BAIRAM BAIRD 225 trouble with France. In May, 1800, he was promoted to the rank of captain, and appointed to the frigate George Washington, which was ordered to carry a large amount of tribute to the regency of Algiers. After the completion of this mission the dey compelled him, by threats of capture and of a declaration of war, to convey an Algerine embassy to Constan- tinople, where Bainbridge during a stay of two months was treated with great distinction. He returned to the United States in 1801, and was soon employed in the Mediterranean again in command of the frigate Essex. Upon the dec- laration of war against the United States by Tripoli in 1803, he was appointed to the frigate Philadelphia, one of the vessels of the squadron sent against that power under the command of Commodore Edward Preble. He displayed great vigor in this service, capturing on Aug. 26 a Moorish frigate with an American prize ; hut on Oct. 31 his vessel ran aground, and was captured and carried to Tripoli, where Bain- bridge and his men to the number of 315 were retained as prisoners till the close of the war, a period of 19 months. On his return to the United States in 1805, Bainbridge was received with very general demonstrations of kindness and respect. A court of inquiry was held for the loss of the Philadelphia, and the result was an honorable acquittal ; and under the act of April, 1806, reorganizing the navy, he became the seventh on the list of captains. On the declaration of war in 1812 Capt. Bainbridge united with Capt. Stewart in an effective re- monstrance against the government's project of laying up the ships of war through fear of the immense superiority of the enemy at sea. In September, 1812, Bainbridge, now a com- modore, was appointed to the command of a squadron, consisting of the Constitution, 44 guns (flag ship), Essex, 32, and Hornet, and sailed from Boston on Oct. 25 for a cruise. On Dec. 29, in a severe engagement off San Salvador, the Constitution captured the British frigate Java, 49 guns, the Java losing her com- mander, Capt. Lambert, and 174 men, and the Constitution 33 men. On his return to the United States Bainbridge was everywhere re- ceived with enthusiasm; congress voted a gold medal to him, and silver ones to his officers, and $50,000 were distributed to the crew as prize money. In 1815 he was appointed to the command of a squadron of 20 sail, intended to act against Algiers, but peace was concluded before it reached the Mediterranean. Bain- bridge, however, during this command, settled disputes with the Barbary powers. Upon his return he was appointed to command afloat at Boston. In 1819-'21 lie again commanded in the Mediterranean. From this time until his death he was almost constantly employed in important shore service, being for some time president of the board of navy commissioners. BAIRAM, a Persian term designating the two principal holidays of Islam, which are cele- brated with great festivities, especially the little Bairam (Turk. Tcutchuk bairam; Arab, aid el-saghir, the little feast, or aid el-fethr, the feast of fast-breaking). It succeeds Ramadan, beginning at sunrise of the first day of the month of Shevval, and lasts three days, the mosques being illuminated, the sultan holding public receptions, salutes being fired, and every one who can afford it putting on new dresses. The Turkish capital and its environs exhibit during this period great animation. Sixty days after the little Bairam is the festival of the great Bairam (Turk, buyuic bairam, gen- erally Durban bairam; Arab, aid el-kebir, the great feast, or aid el-korban, the feast of sacri- fice). It begins on the 10th of the month of Zilhije, and lasts four days, during which sheep and oxen are sacrificed, and the same festivities observed as during the little Bairam. Every family or two families in conjunction kill a lamb. At Mecca sheep, oxen, and camels are slaughtered, and the flesh is distributed among the poor pilgrims. The sultan on both occa- sions visits the mosque with great ceremony. He also holds public receptions attended by the foreign ministers and Turkish officials, the latter being treated to a banquet, and 16 of them receiving presents of robes furred with sable. Formerly the ambassadors also received presents. BAIRD, Sir David, a British general, born at Newbyth, Scotland, Dec. 6, 1757, died Aug. 18, 1829. He went to India as captain in the 73d Highlanders, and in 1780 was wounded and taken prisoner in the disastrous affair near Conjeveram in the Carnatic, where Hyder Ali destroyed an entire British detachment. He was held captive at Seringapatam nearly four years, and when that fortress was taken by assault in 1799, Baird, then a major general, commanded and led the storming party. For his gallantry on this occasion he received the thanks of parliament. Dissatisfied with the preference shown to Wellesley, he obtained leave of absence in 1803, and returned to Eng- land, where he was received with great dis- tinction. In 1805 he commanded an expedition against the Dutch settlements at the Cape of Good Hope; in 1807 he led a division in the attack on Copenhagen ; and in 1808 he joined Sir John Moore in Spain, succeeding to the command when that officer fell at Corunna. He was severely wounded, however, and obliged to retire from active service. He was knighted in 1804, and created a baronet after the victory of Corunna in 1809. BAIRD, Robert, D. D., an American clergy- man and author, born of Scotch parentage in Fayette county, Penn., Oct. 6, 1798, died at Yonkers, N. Y., Nov. 15, 1863. He was edu- cated at Jefferson college, Pennsylvania, and at the Princeton theological seminary, and in 1822 took charge of an academy in Princeton. He became agent of the missionary society of New Jersey in 1828, and did much toward laying the foundation of the present system of public school education in that state. In 1829
