Association of Nations
phrase commonly used to designate a loose form of international co-operation, in distinction from any covenanted agree ment to co-operate by stated methods or in order to accomplish stated ends. More particularly, the plan of independent conferences largely advocated in America as an alternative to the covenant of the League of Nations. The several treaties signed as the result of the Washington Conference on the Limitation of Armament contain a number of agreements on the part of the nations participating in that conference to confer again at future periods, either at certain specified times or in case of certain exigencies arising. Thus, a new naval conference of the five powers signing the naval treaty is to be held at the expiration of eight years to consider any changes that may then be deemed necessary; and should any of the powers move to terminate the treaty, it is agreed that they they all shall meet again. again By the Four-Power Treaty the contracting parties are to meet in conference in case of disputes arising among themselves, while in case of outside aggression occurring, they agree to communicate with one another in order to arrive at an understanding of the most efficient measures to be taken, jointly or separately, to meet the needs of the situation. Several international boards and commissions are established under the conference treaties, and it is provided that the nations shall confer on the coming report of the Rules of War Commission. (See WASHINGTON CONFERENCE.)
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Assonance
in poetry, a term used when the terminating words of lines have the same vowel sound, but make no proper rhyme.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Assouan
(also ESWAN; the ancient Syene), is the southernmost city of Egypt proper, on the right bank of the Nile. There are some remains of the ancient city. In the neighborhood are the famous granite quarries from which so many of the huge obelisks and colossal statues were cut to adorn the temples and palaces of ancient Egypt. It is from Syene that this kind of granite came to be known as syenite. Pop. about 17,500. ASSOUAN DAM. Its construction was begun in February, 1899. It was formally opened Dec. 8, 1902. This dam accomplished more for the promotion of agriculture along the banks of the Nile in Egypt than anything attempted in centuries. The dam formed a reservoir containing one million tons of water. It had 180 sluice openings. The water thrown back up-country brought 300,000 additional acres under cultivation. In 1907-1912, the dam was raised 16½ feet, more than doubling the water supply.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Assouan Dam
. See Egypt
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Assyrian Literature
. See Literature
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Astarte
as-tar'te. See Ashtoreth ; Baal Aster (a star), an autumn flower of great beauty. Gray recognized fifty-four different asters east of the 100th meridian and north of the southern line of Virginia. Our Rocky Mountain region is full of them. Britton and Brown's Flora gives the number of species of asters as not less than 250, chiefly North American. England has but one aster, a salt marsh plant. China and Japan have many. One from far off Van Diemen's Land smells of musk. Most species are perennial herbs. A few are shrubby. American asters are of many colors and sizes. They belong to the composite family. What seems a flower is really a large number of flowers in a head. Close examination will show a large number of small flowers in the center, with an outer row of showy strap-shaped flowers, always of some other color. Our garden asters are from China. They are not true asters, but are near relatives. Asters are late flowers to bloom. They are exceedingly welcome in the sere days of autumn. Bryant in his Death of the Flowers speaks of them: But on the hills the golden-rod, and the aster in the wood, And the yellow sunflower by the brook in autumn beauty stood, Till fell the frost from the clear, cold heaven, as falls the plague on men, And the brightness of their smile was gone, from upland, glade, and glen.
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Asterolepis
a genus of ganoid fishes named on account of the starry color of its scales.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Asterophyllites
a genus of cryptogamous plants , allied to calamites, belonging to the order equisetaceæ . All are fossil, and belong to the carboniferous period. Their name was given on account of the starry appear ance of the verticillate foliage. Their stems were articulated and branched, and it is now known that the termed volkmannia constituted their fructification.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Astor Place Riot
a fatal affray which took place in New York City, May 10, 1849, in which the participants were the partisans of the actors, Edwin Forrest and William C. Macready. Twenty-two were killed and 36 wounded.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Astoria
a city of Oregon, the countyseat of Clatsop co., on the Columbia river, about 100 miles N. W. of Portland, and on the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle railroad. It is connected with foreign and domestic ports by several steamship lines. The city has an excellent water front, about five miles in length. It is the center of an important salmon canning industry, and has iron works, lumber mills, can factories, and other industrial establishments. A large export trade in lumber and flour is carried on. There is a custom house, postoffice, parks, library, hospitals, and other handsome public buildings. Lewis and Clarke established a fort here, and it was later the site of the fur trading station built in 1811 by John Jacob Astor. It was the first settlement in the valley of the Columbia river. Pop. (1910) 9,599; (1920) 14,027. ASTRÆIDE, in zoölogy, a family of radiated animals belonging to the class polypi and the order helianthoida. It is especially to this family that the formation of coral reefs is to be attributed. It contains the genera astræa, meandrina, etc.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Astraea
A daughter of Astraeus, king of Arcadia , or, according to others, daughter of Titan and Aurora . Some make her daughter of Jupiter and Themis . She was called Justice, of which virtue she was the goddess.
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
Astragal
in architecture, a small semi-circular molding, with a fillet beneath it, which surrounds a column in the form of a ring, separating the shaft from the capital.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia