Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/862

* MONT-SAINT-MICHEL. 774 MONTT. moiiry, cellar, and dungeons, dating fioin the twelfth century; the C'rjpte des Grus Pilieis, the Salle des Chevaliers, the refectory, the {jraeeful cloister, dormitory, and La Merveille, or north wall of the abbey. 241! feet long and KKS feet high, dating from the thirteenth century, and the cha- telet or donjon, and the tlaniboyant Gotiiic church, dating from tlic fifteenth century. The Mont was the ancient .Mons Tumba, an elevation, crowned bj' a temple of the Druids, in the Forest of Scissy, which was submerged by an inundation in the seventh century. The abbey was founded in 709 by Saint Aubcrt, Bishop of Avranchcs. It became a noted pilgrimage resort, and in the twelfth century was famous for its library and the learning of its monks, whose chronicles de- scribe it as the "mons in periculo maris.' The buildings date cliielly from after 1203, when the abbey was burned dowii by the soldiers of Philip Augustus. It siiccessfully resisted the assaults of the Knglish and Huguenots; was dismantled at the Revolutiijn and converted into a political prison ; and is now included among the historical moiuiments of France. During the last three decades it has been undergoing a process of restoration, not yet completed. Population of village, in 1901, 23.j. MONTS DE PIETE, muN de pya'ta' ( Fr., funds of pity). A name applied throughout Europe to public or semi-public insHlutions or- ganized to loan money to llie poor at low rates of interest on goods deposited. The establish- ment of the monts de piete dates from the middle of the fifteenth century, when a certain Barnarb(< Terni proposed a charitable bank which should lend money without interest. To this was given the name Monte di Pietil. The principle was adopted by Orvieto (1404). Bologna (1475), and Milan (140(5). At first no interest was charged, but as it was impossible to secure suffi- cient funds gratuitously, a moderate rate of in- terest was deniandeil. This policy was attacked on the ground that it violated the canon law forbidding 'usury.' In l.'jlo the Fifth Lateran Council declared that it was permissible to take a low interest to meet the necessary expenses. Cities in other countries soon adopted the plan. In 1.534 a pawn bank was started at Yjires and one at Bruges in l."i"2. and by lt)33 they existed in some sixteen cities. Their success has not been uniform, but they now do a large business. In ISO.") the various Belgian institutions bad 89 1, ".'if! articles pledged (or pledges renewed). The rate of interest varies from 4 to It! per cent, per annum. The net ))rofit in IS9."> was $12,477.S4. in Holland the first mont de piC'te, the Groote Banck van T.eening. was established at .mster- daiii in l(il4. In 1895 it had a capital of over $.''>05.000, nearly .$200,000 of which was borrowed. Financially the Dulch banks have not been profit- cble. as the constant enrleavor has been to keep the rate of interest low. In Cermany. .Vugslnirg. in 1591. ajipropriatcd funds to form a loan bank ( Ix'ilihaus), and in 1018 Xuremberg followed this example. To-day public pawnshops are found in many cities. The laws fix the interest at 2 per cent, per month on all sums of less than 30 marks and 1 per cent, per month on larger Bvims. Monts de pirtf" were introduced into France, at Avijfnon (1577). Cnrpcntrns (1012). and Aix (1035). The famous Mont de Pif-te at Paris was established in 1777 by the General Hospital, which was to have the profits. It has had a varied history, but is in successful operation to- day. It has now a central station and over 20 auxiliary stations. Since the Kevolution the pawn-broking business of France has been under the direct charge of the cummunal and city au- thorities. At the head of the Paris l)ank is the Prefect of the Seine with a special council of lawyers who form a 'comite consultatif," and have charge of the legal work of the institution. The interest rate is now per cent. ])er annum. In 1 895 over 1,928.300 art icles were under jilcdge, and on the^e some .$10.07 1 ,000 were loaned. The ledger of the institution for 1890 showed a credit of .$789,783 and a debit of $750,428. In England a "Charitable Corporation' liegan business in 1708, but this was so mismanaged that it became a sub- ject of Parliamentary investigation and was closed. The principles of the inonts de piete were introduced into the United States by the Col- lateral Loan Company of Boston in 1859; they have al>o been adopted by the Workinginen's Loan Association of Boston (1888), the Saint Bartholomew's Loan Association of New York (1894). and many others. ,iiioiig the .lews there exists the Heljrew Free Loan Association or New York, which loans money without interest. The monts de piete have been of great service and have always tended to keep the rates of interest low. In all countries it is the custom to restrict the articles on which loans may be made and to take the necessary precautions against fraud and loss. If the pledges are not reileenied within a given time the goods are sold. Sometimes the owner has the right to ask for the sale of the goods. It is usual to return to the owner any sum realized atxive the indebted- ness. Consult: Blaize, Des monts-d<:-jti(tc et drs haiiiiiirii lie prets (Paris, 2d ed., 1850) ; Vanlaer. Les monts-de-pU^t^ en France (Paris, 1895) : Pat- terson, I'niriihrokhiii in Europe and the United fitates.. Bulletin No. 21, Department of Labor (Vashington, 1899). See Pawnbroking. MONTSERRAT'. One of the Leeward Isl- ands. British West Indies, situated 34 miles northwest of Guadeloupe, and 20 miles south- west of Antigua (Map: West Indies. Q fi). It is triangular in shape. II miles long by 7 miles broad, and has an area of 32 square miles. It is of volcanic origin, and its surface is moun- tainous. rea<hing a height of 3000 feet in the volcano of SoulTri^re. The chief products are sugar, coffee, cocoa, arrowroot, and lime juice. Its industries received a heavy blow from a de- structive hurricane which swept over the island in 1899. Monfserrat is subject to the general government of the Leeward Islands, and is locally governed by a nominated legislative council. Its popubition', in 1891, was 11.702. and in 1901. 12.215. The capital is Plymouth, on the south- west coast, with a population (1901) of 1401. The isliind was discovereil in 1493 by Columbus, and i-nlniii/ed by the British in 1632! MONTT. m6nt. .Toroe (1S40— ). A President of ('hill', son of flannel Alontt (q.v.). He was a cajitain in the navy when, in January. I89I. the relations Ix-tween President Balinaceda and the Chilean Congress reached the point of ac- tive hostilities, and the lleet under his leader- ship declared fur Congress. On .lanuary 7th a