Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/188

BLAND. in the controversies with Lord Dunmpre (q.v.), and attracted especial attention by a series of papers written under the [jen-nanie 'Cassius.' He served through the Revolutionary War as a lieutenant-colonel of Virginia cavalry, and was an intimate friend and confidant of Washington. He was a member of Congress from 178U to 1790. The Ulaiid Papers, which contain valuable historical material covering the period of the Revolution, were collected and edited by Charles Campbell ( Parkersburg, 1840).

BLAND'AMOUR', Sir (evidently bland, Lat. bldiidiis, smooth-tongued, fawning + amour, Fr. atitour, love). A bombastic knight in Spenser's Faerie Qucoie. His adventures are dealt with in the beginning of the fourth book of the poem. He is intended for the Earl of Northumberland, one of the leaders in the revolt of 1569.

BLAN'DIMAN. A character in the romance of 'i'akntiiir and Orson, a Fifteenth-Century story of the Charlemagne cycle.

BLANDRATA, blftn-drii'ta, properly BIAN- DRATA, byan-dra'ta, Giorgio (c.1515-c.90). an Italian physician. He was born at Saluzzo, Piedmont. He practiced at Pavia, but, sus- pected of heresy, was compelled to escape to Geneva. Here his anti-Trinitarian views, which persisted despite the I{(Sj>o)isuin ad Quwstioties G. Blandratos (1559) of Calvin, involved him in violent controversy with the latter. From Geneva he went to Poland, and subsequently to Transjl- vania, where he became physician-in-ordinary to Prince John Sigismund, whom he numbered among liis converts. In both countries he was the first to introduce the doctrines of Unitarian- ism. In 15(56 he defended his doctrines against Reformed theologians in public disputation. Hi.? most important work, the Confessio An- iilrinitarin, was edited by Henka (1794). Con- sult ilalcarne, Commentario della Opere di Giorriio liiaiidrata (Padua, 1814).

BLANGINI, blan-je'nf, Giuseppe Maria Felice (1781-1841). An Italian composer. He was born in Turin, and went to Paris in 1799, where he composed romanzas, canzonettas, nocturnes, and also several operas, the most celebrated of which was entitled Xeftali. In 1809 he was called to Cassel as kapellmeister to King .lerome of Westphalia, and it was here that the work to which he owes his fame. La Fee Vrgele, was written. He composed, in all, about eighteen operas and more than two hun- dred smaller compositions.

BLANKENBERGHE, blanTvcn-bgrK'. A fa- vorite seaside rocirt in the Province of West Flanders, Belgium, on the North Sea, 9 miles north of Bruges, and 12 miles northeast of Ostend. It has a fine beach, a paved promenade along the sand-dunes 22 yards wide and over a mile in length, handsome residences, and a ca- sino with a concert-room to accommodate 4000 persons. Its popularity dates from 1840, and it is now visited annually by over 25,000 tourists. Permanent ])opulation, in 1899, 4297.

BLANKET ( Fr. blanchet ; originally, a kind of whit*- woolen stuff, dimin. of blanc, white; cf. Eng. blank). A sheet of heavy woolen or partly woolen cloth, which is used for beds, for horse-coverings, and to wrap around the person. In the early years of the last century, especially from 1812 to 1815, the manufacture of blankets in the United States was confined to the produc- tion of coarse qualities, chiefly for the military and naval forces. The War of 1812 gave a great impetus to woolen manufactures, and factories sprang up everywhere; but with the restoration of peace these enterprises met with disaster be- cause of the superior goods that were imported at much lower prices. In 1831 a large mill for the manufacture of cotton-warp blankets for the use of slaves was erected near Pendleton, S. C. It is said that in the same year a factor}' was built near Buflalo, N. Y., for the manufacture of Mackinaw or Indian blankets. In 1860 the census reports stated that the manufacture of blankets was carried on in nineteen different States, and that the total output was 616,400 blankets, which were produced chiefly in Maine, ilassachusetts. New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and California. The manufacture of blankets increased largely during the Civil War and in the years immediately following, and the im- portations decreased proportionally. Since that time the values of the finer grades of white bed- blankets have become much reduced, and the pro- duction of the poorer qualities discontinued. In the last twenty years great advances have been made in the manufacture of blankets, and those of lighter weight, but more fleecy finish, are pre- ferred to the heavy grades of former years. The finest grades are manufactured in California and Oregon, the best blankets costing over $20 per pair, or more than $2 per pound. All-wool blankets can be obtained from $7.50 upward, while cheap blankets can be bought as low as $2 a pair.

The best blankets are made wholly of wool, but those of medium or inferior qualities are formed of cotton warp and woolen filling threads, the aim of the manufacturer being to raise the fibres of the woolen yarn into a loose, soft nuit on the face of the blanket so as to hide the threads be- low. E.xtraordinarily fine woolen blankets are made in Mysore in India, some of which, it is said, are so delicate that, though 18 feet long, they can be rolled inside a hollow bamboo. Such fancy blankets cost about $150. The blankets made by the Navaho (q.v.) Indians of northern Arizona and New Mexico are much sought after where durability and warmth are desired. The Navahos occupy a reservation of 8,000,000 acres in northern Arizona and New Mexico; they are the most civilized of the Indian tribes, and num- ber about 10,000. They pos.sess about 1,000,000 sheep, which they raise for their wool to make into blankets. The wool which comes from their flocks is rudely carded and spun on a spindle resembling a boy's top. The loom con- sists of two horizontal beams, one hung above the other and the warp stretched between. The shuttle is a stick. The colors most used are black, red, blue, and yellow; the patterns are geometricifl designs. The value of a Navaho blanket depends upon its weight. The average weight is twenty ])ounds, and the value in 1900 was from $1 to $2 per pound. They were much sought after by emigrants to the Klondike. Blankets are also made by other Indian tribes of the Southwest, and specimens are shown in the accomiiaiiying colored plate.

BLANK VERSE ( refers to absence of rhyme; probably from blank, lacking a part necessary for completeness, as e.g. in 'blank' cartridges, containing powder but no ball). Verse without rhyme. The typical line contains five feet, or