Five Forks
a locality near Din- 6 widdie Court-house, Va. Here, on April 1, 1865, a severe engagement was fought between the National troops and the Confederates, the former under the command of General Sheridan, and the latter under that of General Lee. After several hours' heavy fighting, the Confederates retreated with a loss of a large number of killed and wounded, 5,000 prisoners, and several guns. The National loss was about 1,000 men, including General Winthrop, who was killed.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Fixed Star
Important: Safety Warning
This page contains instructions involving gunpowder or other explosive or pyrotechnic compositions. Preparing explosives as described has caused severe injuries and deaths, and is illegal in most places.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
in pyrotechnics, a composition introduced into a rocket case and emitting fire at five holes, to represent a star. The composition is niter, sulphur, gunpowder meal, and antimony. In astronomy, fixed stars are those which till lately were supposed absolutely to maintain their relative positions toward each other in the sky, are still admitted to do so very nearly. They are contra-distinguished from planets or "wandering stars." The number of fixed stars is infinitely great, especially in the part of the heavens called the Milky Way (see GALAXY). From a remote period of antiquity they have been grouped into constellations (see CON- STELLATION). They shine by their own light, and probably are suns each one surrounded by planets of its own. Some stars are periodic, and vary in brightness, others disappear and come again. There are double and triple stars, gravity operating on their movements.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Fixture
in law, a term applied to things of an accessory nature annexed to houses or lands, so as to become part of the realty. The annexation must be by the article being set into or united with the land, or with some substance previously connected therewith. Thus a shed built upon a frame not let into the earth, is not a fixture. Machines and other things erected for the purposes of trade are not fixtures, if they can be removed without material damage to the property. Fixtures may not be distrained upon.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Flagellants
Christian sect a which arose in 1260 at Perugia, called by the French Perouse, and spread throughout and beyond Italy. Its adherents, who saw a plague raging, and moreover expected the world speedily speedily to terminate, believed that they could propititate the Divine Being by walking in procession with only a cloth tied round them, and flagellating their bare shoulders with whips which they carried. At first they were noted for sanctity, and made many converts, but doubtful characters beginning to join their ranks, they fell into disrepute, and were restrained from their processions by the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, when the sect gradually died away. The terror produced by the dreadful disease called the black death, which destroyed many millions of people in Europe between 1348 and 1351, produced a revival of the flagellation mania, which spread over most of Europe. In 1349 Clement VII. declared the Flagellants heretics and took steps to repress them. In 1414 an effort was made in Thuringia to revive them anew, but the burning alive of their leader, Conrad Schmidt, and 90 of gradual decline his followers led to the the of the sect.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Flageolet
in music, a small pipe with a mouth-piece inserted in a bulb (hence the derivation of the name from the same root from which the word flagon comes), producing a shrill sound, similar but much softer in quality than that produced from the flauto piccolo. It was formerly employed in the orchestra. Also the tone produced from a violin by lightly pressing the bow near the bridge upon lightly touched strings, is called flageolet or flute tone.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Flagg
JAMES American artist and illustrator, born in MONTGOMERY, an Pelham Manor, N. Y., in 1877. He was educated privately and in the New York public schools. He studied at the Art Students' League in New York, and in Paris. In 1890 he began his work as an illustrator, and within a his work appeared in nearly all the imfew years portant magazines. He also illustrated several well-known books. He became well known as a painter of portraits. He wrote and illustrated several books, including "Yankee Girls Abroad" (1900); "Why They Married" (1906); "The Mystery of the Hated Man" ( ( 1916). During the World War he was appointed State military artist of New York and designed 45 war posters.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Flagler
HENRY M., an American capitalist, born in Canandaigua, N. Y., in 1830. For several years he acted as a clerk in a country store, and was later a manufacturer of salt in Michigan. He came in association with John D. Rockefeller in the oil business, and became a member of the Standard Oil Co. He was vice-president and practical head of this corporation until 1908, and was a director until 1911. He was interested in the development of the east coast of Florida and built several of the largest hotels at Palm Beach, St. Augustine, and other resorts. He was also instrumental in the building of the Florida East Coast Railway and was a director in many other important railroads and financial institutions. He died in 1913. bold
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Flamborough Head
a promontory of England, on the Yorkshire coast, projecting a considerable distance into the sea; lat. 54°7′ N., lon. 0°5′ W. This is at once the most strik- ⚫ing and most celebrated headland on the E. coast of Great Britain, rising 450 feet sheer above the sea, having on its summit a lighthouse, 214 feet high, showing a revolving light. For the battle of Flamborough Head, see JONES, PAUL.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Flamingo
a bird, Phœnicopterus ruber, which has very long legs, and in other respects so much resembles one of the grallatores (waders), that it long classed with them. But Swainson pointed out that its feet have the webbed toes of the duck, and the bill is a modification of a duck's bill. He therefore placed it with the natatorial (swimming) FLAMINGO birds. The plumage is rose-colored, the wing coverts red, the quill feathers of the wings black. It is about 3½ feet high. It is found in the S. of Europe, frequentthe seashore, and living on mollusca, ing fishes. Also the crustacea, and smaller genus Phœnicopterus, of which species Africa, and South exist in Europe, Asia, America. They are gregarious and migratory, moving in large flocks.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia