Waverley
or 'Tis Sixty Years Since, a novel by Walter Scott published in 1814. This was Scott's first novel. He had become famous through his poems, but, believing that he had done his work in that direction, he attempted a novel. As he was doubtful of its reception he published anonymously. Although success was immediate Scott preferred to keep his secret and published several novels, "By the author of Waverley," before his name was given to the public. Waverley is a tale of the insurrection in the Stuart interest led by Charles Edward in 1745.
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Wavre
town in the Belgian province of Brabant, 15 miles S. E. of Brussels; pop. about 10,000. Here on June 18, 1815, there was a fiercely contested battle between the Prussians under Thielmann and the French under Grouchy, in which the Prussians successfully prevented the French from joining Napoleon at Waterloo. See WATERLOO, BATTLE OF.
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Way
in law, either the right which one or more persons have passing over the land of another, or the space over which such right is exercisable. Ways are of various kinds; as a footway, for persons passing on foot only; a horseway, for persons passing on horseback; a driftway, for driving cattle; a carriage way, for driving carriages and other vehicles.
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Waycross
a city of Georgia, the county-seat of Ware so. It is on the Atlantic Coast Line, the Waycross and Southern, the Waycross and Western, and the Atlanta, Birmingham, and Atlantic railroads. Its industries include the manufacture of lumber and turpentine, and it has repair shops, cotton gins, etc. It is the seat of the Piedmont Academy, King's Daughters Hospital, Y. M. C. A. buildings, and other public buildings. Pop. (1910) 14,485; (1920) 18,068.
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Wayland
THE SMITH, a hero of German saga; was originally a kind of demi-god in popular mythology, with of identity with Greek Hephæstus and Dedalus. He was son of the sea giant Wade, a nephew of King Wilkinus, and was first bound apprentice to the famous smith Mimir. Then he was carried across the sea to the dwarfs, whom he soon surpassed in their own science. He dwelt a long time in Ulfdaler along with his two brothers, Eigil, the best archer, and Slagfidr, and here they met three swan maidens, with whom they lived for seven years, till these flew away to follow battles as Walkyries. Afterward Wayland came to King Nidung, who cut the sinews of his feet and put him in prison, for which he revenged himself by putting the king's two sons to death, and violating his daughter Baduhild, who afterward gave birth to Wittich. Wayland then flew away in a feather robe, which he himself manufactured, and which his brother Eigil had tried first, only to be precipitated to the ground. The legend is often alluded to in Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, English, and German poems, and even old French poems tell of Galant the smith. Wayland Smith's cave, a two-chambered megalithic monument, near the White Horse in Berkshire, England, is immortalized in "Kenilworth."
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Wayland Smith
A famous character in German mythological romance and father of Weltich, whom he trained in the art of warfare and sent to the Court of Dietrich in Bern. To him he gave the sword Miming and told him of a mermaid, his ancestress, to whom he was to apply when in difficulty. He is also referred to in the Sigfried story, being in company with a smith named Mimi, when Sigfried joins the smithy. His workmanship is praised in the Beowulf Saga and he is mentioned there and elsewhere as a maker of impregnable armour. He is the supernatural smith of the Teutonic peoples, and is comparable to Vulcan in Roman, and to Hephaistos in Greek mythology.
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Wealth
welth, all objects possessing value, that is to say, exchangeable for other valuables. The wealth of the world is so great as to mean little when expressed in figures. The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world. Statistics are wanting for Asia. Per Countries. Total wealth. person. United States $116,000,000,000 $1,123 United Kingdom 62,200,000,000 1,442 France 42,800,000,000 1,257 Germany 42,000,000,000 709 Russia 35,000,000,000 296 Austria-Hungary 20,000,000,000 499 Italy 13,000,000,000 485 Spain 5,400,000,000 548 Scandinavia 7,000,000,000 700 Belgium 6,800,000,000 739 Portugal 2,500,000,000 Switzerland 2,400,000,000 Wealth of Nations. See Smith ; Adam
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Weather Signal
a signal for indicating weather conditions. Five flags are used by the United States Weather Bureau to indicate the temperature and ordinary conditions of the weather. They are numbered 1 to 5, but some are used in couples to form combinations. No. 1 is a perfect white square and indicates "clear or fair weather." No. 2 is all blue, also square, and its meaning is "rain or snow." No. 3 is a black triangle and is called the "temperature signal." It is always used in combination with either the white or blue square. When placed above the white or blue flag it means that the weather will be warmer, and when below, that it will be colder. When it is omitted altogether, the significance is that the temperature will Sometimes three flags are used in combination. For example, when the triangular flag is at the top of the pole, with the white square immediately below it, and the blue square below the white, the signal reads "warmer, fair weather, followed by rain وو or snow." No. 4 is the "cold wave" signal. It is a white square with a black square in the center of the white. It shows up very clearly, and can never be mistaken for anything else. No. 5 indicates "local rains or showers." It is a square flag, of which the upper half is white and the lower blue. See WEATHER BUREAU.
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Weathering Ore
Such ores of iron as contain pyrites or shale in a large proportion are subjected, before calcination, to the action of the atmosphere and moisture, by which means the sulphur is oxidized and dissolved out by the rains. Being spread on the ground in the open air the process is called weathering. See CALCINATION; CAST IRON; KILN.
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