Rosolic Acid
in chemistry, H4C6 C20H1603- > C < C6H3 ( CH3) O H. C6H4 (OH), a weak acid prepared by treating rosaniline with nitrous acid, and boiling the resulting diazo-compound with hydrochloric acid. It forms shining monoclinic prisms, closely resembling those of aurine, melts above 220°, is insoluble in water, but dissolves readily with brownish-yellow color in alcohol and ether. Boiled with aniline and benzoic acid it yields a beautiful and permanent blue dye.
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Rosse
WILLIAM PARSONS, THIRD EARL OF, an English astronomer; born in York, England, June 17, 1800. Though a representative Irish peer, Lord Rosse's chief attention was devoted to the study of practical astronomy. In 1827 he constructed a telescope, the speculum of which had a diameter of three feet, and the success and scientific value of this instrument induced him to attempt to cast a speculum twice as large. After many failures, Lord Rosse succeeded in 1845 in perfecting machinery which turned out the huge speculum, weighing three tons, without warp or flaw. It was then mounted in his park at Parsonstown, at a cost of $150,000 on a telescope 54 feet in length with a tube 7 feet in diameter. A series of cranks, swivels, and pulleys enables this huge instrument to be handled almost with as much ease as telescopes of ordinary size. The sphere of observation was immensely widened by Lord Rosse's instrument, which has been chiefly used in observations of nebulæ. He died Oct. 31, 1867.
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Rosser
THOMAS LAFAYETTE, an American soldier, born in Campbell co., Virginia, in 1836. He entered West Point in 1856, but resigned on the outbreak of the Civil War to enter the artillery service of the Confederate army. He was afterward transferred to Stuart's cavalry, where he became brigadier-general. He became a major-general in 1864. He refused to surrender at the close of the war, but made his escape and attempted to reorganize the Confederate forces in northern Virginia. He was captured, but was soon released. In 1871 he was appointed chief engineer of the Eastern Division of the Northern Pacific. From 1881 to 1886 he acted as chief engineer of the Canadian Pacific railroad. During the Spanish-American War he served as brigadier-general of the United States volunteers. He died in 1910.
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Rossetti, Christina Georgina
Christina Georgina (1830-1894), an English poet. She was born in London and received her education there. She began writing when about twelve years of age, her first poems being printed by a private press owned by her grandfather. Her writing is largely of a devotional character. She has written also many beautiful poems for children. The Prince's Progress, Goblin Market, A Pageant, and Sing Song are among the titles of her publications. Of the following quotations the first is a bit of her philosophy of life; the second was written for children: I'd laugh today--today is brief; I would not wait for anything; I'd use today that cannot last; Be glad today and sing. Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you; But when the leaves hang trembling The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I; But when the trees bow down their heads The wind is passing by.
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Rostand
EDMOND, a French poet; born in Marseilles, France, in 1868; was educated in Paris; and in 1894 his first play "The Romanesques" was produced It was an at the Comédie Française. instantaneous success and was followed at Rome, from which public orations, by "Princess Lointaine" (1896); "La Samaritaine" (1897); "Cyrano de Bergerac" (1897); "L'Aiglon" ("The Eaglet," 1900), and "Chantecler" (1910). The last three were translated into English and played in the United States by Richard Mansfield and Maude Adams. Rostand's versification is of remarkable beauty. On May 30, 1901, he was elected one of the 40 "immortals" of the French Academy. He died in 1918.
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Roster
in military language, a term implying the seniority list from which officers are detailed for duty in regular succession; hence, occasionally, showing the turn or rotation of service or duty, as in the case of military officers and others who relieve or succeed each other.
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Rostopchin
FEODOR VAS- SILIEVICH, COUNT, a Russian general; born in the province of Orel, Russia, March 23, 1763. Entering the Russian military service as a lieutenant in the Imperial Guard, he won great influence over the weak mind of the Emperor Paul, who promoted him to various offices in rapid succession. In May, 1812, the Emperor Alexander appointed him governor of Moscow. He it was, according to the French writers, who planned and began with his own hand the burning of Moscow. But in 1823 he published "The Truth About the Burning of Moscow" (Paris, 1823), in which he rebuts the charge. Nevertheless, he subsequently recalled this denial and admitted that he at least set fire to his own mansion house. His works, which include a number of historical memoirs, two comedies, etc., in Russian and French, were published at St. Peters- I-Cyc 30, 1826.
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Rostov-On-Don
a city of Russia, situated in the delta of the Don river, near the Sea of Azov. Before the World War it was an important trade center, from which was shipped vast quantities of grain and flour. The manufactures alone amounted to ten million dollars a year. Here are located the largest flour mills in the world. The city is also the center of the Donetz coal Basin mines, for which the Bolsheviki and the counter-revolutionary forces under Denikin struggled fiercely during 1919. The Bolsheviki have held the city since the beginning of 1920. The population of about 175,000 consists largely of Cossacks.
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Rostrum
plural ROSTRA, a scaffold or elevated platform in the Forum pleadings, funeral harangues, etc., were delivered; so called from the rostra or beaks of ships with which it was ornamented. Also a pulpit, platform, or elevated place from which a speaker, as a preacher, an auctioneer, etc., addresses his audience.
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Roswell
a city of New Mexico, the county-seat of Chaves co. It is on the Pecos river and on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fé railway. It is the center of an important agricultural and cattle and sheep raising industry. Its notable institutions include the New Mexico Military Institute, St. Mary's Hospital, a library, and a Federal building and cour public and courthouse. Pop. (1910) 6,172; (1920) 7,033.
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