Severn
the second largest river in England, formed by the union of two small streams which rise in Mount Plinlimmon, Montgomeryshire. It flows through Montgomeryshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire, passing the towns of Newtown, Welshpool, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, and Bristol, and after a cir cuitous S. course of about 210 miles falls into the Bristol Channel. It receives the Tern, Upper Avon, and Lower Avon on square miles. It is navigable to Welshright. Its basin has an area of 8,580 square miles. It is navigable to Welshpool, about 178 miles above its mouth and 225 feet above sea-level. Below Gloucester its navigation is much impeded, but this city to a point on the estuary 2 miles sels of 350 tons. Below Gloucester the banks become so low that destructive inundations have not infrequently occurred. These have been partly caused by one of the most remarkable features of the river, its bore, or by the height of the tides, which at the mouth of the Avon sometimes exceed 48 feet, and at Chepstow attain even 60 feet. A railway tunnel 42 miles long has been driven below the river from near Avonmouth, in Gloucestershire, across to Monmouthshire, and a railway bridge, 3,581 feet long, crossing the river at Sharpness higher up. higher up.
Roman emperor; born near Leptis Magna, on the coast of Africa, April 4, 146. After holding the highest offices under Marcus command of the legions in Gaul, and when in 193 news came of the murder of Pertinax, he was proclaimed emperor and in 193 news came of the murder of Perto whom the prætorian guard had sold was deposed and exethe imperial purple, was cuted. Meanwhile the Roman legions in the imperial purple, was deposed and executed. Meanwhile the Roman legions in Asia had proclaimed their general, Pescessful campaign against the Parthians, cennius Niger, emperor. Severus over- threw him at Issus in 194. After a sucreturned to Rome, but was soon engaged in a struggle with another rival, he returned to Rome, but was soon en- Lugdunum in 197. New campaigns in the E. were ended by the capture of Ctesiphon, the Parthian capital. Severus then spent several years (202-208) at Rome, gratifying the people by his magnificence, and distributing large donations to the troops. several years (202-208) at Rome, gratify- ing the people by his magnificence, and distributing large donations to the troops. (York), Feb. 4, 211.