made upon some durable material, as the stone foundation of a building or a pier: its" height above the zero of the tide-gauge or other datum-plane is determined and made a matter of record, so that by its means any desired level which has been once determined may be reestab- lished. In tidal observations, a bench-mark should be made and its height above the zero of the gauge ascertained as soon as the latter is put up; should the gauge then be injured or destroyed beforc the completion of the observation, it may, by means of the bench-mark, be set up again with its zero at the same level as before; and, if renewed observations are desired after a lapse of time, the bench-mark enables them to be re- ferred to the original plane of reference. In the ordinary leveling of the engineer or sur- veyor bench-marks are extensively employed and all levels measured are referred to them. See Le-elin'G.

BENCH'ERS. The name given to the govern- ing bodies of the four great law societies of Eng- land — Inns of Court, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple, and Middle Temple. They are generally King's counsel or barristers of distinction. They have the entire management of the property of their respective inns and the power of pimishing a barrister guilty of misconduct, or may disbar him, and they may refuse a student admission to the bar. 'Their presiding oflicer is called the treasurer. He is elected annually, and takes the chair at their corporate meetings, speaking and acting in their name. See Inns of Court."

BENCH WAR'RANT. In England, a war- rant issued liy a court of record for the arrest of a person who has been indicted, or against whom articles of the peace have been exhibited. If it proceeds from a court of assize it is sigiied by one judge; if from quarter sessions, by two justices of the peace. It is rarely nsed now. In the United States its use. its form, and the officer by whom it may be issued are regulated by statute frequently. In some States it may be issued by the clerk of the court, or by the" dis- trict attorney. It is also employed in some jurisdictions for the arrest of one guilty of contempt of court.

BENCZUR, ben'tsTmr. Gyttla (Jutlius) (1844— ). A Hungarian painter. He was born at NyiregyhSza, and studied vith Hiltensperger, Anschiitz. and Piloty. In 1880 he became profes-