Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/132

* BIRGE. 110 BIRMINGHAM. defenses of Xew Orleans. In December of the latter year he was appointed to the command of a brijiaile, wliidi he retained tliroujili the first Eed River campaign and at tlio siege of Port Hndson. He was raised to the rank of brigadier- general in September, ISfi.'J. sen'ed in the second Red Rier cx])edition. and snbsequently com- manded at Baton Rouge. In ISO-l he was ns- sigiied to the command of the second division of the Xinetccnlh Corps. He participated in the battles of General 81ieridan's campaign in the Slienandoah Valley, and in February and March. !8(i.5, was apjiointod to the command of the defenses of Savannah. In the same year he resigned, with rank of brevet major-general of volunteers. BIRGER DE BIELBO, ber'ger da byel'bd (?-l-2l)). Regent of Sweden (1250-G6), during the minority of his son. Waldemar. the succes- sor of Eric XI. During his regency he passed many beneficent laws ; l)ronght over to Christian- ity the inhabitants of Tavastehus. Finland, whose incursions had frequently desolated Swe- den : increased the Swedish possessions in Fin- land ; founded the city of Stockholm ; and es- tablished important commercial relations with Liibeck and Hamburg. BIR'GIT, BIRGIT'TA. See Bridget. BIRGIT'TINES. See Brigittixes. BIRKBECK, bPrkljek, George (1776-1841). An English pinsician and educational reformer, bom at Settle, Yorkshire. He studied medicine at the universities of Edinburgh and London. At the age of 23 he was appointed professor of philosopliy at the Andersonian University, Glas- gow, where in 1800 he introduced a course of lectures to workingmen. This 'mechanics' class' evolved, in 182.'5, into the Glasgow ^Mechanics' Institution, which is believed to have been the first institution of its kind. This was followed in 1824 by the London Mechanics' Institution, also organized by Dr. Birkbcck, and subsequently named in his honor. The success of these edu- cational establishments paved the way for the present system of popular scientific education in England. BIRKDALE, berk'dal. A manufacturing town and railway junction in Lancashire. Eng- land, 1V'> miles southwest of Soutliport. Popula- tion, in 1891, 12,400; in 1901, 14,200. BIRKENFELD, ber'krn-fflt (Ger. Bhlce, birch + /VW, field; referring to its rich forests). A German principality belonging politically to the Duchy of Oldenburg, but forming an enclave in the Prussian Rheinland adjoining the districts of Coblenz and Treves (Map: Germany, B 4). Its area is about 192 square miles. The principality belongs to the region of the Ilochwald and Idar Wald, and its surface is hilly and covered for a large jiart with forests. The area devoted to agriculture is very limited, and the domestic supply of agricultural products generally falls short of the demand. The chief industry is the polishing of agates, which gives work to about 8000 men. The administration of the principal- ity is vested in a board. CDiisisting of a president and two assistants, responsible to the ministry of 01denl)urg, and a council of fifteen members. The population was 42,248 in 189;') ami 4.'?. 320 in 1900. .bout 80 per cent, of the population is Protestant. The capital, Birkenfeld, had a popu- lation of 2229 in 1900. BIRKENHEAD, berk'en-hed. A seaport town and Parliamentary borough in Cheshire, England: situated opposite Liverjiool, on the left bank of the Mersey (Map: ICngland, C .3). It includes the townships of Claughton, Oxton, Traumerc, and part of Higher Bebington. The growtli of the town has been very rapid since the opening of its first great dock in 1847 : its floating and dry docks now cover an area of over lli.5 acres. They are, with those of Liverpool, under the man- agement of the Jlersey Docks and Harbor Board, (See LivEia-ooL. ) The streets of the town are regularly laid out. and the buildings, as a rule, arc sul)stantial. Among the niital>le buildings are the handsome town-hall, the merchants' hall. and the market-hall. The educational in^stitu- tions include Saint Aidan's Theological College, a school of science and art, and a public library. Birkenhead has for some years been celebrated for its extensive ship-l)uilding yards, some of the largest iron ships afloat having been built there. The notorious Confederate cruiser Ahi- bama was built by the .Messrs. Laird, to whose enterprise, more than to that of any other firm, the town owes its present importance. In the ncighl)orhood of the docks are the Canada Works for the construction of gigantic biidges; the Britannia machinery-works, and others. Birkenhead has a number of street railway lines, which are owned by the corporation, but leased to private companies. Birkenliead is connected with Tjiverpool by a feiry once owned by the Priory of Birkenhead, now by the town, and liv the Jlersey Tunnel, opened in 1880. Birkenhead was ineorp(U'ated in 1877 and sends one member to Parliament. The town's affairs are adminis- tered by a mayor, a municipal council of forty- two and a board of aldermen of tliirteen meni- l)ers. (See Great Britain, paragi'aph on LdchI (loi^rnimcnt.) The town owns its water-works, which net an annual profit of about ,$2(i.000. It also owns its gas-works and an electric-light plant, the former netting annially abcmt $73,000, the latter involving a sliglit deficit. Refuse is for the most part liurned in destruetors; the sewage is discharged into the sea. The town maintains pub- lic baths, markets, a slaughter-house, and a ceiii- eterv. There are three fine municipal parks. Popiilation. in 1891, 99,857: in 1901, 110,920. BIRMAH. ber'mft. See Buema. BIRMINGHAM, ber'miug-«ni (either AS. BcniKiriiiii. I!(iin)iiii(i. a pnqier name -f- hum, home; or 'home on the hill by the heath,' from AS. hrom. broom -I- ic.i/r/i, descent -- hiim, home). The chief seat of the British for metallic manu- factures, and the leading hardware centre of the world (Map: England, E 4), It stands near the centre of En;;land, in the nort Invest of War- wickshire, with suburlis extending into Stafford- shire and Worcestershire, 112 miles northwest of London. It has the status of a city, a civic county, and a Parliamcntjiry and munieipal bor- I ough. It is built on the eastj'ni slopes of three ' hills at the eonlliience of the Hea and the Tame. with a gravelly foundation overlying clay and new red sandstone, and is one of the best-drained towns in lOngland. The older part of the city ia | crowded with workshops and warehouses; but the modern jiorlion is well built, and possessed of ardiitectural beauty. Among the liner build-