ou, as in our; th, as in thin; тH, as in this; N, nearly like ng. BENEVENTO, ben-à-ven'-to (Lat. Beneven/tum), an archiepiscopal t. of Italy, belonging to the Papal State, though situated within the limits of the kingdom of Naples. This town held an important rank in the middle ages, when it was the seat of a dukedom. After the time of Charlemagne, the duchy of Benevento maintained itself, for a considerable period, as an independent state, and its dukes assumed the title of princes. Lat. 41° 7′ N., Lon. 14° 43′ E. Pop. about 14,000. (B.) BEN-GAL, a large prov. of Hindostan, between 21° and 27° N. Lat. and 86 and 93° E. Lon.; bounded on the N. by Nepaul and Bootan, E. by the Burmese empire, S. by the Bay of Bengal and Orissa, and W. by Bahar. Its length, from E. to W., may be estimated at 350 m., its average breadth at near 300 m. Area estimated at 97,244 sq. m. The soil of Bengal is very fertile, and the country is intersected in every direction by navigable streams; among others, the Ganges and Brahmapootra. The annual inundations occasioned by the swelling of the rivers in the rainy season, leave a deposit of decayed vegetable matter, and thus renew the productiveness of the soil. This province is the seat of the supreme government in British India. Pop. in 1822, estimated at 23,358,750. (P. C.) Capital, Calcutta.—Adj. BEN`-GÅ-LEŞE/ and BEN-GAL-EE. Inhab. BENGALESE.

BENGUELA, ben-gå-lå, a district on the W. coast of Africa, S. of Angola.

BENIN, ben-een', a kingdom on the W. coast of Africa, in Nigritia.A r. of this country, flowing into a gulf of the same name.--Also, a t.; the cap. of the kingdom of Benin. Pop. estimated at 15,000. (B.)

BEN-NING-TON, a co. forming the S. W. extremity of Vt. Pop. 16,872. Co. towns, Bennington and Manchester.

BENSHEIM, bens/-hime, a small t. of Hesse Darmstadt, 8 m. S. of Darmstadt. Pop. 4,000. (B.)

BENTHEIM, bent/-hime, a small district of Germany, comprised within the limits of Hanover, with a t. of the same name.

BEN-TON, a Co. in the N. E. part of Alabama, bordering on Ga. Pop. 14,260. Co. t. Jacksonville.

BENTON, a co. forming the N. W. extremity of Ark. Pop. 2,228. Co. t. Osage.

BENTON, a Co. in the N. W. part of Tenn., W. of, and bordering on the Tennessee r. Pop. 4,772.

BENTON, a Co. in the W. N. W. part of Ind., bordering on Ill.

BENTON, a co. in the S. W. central part of Mo., intersected by the Osage r. Pop. 4,205. Seat of justice, Benton c. h.

BERAR, ba-rar', a prov. in the S. of Hindostan, between 17° and 23° N. Lat., and 75° and 81° E. Lon.

BERAT, ber-åt', an important t. of European Turkey, in Albania. Lat. 40° 48' N., Lon. 19° 52' E. Pop. 9,000. (B.)

BERESINA OF BEREZINA, ber-ez-ee/-na, a r. of Russia, flowing into the Dnieper.

BER-EZ-OF! (Berezow), a small t. of Siberia; cap. of a circle of the same name. Lat. 63° 56′ N., Lon. about 67° E. Pop. about 1,500. (P. C.)

Fate, far, fall, fât; mẻ, mét; phne or pine, pin; nở, nôt ; öõ as in good

BERGAMO, b ́R-gå-mɔ, (Anc. Berꞌgomum,) a t. of Austrian Italy, in a prov. of the same name, 27 m. N. E. of Milan. It possesses several scientific and literary institutions; among others, a public library of 45,000 vols. Lat. 45° 42′ N., Lon. 9° 40′ E. Pop. 32,000. (B.)

BERGEN, beRg/-en, an ancient and commercial t. of Norway, situated on a bay of the North Sea. Lat. 60° 24′ N., Lon. 5° 21' E. Pop. 21,000. (B.)

BERG-EN, a co. in the N. E. part of N. J., bordering on the Hudson r. Pop. 13,223. Co. t. Hackensack.

BERG-OP-ZOOM, biRG/ op zōme', (Berg on the Zoom,) sometimes incorrectly written Bergen-op-Zoom, a fortified t. of Holland, in N. Brabant, on the little river Zoom, and near the E. branch of the Scheldt, 19 m. N. by W. of Antwerp. Pop. about 6,000. (B.)

BERGUES, b'rg, a fortified t. of France, in the dep. of Nord, about 5 m. S. E. of Dunkerque. Lat. 50° 58′ N., Lon. 2° 24′ E. Pop. in 1832, 5,962. (P. C.)

BERK-LEY, a co. in the N. E. part of Va., on the Potomac r. Pop. 10,972. Co. t. Martinsburg.

BERKS, a co. in the S. E. part of Pa., intersected by the Schuylkill. Pop. 64,569. Co. t. Reading.

BERK-SHIRE, formerly written, and still often pronounced Barkshire, an inland co. of England, S. of, and bordering on the Thames. Pop. 161,147.

BERKSHIRE, a co. forming the western extremity of Mass. Pop. 41,745. Co. t. Lennox.

BER-LIN (Ger. pron. bir-leen'), the cap. of the Prussian dominions, and, next to Vienna, the largest and finest city of Germany, situated on the banks of the Spree, in the prov. of Brandenburg. The part called New Town (Neu Stadt, noi stått), is built with great regularity. The streets are wide, and adorned with a multitude of magnificent buildings, both public and private. The royal palace is one of the finest in Europe. Berlin is celebrated as a seat of literature, science, and the arts; among the multitude of institutions for the promotion of which, may be named-the University, founded in 1810, which is one of the first in Europe; it has 12 professors, and about 1,700 students: the Royal Library, containing more than 400,000 vols., besides manuscripts: and the new Museum, with a superb collection of paintings, coins, and other works of art. In trade, extent, and population, it surpasses every other city of the Prussian dominions. The old Observatory is in 52° 31′ 13′′ N. Lat., and 13° 23′ 52′′ E. Lon. Pop. above 240,000. (B.)

BERLIN, a t. of Conn., in Hartford co., 11 m. S. of Hartford, remarkable for its tin manufactures. Pop. of the township, 3,411.

BERMUDAS, ber-moo'-daz,* or SoMMERS' ISLANDS, are situated in the

This name, in Shakspeare's time, appears to have been pronounced after the Spanish mode, BERMOOTHES, as we find it thus written in the Tempest, Act I Scene 2. (See Int. XXVII., 7.)

ou, as in our; th, as in thin; TH, as in this; N, nearly like ng. N. Atlantic, 645 m. N. E. of Atwood's Keys, the nearest of the W. India Islands, and 580 m. from Cape Hatteras, in North Carolina. These islands are very numerous: the principal are St. George's, St. David's, Long Island (or Bermuda), Somerset, and Ireland. They belong to Great Britain. The climate of the Bermudas is that of perpetual spring. The name is derived from the supposed discoverer, Bermudez, Spaniard who is said to have touched here in 1522. Wreck Hill, the western part of the group, is in 32° 15′ N. Lat., and 64° 50′ W. Lon. Total pop. in 1832, 12,228. (P. C.)—Inhab. BERMUDIAN, ber-moo/de-an.

BERN OF BERNE (Ger. and Fr. pron. birn), the most populous and next to the largest canton of Switzerland, is situated in the central part of this country. Area 2,577 sq. m. Pop. in 1831, 380,000. (P. C.) -Adj. and inhab. BER-NESE.

BERN, the cap. of the above, on a peninsula formed by the r. Aar. Its trade is considerable, and it possesses several good establishments for education, with a richly endowed museum of natural history, and a public library of 30,000 volumes. Lat. 46° 57′ N., Lon. 7° 25′ E. Pop. of the town, with its environs, 20,000. (B.)

BERNARD, ST., a mountain pass between Switzerland and Italy, on which the celebrated Hospice or monastery of St. Bernard stands, at the height of about 7,963 feet, being the most elevated fixed habitation in Europe, and close upon the limits of perpetual snow. Above it, tremendous rocks rise to the height of 4,240 feet, or about 12,200 feet above the level of the sea.

BERNARD, ST., a parish in the S. E. part of La., bordering on Lake Borgne. Pop. 3,237.

BER-RI-EN, a co. forming the S. W. extremity of the state of Mich., lying on L. Michigan. Pop. 5,011. Co. t. St. Joseph.

BER-TIE', a co. in the N. E. part of N. C., bordering on the Roanoke. Pop. 12,175. Co. t. Windsor.

BERWICK, usually pronounced ber-rick,a seaport and garrison t. of the co. of Northumberland, Eng., on the road from London to Edinburgh, on the N. bank of the Tweed, about half a mile from its mouth, and 48 m. E. by S. from Edinburgh. Lat. 55° 46′ N., Lon. about 2° W. Pop. of the parish, including an area of 8 sq. m., 8,484.

BERWICKSHIRE, ber'-rik-shir, a co. forming the S. E. extremity of Scotland. Pop. 34,438.

BESANÇON, bez-N-SON' or b'zån`-son', (the Vesan'tii of the Romans,) a esontio. very ancient fortified t. of France, cap. of the dep. of Doubs, on the r. Doubs, 205 m. S. E. of Paris. Its trade and manufactures are considerable; it possesses a number of establishments for education, and is the seat of an archbishopric. Lat. 47° 14′ N., Lon. 6° 3' E. Pop. 29,000. (B.)

BES-SA-RA-EI-A, or bes`-så-rå/-be-å, a prov. forming the S. W. extremity of the Russian empire, lying between the Pruth and Dniester, between 44° 45 and 48° 40′ Ñ. Lat., and 26° 10′ and 30° 25′ E. Lon. BEV-EL-AND (Dutch pron. bà/velånt,) a dist. of Holland, including

Fate, far, fall, fat; mẻ, mét; pine or pine, pin; nó, n3t; oo as in good ; two islands called N. and S. Beveland, situated in the great estuary of the Scheldt.

BEV-E-REN (Dutch pron. bàl-ver-en), a t. of Belgium, 7 m. W. of Antwerp. Pop. near 6,000. (B.)

BEV/-ER-LEY, a t. of England, cap. of the E. riding of Yorkshire, 28 m. E. by S. of York. Entire pop. of the town and liberties, 8,671.

BEV-ER-LY, a t. of Essex co., Mass., 16 m. N. N. E. of Boston. Pop. of the township, 4,689.

BEWD-LEY, a t. of England, in the co. of Worcester, 13 m. N. by W. of Worcester. Pop. 3,400.

BEYRA OF BEIRA, bile-rå, a prov. of Portugal; bounded on the N. by the r. Douro, which separates it from the provinces Entre Douro e Minho and Tras os Montes, E. by Spain, S. by the provinces of Algarve and Estremadura, and W. by the Atlantic. Length from N. to S., 130 m.; breadth, from E. to W., about 110 m.

BEYROOT OF BAIROUT, bal-root, (Turk. pron. bi-root; that of the Arabs corresponds with the English, as already given: Gr. Brputos, Lat. Berlytus,) a very ancient city of Syria, in the pashalic of Acre, on the Mediterranean, once celebrated for its school of jurisprudence. It now possesses few traces of its former splendor. Lat. 33° 49′ N., Lon. 35° 27′ E. Pop. estimated at 6,000. (P. C.)

BHAT-GONG/ or b'hat`-gong', a t. of Nepaul, about 6 m. S. E. of Katmandoo, celebrated as a seat of Brahminical learning.

BHOPAL. See BOPAUL.

BHURT-POOR' or b'hurt`-poor', a t. of Hindostan, in the prov. of Agra; cap. of a dist. of the same name. Lat. 27° 12′ N., Lon. 77° 30′ E.

BI-AL-YS-TOK, an elegantly built t. of Western Russia; cap. of a prov. of the same name. Lat. 53° 7 N., Lon. 23° 18′ E. Pop. above 6,000. (P. C.)

BIBB, a co. in the central part of Ga., intersected by the Ocmulgee. Pop. 9,802. Co. t. Macon.

BIBB, a co. in the central part of Ala., intersected by the Cahawba. Pop. 8,284. Co. t. Centreville.

