WILLET'S POINT 370 WILLIAM III. as president of the World's Woman's Christian Temperance Union in 1888, and in 1892 visited England as the guest of Lady Henry Somerset, the well-known temperance worker. During her visit in London she addressed a mass meeting at Exeter Hall which was said to be the largest and most intensely interesting assemblage ever held in its walls. She was an untiring worker and for 10 years averaged one public meeting a day, be- sides writing letters and articles, and planning work while in transit between towns at which she spoke. She was editor-in-chief of the "Union Signal" from 1892, and a frequent contributor to other periodicals and newspapers, being an admirable writer and a journalist of rare tact, quickness and force. She was an orator of great eloquence, humor, and power. Her executive ability and genius for organization were wonderful and her work for temperance and social purity will live in the history of her country. She died in New York City, Feb. 18, 1898. WILLET'S POINT, an American mili- tary reservation on Long Island Sound; 20 miles N. E. of the Battery, New York City, and opposite Fort Schuyler. It con- tains 136 acres which were purchased by the Government in 1857 and 1863. WILLIAM I., the CONQUERER, King of England, the natural son of Robert, Duke of Normandy; bom in Falaise, in 1027. He was brought up at the court of the King of France, and succeeded to the duchy at the age of eight. But dur- ing his minority there were frequent re- volts of the nobles, and his authority was not fully established for many years. On the death of Edward the Confessor, King of England, William made a formal claim to the crown, alleging a bequest in his favor by Edward, and a promise which he had extorted from Harold. His claim being denied, he at once prepared for an invasion of England; effected a landing at Pevencey, Sept. 28, 1066, while Harold was engaged in opposing the Norwegians in the N., and fortified a camp near Hastings. The decisive battle of Hastings was fought on Saturday, Oct. 14, 1066; Harold was defeated and slain, and the Norman Conquest was commenced. His rival, Edgar Atheling, was supported by some of the leading men for a short time; but they all made sub- mission to William at Berkhamstead, and on the following Christmas day he was crowned at Westminster by Aldred, Archbishop of York. He reigned with great tyranny; in consequence of which several insurrections took place, and were not quelled till the conqueror had depopulated different districts by fire and sword. He then divided the lands of most of the nobility and gentry among his followers. He also introduced the language of the north of France (called in England the Norman language), and ordered that all law pleadings and stat- utes should be in that tongue. To prevent nightly meetings and conspir- acies, he instituted the curfew, or "cover-fire bell," at the sound of which every night, at eight o'clock, all fires and candles were to be put out. A survey was made of all the lands in the king- dom, the account or register of which WILLIAM L THE CONQUEROR was called the "Domesday Book." In 1078 he finished the Tower of London; in 1087 he attacked and destroyed the city of Mantes. He was about to march to- ward Paris, but died in Rouen, Sept. 9, 1087. WILLIAM II., usually called RUFUS; born in Normandy in 1056, the son of the Conqueror, and crowned on the news of his father's death reaching England, in 1087. He made a conquest of a part of Wales, and obtained the duchy of Normandy from his brother Robert, in 1095. He was a great persecutor of the clergy, and banished Lanfranc, Arch- bishop of Canterbury, from the kingdom. William was, according to the monkish chronicles, accidentally slain by an arrow, shot by Sir Walter Tyrrel, as he was hunting in the New Forest, Hamp- shire, Aug. 2, 1100. WILLIAM III., of Nassau. Prince OP Orange and King of England; born in The Hague, Holland, Nov. 4, 1650; was the son of William, Prince of
