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* GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. 122 GRAND COUTTJMIER OF NORMANDY. and to their widows and orphans. The society admits to membership any soldier or sailor of the United States Arm}', Nav}-, or ilarine Corps, who served between April 12, ISlil, and April 0, 18G5, and was honorably discharged, and also members of State regiments who were called into active ser'ice and were subject to the orders of the United States general officers. The official badge consists of a miniature strap and ribbon showing the national Hag, from which is hung the brass star of the membership badge. This star shows a medallion, on which in relief are a soldier and sailor clasping hands in front of a figure repre- senting 'Liberty,' while in the foreground are two freedmen; the entire design being supported on the sides b}' the national banner. The Grand Army is organized into departments, represent- ing the States and Territories, and numbers near- ly 7000 local societies. The membership in 1800 reached a total of 409,487. but this number has steadily decreased since, and in 1892 was less than 250,000. The annual death-rate is at pres- ent about 9000. Annual meetings, called encamp- ments, are regularly held in the leading cities of the Union. The members wear on official occa- sions a dark-blue uniform and black slouch hat. To this organization is due the establishment of Memorial Day on May 30th of every year. Be- cause of its large membership, its close organi- zation, and its nearly unanimous adherence to Republican policies, the Grand Army has neces- sarily exerted a powerful, if often indirect, influ- ence upon national politics and the choice of national candidates. Every elected Republican President from Grant to McKinley served in the Civil War, and polled practically the entire Grand Army vote. In 18ti9 the Grand Army laid down the rule that the organization should in no way be used for partisan purposes, partisan discussion, or political nominations. But while the letter of this law was kept, the Grand Army has no doubt influenced the cause of pension legislation. The Disability Act of 1890, doubling the pension roll, was due to it; so were earlier and later laws in some part, and so was the insistence upon a liberal interpretation of the laws. The Army has been also, and .beneficently, active in the care and education of the orphans of deceased comrades and in the establishment of soldiers' homes. GRAND ASSIZE. A valuable early form of the jury, instituted by Henry II. for the purpose of trying the title to land. It was available only "to the tenant or defendant in a proceeding originated by a writ of right, who was ofl'ered the choice of defending his title by wager of battle or by the grand assize. The jury was composed of 'lawful knights, girt with swords' (instead of, as was the case with the petit jury, 'good and lawful men' of the vicinage), appointed by a body of four knights, chosen by the sheriff. It consisted of twelve or sixteen men, it is un- certain which, thourrh it would seem that the foTir electors were entitled to add themselves to the twelve chosen by them. The institution of the grand assize was one of the creat reforms in legal procedure, as it marked the decay of the barbarous method of trtal by battle and tho establishment of the system of trial by jury. It sun-ived until abolished along with real actions by act of Parliament in 18.34 (.3 and 4 Wm. IV., c. 42). See Assize: Jitrt. Consult: Thayer, Preliminary Treatise on Evidence at the Common Law (Boston, 1898); Pollock and Maitland, History of Eiifjlish Law (2ded., Boston, 1899). GRAND BANK. An elevated submarine plateau uf triangular shape in the Atlantic Ocean, stretching for 200 miles along the coast of Newfoundland, and extending southeast for over 500 miles toward the coast of Europe. It has an average depth of 40 fathoms, ranging from a minimum of 10 fathoms to a maximum of 100 fathoms. It is supposed to be composed of de- posits of solid matter brought from the Arctic seas by icebergs, which gradually melt by eon- tact with the warm current of the Gulf Stream in these latitudes. The British and French sub- marine cables lie along this elevation. Xear the American coast the Grand Bank teems with ma- rine life, and is noted as the favorite resort for codfish. Some 100,000 fishermen of British, .-imeriean, and French nationalities, in specially equipped vessels, styled 'bankers,' ply their voca- tion amid the many dangers of storm, fog, and icebergs incidental to the region. GRAND BANK. A town and port of entry in the Burin district, Xewfoundland, on the southeast side of Fortune Bay (Map: Newfound- land. E 5). The chief industries are connected with the fisheries, and an important trade is carried on with the French island of Saint Pierre. Population, in 1891. 1170; in 1901, 1427. GRAND CANAL, The (It. Canale Grande). The chief waterway of Venice, a canal .30 to 60 yards wide, which winds through the city iii the shape of the letter S. On it are situated many of the famous palaces of Venice, still distinguished by the posts painted with tlie owners' heraldic colors. It is crossed by the famous Rialto bridge. GRAND CANARY. See Gr. Canari.. GRAND CANON OF THE COLORADO. See C'oLOR. o River, GRAND CAPE, kfi'pj (Lat. cape, take, from initial word of the writ). In English law, the name of an ancient writ whereby, in an action of dower, on the failure of the defendant to appear in answer to the summons, a third part of his lands are attached to await the decision of the court. If the defendant do not ap]iear on the return of the writ of grand cape, judgment is given in favor of the widow, wno is thereupon entitled to take possession of the lands in satis- faction of her dower. GRAND'-COMBE, griix'koNb'. La. A town in the Department of Gard, France, 31 miles north- west of Nfmes (Map: France. K 7). It has glass- works, and in its vicinity are productive mines of coal, zinc, and iron. Population, in 1901, 11,484. GRAND CORRUPTER, The. An epithet earned by Sir Robert Walpole through his frank policy of lu-ibery and corruption, when Prime Minister of England, in securing the support of the House of Commons. GRAND'COURT, Henleigh Maletnger. A prominent character in George Eliot's Daniel Dcroiidn. GRAND COUTUMIER OF NORMANDY. A collection of the ancient customary law of Normandy, supposed to have been compiled about the middle of the thirteenth century. It is one of the most important of a large number of similar collections made in France and Germany at that period. There is no ground for the belief