Each of these 13 subjects appears in only one of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. None is long enough to carry a page by itself, so they are gathered here by letter. Anything that grows moves out to a page of its own.
a volcanic island belonging to the South Shetland group in the Antarctic Ocean, directly S. of Cape Horn. Amid its ice-covered rocks lies a crater-lake, five miles in circumference, surrounded by hot springs. DECHENITE (named after the German geologist, Von Dechen), De a red or yellow greasy mineral, occurring massive, botryoidal, nodular, stalactitic, and at times slightly columnar. Found in Germany.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
those which annually lose and renew their leaves. In cold and temperate countries the fall of the leaf in autumn, and the restoration of verdure to the woods in spring, are among the most familiar phenomena of nature. The greater part of the trees and shrubs of temperate regions are deciduous; but within the tropics the forest retains always its luxuriance of foliage, except in countries where the dry season is extremely marked. Trees not deciduous are called evergreen.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the common system of arithmetic, in which the figures represent a different value, progressing or decreasing by tens; the value increasing tenfold for each place nearer to the left hand, and decreasing tenfold for each place nearer the right hand. Also that part of the science of numerical calculation which treats of decimal fractions.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a Roman emperor; born in Pannonia, and succeeded Philippus, whom he defeated, in 249. He distinguished himself by an expedition against the Goths, and by persecuting the Christians. In his march against the Goths he entered a morass, where he and his army perished in an attack of the enemy, A. D. 251.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a horizontal platform or floor extending from side to side of a ship , and formed of planking supported by the beams. In ships of large size there are several decks one over the other. The quarter-deck is that above the upper-deck, reaching forward from the stern to the gangway.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a famous act of the Continental Congress. June 10,1776, a committee of five, consisting of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, was appointed to draw up the Declaration. The chairman framed the report. A few clauses in the charges against the king were canceled by the Congress, but the Declaration as it stands today is substantially the work of Thomas Jefferson. It was reported June 28th. It was adopted July 4th amid the ringing of bells and general jubilee. Copies were sent out broadcast over the signature of the president and secretary. July 19th Congress ordered the Declaration engrossed on parchment, that the historic document might be signed by the members. August 2d it was signed by fifty-three members, then present. Absentees and others signed later. The last signature was fixed November 4th. In 1823 a copperplate facsimile was made under orders of President J. Q. Adams. In the process, the artist faded the original text and the signatures until portions are illegible. Up to this date the Declaration was shown freely and on special occasions thereafter, but in 1823 it was sealed up in a steel case secure from light and decay. It rests in the keeping of the secretary of state at Washington. It is said that, of all the fifty-six signers, not one died with a tarnished reputation. The last survivor, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland, passed away in 1832.
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
a declaration drawn up by Parliament, and presented to William III. and Mary on their acceptance of the Crown of Engclaimed land, 1689. In it Parliament to keep arms for the right of Englishmen that the election of their own defense; members of Parliament ought to be free; that no excessive fines or unusual punishments should be inflicted; that money should not be raised without the consent of Parliament; that a standing army must not be raised or kept up in times of peace without the consent of Parliament, etc. These articles were afterward embodied in the Bill of Rights.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
in grammar, the aggregate of the inflections or changes of adjecform which nouns, pronouns, and receive in certain languages actives cording to their meaning or relation to , such variaother words in a sentence tions being comprehended under the and case, three heads of number, gender, the latter being the most numerous.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
in astronomy, the distance of a heavenly body from the celestial equator (equinoctial), measured on a great circle passing through the pole and also through the body. It is said to be N. or S. according ng as the body is N. or S. of the equator. Great circles passing through the poles, and cutting the equator at right angles, are called circles of declination. Twentyfour circles of declination, dividing the equator into 24 arcs of 15° each, are called hour circles or horary circles. Declination of the compass or needle, or magnetic declination, is the variation of the magnetic needle from the true meridian of a place. This is different at different places, and at the same place at different times.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
an instrument for determining the magnetic declination, and for observing its variations. In magnetic observatories there are permanent instruments of this kind, and they are now commonly made self-registering. Such instruments register the small hourly and annual variations in declination, and also the . variations due to magnetic storms
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the term applied in pharmacy to the solution procured by boiling an organic substance with water. DECOLORIMETER (de-kol-ō-rim'eter), an instrument for determining the power of portions of bone-black or animal charcoal to abstract coloring matter.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the rather comprehensive term applied to the breaking up of complex substances or substances of delicate stability, into others which are less complex or more stable. The term decomposition is constantly applied in chemistry to the changes which compounds undergo in the most varied cirto change of cumstances when subjected conditions.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the badges, medals, and ribbons of any order of nobility or merit. The most noted are those of the Order of the Garter of the Legion of Honor, of the Loyal Legion, and the sevdecorations bestowed by by sovereigns. American citizens holding office under the United States government are not permitted to accept decorations from foreign rulers without the consent of Congress. See U SERVICE MEDALS and DECORATIONS.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia