Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/208

* MATCHES. 180 MATEKA. In England and parts of Continental Europe match-boxes arc made by band by laborers as a household industiy. In America the niakinfr of boxes is effected by machinery and is a part of the match-making establishment. It is esti- mated that 2,0011.000 match-boxes are used per day in the United States, and that five matches per capita are consumed daily in tliis country. The following figures show the value of matches exported from and imported into the United States for ten years: TEAE Imported Exporteil 1891 $93,180 94,368 135,250 156,495 203,890 1,57.486 207.671 135.611 128.873 156,705 $73,220 1892 73.066 1893 67.974 1894 66.614 1895 94.799 1896 ■ 90.315 1897 70.988 1898 .. 78.548 1899 103.693 1900 95,422 MATE (ODutch maet, Dutch maat, Ger. Maat, companion). A naval officer who is classed with warrant officers, but junior to them, and who lioUls an appointment instead of a warrant. Wlien servin<r on a seagoing shij) mates mess with the junior ollicers. There are but six mates now on the active list of the navy, four of whom have been appointed since 1870. In the merchant ser- vice mates are the officers of a ship subordinate to the master. Large vessels have a first, second, third, and sometimes a fourth mate; smaller ships have one or two less. The first or chief mate performs the duties of executive for the master. In port he superintends and directs the stowage and discharge of cargo and has gen- eral care of the sliip. At sea he assists the master in navigating and keeps the log; in most ships he has couuiiand of the port watch. His qualifications are superior to those required of the other mates, and he is usually, like the mas- ter, appointed by the owners and may be dis- •charged by them only, except in unusual cir- cumstances. In case of the death or disal)ility of the master he succeeds to the command. The «econ<l mate commands the siarboard watcli at sea. He is not usually required to have a tlior- ough knowledge of navigation, but should be a thorough seaman capable of directing the men in any kind of seamen's work. The third and fourth mates (when there are such) have duties similar to those of a second mate. Very large steamers, such as the great transatlantic liners, have more than four mates or officers of this status. MAT£, or Paraci'AY Tea (abbreviation of Sp. riirba de maU-, calabash-herb). A substitute for tea, extensively used in South America, and almost universally through Brazil. It consists of the leaves and green slioots of certain species of holly (q.v,). m<ue especially Ilex Paraguen- sis, dried and roughly ground. The true mate is a large shrub or small tree with smooth leaves and axillary umbels of small (lowers. The leaves of a number of other species of Ilex are mixed with mate, and sometimes it is adulterated with leaves of plants in no way related to it. The term matf. which has by usage become attached to this material, belongs originally to the vessels in which it was infused for drinking; these were usually made of gourds or calabashes, often trained into curious forms during their growth. Into the hollow vessels thus formed a small quantity of the material is put, and lioiling water is added. Each person who is to partake of the beverage is provided with a small tube about eight inches long with a bulb-like strainer at one end made either of fine basketwork or of perforated metal to prevent the fine particles from being drawn up into the mouth, and when his turn comes he dips in his tube (bombilla), sucks up a small ]iortion of the infusion, and passes the mate-bowl on to the next person. It is extremely unpleasant to Europeans at the high temperature at which it is usually drunk. The effect of mate is nuuh the same as tea, stimulat- ing and restorative, due to the presence of a large proportion of caffein. The collection and preparation of mate is a large industrial occu- pation in Paraguay and Brazil, ujiward of 5.000.000 pounds of mate being annually ex- ported from Paraguay to other parts of South America, but it is not yet an important article of export to other quarters of the world. See Plate of Beveraoe Plants. MATEHUALA, ma'ta-wii'lii. A town in the southern part of the State of Xuevo Leon, Mexico (ilap: Jlexico, .J G). It has wide and straight streets and several plazas, one containing a gar- den and a statue of Neptune. There are silver mines in the neighborhood, and the town has sev- eral silver-smelting establishments. Population, in 1895. 8300. MATEJKO, ma-ta'kA, Jax Aloysius (1838- '.13 ). A Polish painter, born at Cracow. He studied at the art school in his native town, then went to Munich, and afterwards studied at the Vienna Academy. In 1873 he was appoint- ed director of the Cracow Art School. He was awarded a first-class medal at the Paris Exposi- tion of 18C7, and a medal of honor in 1878. His principal works are large jiaintings of incidents in Polish history, and include an "E])isode from the Diet at Warsaw" (18G7, Vienna Museum); "The Union of Lublin, l.")(ilV' (187;)); "Werny- hora Prophesying the Future of Poland;" "Al- breeht von Brandeid)irg Doing Homage to King Sigismund I." ( 1882. National Museum. Cra- cow) : "John Sobieski Kaising the Siege of Vienna" (X'atican. Rome) ; "Declaration of the Polish Constitution" (18!)2). These are notable not only for color and C(im|)osition. but for the arcluvological knowledge <lis|dayed in their de- tail. He also painte<l excellent portraits and ]mblished Ihii'irii ir Police (18(10). a work repre- senting the costumes of the Polish nation from 1222 to 170.1. Many of the best present-day Poli^li jiainters were pupils of Matejko. MATERA, mi^-ta'ra. A city of the Province of Pcitenza. Italy, situated between lovely val- leys, 34 miles west-northwest of Taranto (Map: Italy, L 7), It is irregiilarly built on steep slopes, the roofs of the houses of tlic lower streets being on a level with the niadlieds of the upper .streets. The |)rincipal buildings are an episcopal palace, a cathedral, and a college. Matcra has manufactures of leather and arms, and a trade in oil and agricultural produce. In the vicinity are the famous troglodyte caverns of Monte Sen- glioso, still >ised as dwelling places by some nf the lower classes. Matcra is the seat of an arch- bishop. Population, in liKll. of conunune. 17.237.