Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/154

* BISTRITZ. 128 BITTER. BIS'TRITZ (Slav, hyfilru, swift). A river rising in the Carpathian Mountains in eastern Hungary, tlowing southeast through Bukowina and Moliiavia. and joining the Sercth just Ijelow Bakau. after a course of about 185 miles. It is called the Golden Bistritz. on account of the au- riferous character of its sands. BISTRITZ (Hung. I}es::terc::e). A roval free town of Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary, beautifully situated on the Bistritz River (an allhient of the 8zamos), in a fine valley about 74 miles northeast of Klausenburg (Jlap: Aus- tria, J 3). It was formerly strongly fortified, and remains of its ancient walls and gales are still standing. Near the town are the ruins of a castle once the residence of the famous John Hunyady. Population, in 1890, 9109, mostly Germans. In 1848-49 Bistritz was the scene of fierce fighting between the Austrians and the Hungarians. BITHOOR'. See Bithub. BITHTJR, be-thoor'. A town of India, in the C'awnpore District, Northwest Provinces, on the right bank of the Ganges. 12 miles northwest of C'awnpore. It is particularly devoted to the wor- ship of Brahma, has numerous pagodas and elaborate ghats, and is a favorite pilgrim resort for purposes of ablution. During the Mutiny of 1857, Bithur was the stronghold of Nana Saliib. Here Havelock more than once exacted retribu- tion, defeating the Nana in the field, and burn- ing his fort. Population, about GOOO. BITHYNIA, bI-thin'i-4 ( Gk. Bieuda). An an- cient division of Asia Minor, separated from Europe l)y the Propontis (Sea of Marmora) and the Thracian Bosporus (Strait of Constantino- ple). It was bounded north by the Euxine, south by Galatia, Phrygia, and Mysia, and east by Paphlagonia. It contained the famous Greek colonies of Cbalccdon and Heraelea; at a later period, Nicomedia, NiciPa, and Prusa were the chief cities. The inhabitants of Bithynia were supposed to be of Thracian origin. The country was subdued by Crcrsus of Lydia, ami later fell under the Persian dominion, though the native i)rinccs seem to have been left in ])ower. In the confusion which followed the death of Alexander, the native dynasty secured an inde- pendent position, and in n.c. 297 Zipoites seems to have assumed the title of king. His son Xieomedes I. founded in n.c. 2G4 the city of Nicomedia, which became the ca])ital. Prusa was founded about n.c. 185 by King Prusias I., and was for a time the chief city. The last king, Nicomedes 111., made the Romans his heirs, and with a large addition from the Pontic kingdom, Bithynia became a jirovinee of the Republic (B.C. 74). Under Trajan, Bithynia was gov- erned by Pliny the Younger, whose letters to the Emperor on the administration and condi- tion of the province contain the well-known passage respecting the Christians. The Emiieror Diocletian made Nicomedia his hal>ilual resi- dence. In 1208 Osman the Turk broke into the country, and in l.'!2S Prusa or Rnisa, then the chief town of Bithynia, became the capital of the kingdom of the Osmanli, and in its mo.sque are the tombs of the earliest Sultans. Consult Ramsav, Historical Geography of Asia Minor (London, 1890). BITING LICE, or BIRD-LICE. A group (Mallophaga) of wingless lice, which infest birds and mammals, each of the thousand or more species, as a rule, belonging to only one kind of host, and having mandibulate mouth-parts adapted to cutting and biting, instead of suc- torial organs. BITLIS, bit-les'. A town of Asiatic Turkey, capital of the vilayet and sanjak of the same name. It is situated at an elevation of 5156 feet above the level of the sea, in a deep ravine traversed by the river Bitlis, near Lake Van (Map: Turkey in Asia, K 3), Bitlis is a scattered and irregularly built place, with a large number of mosques, convents, several well- stocked bazars, a palace, and ruins of an old fortress. The chief ])roducts are cotton fabrics, arms, and silver and gold articles. It exports some raw wool and tobacco, and imports cotton for its manufacttires, ehiefl}' from Persia, It has also a very extensive trade. The import of British goods is small. The population is about 39,000, inchiding a considerable number of Ar- menians. The Persians defeated Solynian the ilagniticcnt near Bitlis in 1554. BITONTO, be-ton'to (anciently, Lat. liutun- tiim ) . A city in south Italy, 5 miles from the Adriatic, and 10 miles west of Bari (ilap: Italy, L G). It has a Romanesque cathedral, a theologi- cal seminary, an orphan asylum, and a castle. The chief trade is in salad-oil and in a wine called Zagarello. In its vicinity the Spaniards, under Count de ]Montemar, gained a victory over the Austrians in 1734, which gave Naples to Don Carlos. Population, in 1881, 23,812; in 1901 (commune), .■(0.017. BITSCH, Fr. BITCHE (anciently Bytis cas- tnimc). A German town of Alsace-Lorraine, oi. the Horn, in a wild and wooded pass of the Vos- ges, 30 miles north-northeast of Strassburg. Its citadel, l)uilt on a precipitous and isolated rock, in the midiUe of the town, is well supplied with water, defended by 80 cannon, has acconnnoda- tions for a garrison af 1000 men, and is considered all but impregnable. The Prussians under the Duke of Brunswick attempted to surprise it in 1793, but failed. It was also unsuccessfully be- sieged by the Germans in 1870. The town has manufactures of matches, watch-glasses, and porcelain. Population, in 1900, 3000 (Map: Gernumy, B 4 I. BITTENFELD, bit'ten-fCdt, Herwarth von. See Hekwaktii vo. Bittenfelu, BIT'TER, Karl Hermann (1813-85). A Prussian statesman and writer on nuisic. He was born at Schwedt, Province of Brandenburg, and studied law and cameralislics at Berlin and Bonn. He served as the plenipotentiary of Prussia on the Danube Connnission from 1850 to 18G0, was prefect of the Department of Vosges during the ]'"ranco-Pr.ussian War, and subse- quently became minister of finance (1879) — an oflicc in which he displayed exceptional ability. He increased the indirect duties derived from the so-called tobacco mono])oly and the tax on spirits and malt, introduced the ■Biirsensteuer' (tax on the bourse), and concluded the com- mercial treaty with the city of lhiml)urg by which that city entered the German Customs I'nion. He reestablished the stalulity of the Prussian finances, and took a promini'ut part in bringing the railroads of Germany un<ler (iov- ernment control. He resigned in 1882, in con- sequence of differences with Bismarck. His lit-