Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/866

* YORK. 732 yORKTOWN. pointed in 1440, being recalled five years later, lu 1447 he was made the King's lieutenant in Ire- land: he returned to England in 1450, and, gain- ing in inllueuce, in 1454 he was chosen jirotector of the kingdom during the imbecility of Henry VI. About the beginning of 1455 the King re- covered, and various charges of treasonable in- tentions, arising from York's claim to the heir- ship to the throne, culminated in a short engage- ment in May (regarded as the first battle of the Wars of the Roses), but reconciliation be- tween the King and the Duke followed. York was relieved of the protectorship in 145G. In 14G0 his title to the heirship was admitted, but, as the Lords were unwilling to dethrone the King, a compromise was reached in October whereby it was agreed that Y'ork should succeed to the throne upon the death of Henry, and the Duke was proclaimed heir apparent and protector. Queen Margaret's objection to this arrangement led to hostilities, and Y'ork fell in the battle of Wakefield on the 30th of December. YORKER BRETHREN, Old Obdek of. See RiVEK liRETIIREX. YORK HOUSE. For a short time the Lon- don residence of the Archbishops of Y'ork. after their old residence, Y'ork Place, now Whitehall, had passed from the hands of the Church to those of the Crown, upon the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey. It stood on the Strand, west of Salis- bury House. It was subsequently the official mansion of the Chancellors, and was the birth- place of Francis Bacon. Y'ork House came into the possession of the Duke of Buckingham, who began extensions, never completed, from designs by Inigo Jones. YORK RIVER. The common estuary of the Paniunkcy and Jlattapony rivers in Virginia, which unite at West Point, 32 miles east of Richmond. It extends 40 miles southeastward, and opens into Chesapeake Bay north of the mouth of the .Tames (Map: Virginia, H 4). It is about two miles wide, and navigable to its head. YORK'SHIRE. A northeastern maritime county of England, bounded by Durham on the north, the North Sea on the east, Lincoln. Not- tingham, and Derby on the south, and Lancashire and Westmoreland on the west (Map: England, E 2). It is the largest county in the kingdom, with an area of 0OG7 square miles, but is divided into three sections known as East, West, and North Riding, which for most administrative ])urposes form separate counties. The surface is very diversified, the Pennine Chain occupying the western part, with lower groups of hills in the east, while the central ])ortio!i forms the valley of the Ouse, which enters the Huniber estuary on the southern l)undarv. East Riding is chief- ly an agricultural region, producing oats, barley, wheat, turnips, and potatoes. West Riding is one of the greatest manufacturing districts in the kingdom. The textile industry is the most largely rei)resented. but smelting, founding, and other metal industries, such as the manufacture of machinery, are very important, their chief centres being Leeds and ShefTield. Mining is also extensively carried on. the chief products being eoiil in West Riding and iron in North Riding, the production of pig iron amoiuiting to over 2..'-.n0.n00 tons annually. Population, in 1891, 2,880,621; in 1901, 3,585,122. The county town is York, and the chief cities are Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Halifax, and Hull. Yorkshire formed jjart of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Nortlium- bria. It was largely settled by Danish invaders, who from the eighth to the eleventh century were the ruling class. It is exceedingly rich in the remains of castles and monastic houses. YORKSHIRE DOW. A long, slim variety of canary-bird bred in Y'orksliire. England. See Caxary and the accompanying Plate. YORKSHIRE TRAGEDY, A. A play by an unknown author, printed in 1608 under Shakespeare's name. It was founded on a story in Stow's Chronicle. YORK'TOWN. A town and the county-seat of Y'ork County, Va., 70 miles southeast of Rich- mond; on the Y'ork River, and on the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Richmond and the Old Dominion Steamsliip lines. Population, in I'JOO, 151. It contains the oldest custom-house in the United States and a monument commemorating the sur- render of Lord Cornwallis. The town has con- siderable historic interest, having undergone two notable sieges (17S1 and 1862). Cornwallis, after establishing himself here early in August, 1781, fortified the town with seven redoubts and six batteries on the land side, and a line of bat- teries along the river. Gloucester Point, on the opposite side of the river, was also strongly fortified. He had an army of about 8000 men sup- ported by several vessels anchored in Y'ork River. Washington, with the combined American and French forces, left his headquarters near West Point, N. Y'., on August 19th, proceeded by land, by way of Philadelphia, to Elkton, at the head of Chesapeake Bay, then down Chesapeake Bay, reached Williamsburg on September 14th, and on September 28th marched to the investment of Yorktown with a force of about 16,000, of whom 7000 were Frenchmen, under the com- mand of Rochambeau. A French fleet under Count de Grasse had immediately before entered the Chesapeake, and, by blocking the .Tames and York rivers, cut ofl' communication between the r.ritish at Y'orkto™ and New Y'ork. On October 6th the first parallel was opened and on the 9th the batteries opened, dismounting many of the guns and destroying several vessels. On the 11th the second parallel was opened only 300 yards from the fort. On the 14th the two advanced redoubts were carried by assault, one by Ameri- can, the other by French troops. On the 16th the walls and fortifications of the Briiisli works were broken down and almost every gun dis- mounted. The Britisli general attempted now to csen])e by night by way of Gloucester Point, but the atfcnijit was fristrated by a furious storm, which scattered his boats. On the 19th he sur- rendered to the allies, the land army with its nnmitions being surrendered to the .Americans, the marines to the French. The prisoners, ex- elusive of seamen, numbered more than 7000, of whom 2000 were sick or wounded. .Vmong the s]H)ils the .Xnierieans obtained 235 pieces of can- non. 8000 stand of small arms. 28 regimental colors: the French 2 fri^'ates and 20 transports. The total loss of the Hritish was about 550. and of the allies 300. This victory virtually ended the Kevolulionary struggle. The second siege was begun by McClellan with