BID-E-Ford or BIDDEFORD, a sea port t. of Devonshire, England, 36m. N. by W. from Exeter. Lat. 51° 2′ N., Lon. 4° 12′ W. Pop. 4,830. BIELEFELD, bee-leh-felt, a manufacturing t. of Prussia, in Westphalia. Lat. 52° 2′ N., Lon. 8° 29′ E. Pop. 5,200.

(B.)

Big-Black River, a r. in the state of Miss., flowing into the Mississippi.

BIG HORN RIVER, rising in the Rocky Mountains, flows into the Yellow Stone.

Bilbao, bil-båꞌ-o, often written and pronounced in English BIL-BO-A, a t. in the N. of Spain; cap. of Biscay. Lat. 43° 15′ N., Lon. 2° 56 W. Pop. about 15,000. (B.)

BILLS-TON, a manufacturing t. of England, in Staffordshire, 107 m. N. W. from London. Pop. of the township and chapelry, with an area of about 4 sq. m., 20,181.

ou, as in our; th, as in thin; TH, as in this; N, nearly like ng. BING-EN, a t. of Hesse-Darmstadt, on the left bank of the Rhine. Lat. 49° 55' N., Lon. 7° 51' E. Pop. 4,100. (B.).

BING-HAM-TON, or CHENANGO POINT, the cap. of Broome co., N. Y., on the New York and Erie Railroad, 20 m. E. of Owego, and connected by the Chenango, with the Erie, Canal. Pop. of the township, 5,465.

BIO-BIO, bee/-o-bee-o, a r. of Chili, which falls into the Pacific in 36° 50' S. Lat.

BIRKET-EL-KEROON, more properly BIRKET-EL-KOORN, běĕr/-ket-elkoorn (i. e. the "lake of the horn," so named from its peculiar shape); a considerable lake of Middle Egypt, bounding the prov. of Faïoom on the N. W., and situated between 29° 35′ and 29° 15′ N. Lat., and 30° 10 and 30° 40′ E. Lon. Its length, following the curve, is rather more than 30 m.; its greatest breadth, 6 or 7 m. It is the Lake Maris of the ancients.

BIRKET-EL-MARIOOT, běĕR/-ket-el-må-re-oot', (the Lake Mareo'tis of the ancients,) a lake in the N. E. part of Lower Egypt, S. E. of Alexandria. It had become entirely dry within the last three centuries, but as the bottom is several feet below the level of the sea, the English, in 1801, in order to circumscribe the operations of the French, cut across the narrow isthmus which separated the basin from the lake of Abookeer (Aboukir), when the sea-water flowed in, and covered an extent of 30 m. in length, and 15 in breadth. This isthmus has since been restored by Mehemet Ali.

BIR-MA, BURMA, or BRAH-MA, called also the kingdom of Ava, an empire of Chin-India, in the S. E. of Asia. Its exact boundaries on the N. and E. are not known. On the S. it extends about 240 m. along the gulf of Martaban; the country of Arracan bounds it on the W. The Birman empire consists of Birma proper, Pegoo, Martaban, and the Birman Lao. The climate is said not to exhibit the extremes of heat and cold which are found in India, and is supposed, therefore, to be more healthy to the European constitution. It varies, however, greatly in different parts of the country. The soil produces almost every kind of grain and vegetables, as well as the different tropical fruits; the pine apple is said to grow here spontaneously. The Birmans are much less civilized than the Hindoos. In religion they are Boodhists; neither Mahometanism nor Christianity has made any progress among them. The government is an absolute despotism, their sovereign being the lord of the life and property of all his subjects.—Adj. and inhab. BṛR/MAN and BIR-MESE, or BURMESE.

BIR-MING-HAM, a large t. of England, in Warwickshire, 98 m. N. W. of London. It has increased astonishingly within a cury, and has become the principal hardware manufacturing town of G. Britain. By means of canals and railways it is connected with all the more important places of the kingdom, and thus enjoys every facility for trade, and is enabled to distribute the productions of its industry to all parts of the globe. Lat. 52° 29′ N., Lon. 1° 52′ W. Pop. 182,922.