THORESBY. 247 THORNTON. duties as a Presbyterian. He held several mu- nicipal offices at Leeds, but after 1705, when he retired from business with a competence, he de- voted himself to his collections and writing. Though he was not an accurate scholar, liis two chief works, Diicaltis Leodicnsis (1715) and 'icasia Leodioisis (1724), are important compi- lations. Consult: Hunter, Thoresby's Diary and Correspondence (London, 1830-32); Atkinson, Ralph Thorcsby the Topographer (Leeds, 1885). THORESEN, to'ra-scn, Anna M.finAi.ENA ( KiiAcai I ( lSl!l-lfl03) . A Norwegian poet, born at Fredericia. in .lutland. She married a Norwe- gian clergyman and gained opportunity to study tbe peasant life and wihler nature of that coun- try. Her sympatlii'tic observations found 'literary expression in Foriaiiinycr (Tales, 1803) ; iSignes Historic (1864): Solen i SUjedalen '(1868); Billeder fra Vestkysten af Norge (Pictures from the West Coast- of Norway, 1872) ; ^yere For- twllinyer (1873): Herliif' Nordal (1879): she published also a volume of poems (1860): a drama, Et Kigt Parti (1870), and a final volume of tales (1891). Her earlier fiction was trans- lated into German bv Reinmar: Gesamnielte Er-
- iihlunfieii (1878-1883).
THORITE. A mineral thorium silicate crys- tallized in the tetragonal system. It has a vitreous lustre, and is orange-yellow to dark brown in color. It is found at various places in Norway and in the Cliamplain iron region in northern New York, where, owing to the uranium oxide that it contains, it is called iiranothorite. THORIUM (Neo-Lat., from Thor. Scandina- vian god of thunder). A metallic element dis- covered by Berzelius in 1828. It occurs in mona- zite. orangite, tliorite. and other rare minerals containing the cerium group of metals, and found in Norway and in North C'arolina. The metal may be obtained by decomposing the chloride with potassium or sodium. Thorium ( symbol, Tli ; atomic weight, 232.63) is a gray powder which assumes an iron-gray lustre when burnished. It has a specific gravity of 10.96 and takes fire when heated in air. burning with a bright flame. It combines wdth oxygen, forming a white dio.xide called thoria, and probably a peroxide or hept- oxide. None of the compovmds of this metal have any important commercial value except the di- oxide, which has l)een used with zirconia in the mantle of the Welsbach burner. THORN. See Crataegus. THORN, torn. A strongly fortified town of Prussia, in the Province of West Prussia, on the right bank of the Vistula, which here divides into two branches, 87 miles northeast of Posen (Map: Prussia. H 2). There are many antique houses with striking architectural features. The ruins of a castle of the Teutonic Order, the Church of Saint .lohn (1231-60), the Gothic Saint .Tames (1309). and the ilarienkirche (1367) are worthy of notice. There is a fine to^^'n hall containing a museum, library, and archives. In the market place stands a bronze statue of Copernicus, who was born here. There are iron foundries, and machine, tobacco, and soap works. The town carries on an active trade by water and by rail in corn, lumber, mineral waters, chocolate, and alcohol. Tliorii was founded in 1231 by the Knights of the Teutonic Order. It became an important member of the Hanseatic League. It was annexed in 1454 to Poland. In 1466 a fa- mous treaty of peace was concluded hero between Poland and the Teutonic Knights (q.v.). The town became a part of Prussia in 1703. Popu- lation, in 1900. 29,626, Consult Kestner, Bei- triif/e zttr Geschiehte der fitadt Thorn (Thorn, 1883). THORNABY (thor'na-bi) ON TEES, for- merly Sorrii Stockton (Jlap: Knghiii<l, E 2). A municipal borough in the Nortli Hiding of Yorkshire. England, suburban to Stockton (q.v.), with which its manufacturing industries and pub- lie works are identified. It is mentioned as Thor- niodby in Domesdav. It wa.s incorporated in 1892. Population, iia 1891, 15,637; 1901, 16,053. THORN ACACIA. See Locu.st Tree. THORN-APPLE (Datura .Stranioiiiuni) . A (oaisc-gTow ing. ill-siiiclling green-stemmed weed of the natural order Solanacea'. It is well known locally in the United States as jimson weed or .Jamestown weed, and is popularly feared for its reputed poisonous properties. See Stramonium. THORN'HILL. A town in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, l^A miles south of Dews- bury. Its gas and water works, a modern system of sewerage, and electric street railway, are mii- nicipallv owned industries. Population, in 1901, 10,290. THORNHILL, Sir William. In Cioldsmith's 'iciir of Wal.efirld, the eccentric and kindly landlord of Dr. Primrose. He rescues the 'ic- ar's daughter Sophia from his nephew. Squire Tliornliill, when the latter had abducted her, and eventually marries her. THORN'TON, Sir Edward (1817 — ). An English iliplomat. He was born in London and was educated at King's College, London, and at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He entered the diplomatic service as attache to the mission at Turin in 1842; filled the same position in Mexico in 184.5, and was made secretary of legation in that capital in 1851. During 1848 he did much to forward the conclusion of the important Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In 1852 he was ap- pointed secretary of legation at Buenos Ayres; charge d'affaires to L'ruguay (1854) ; Minister to the Argentine Republic in 1859; to Brazil in 1865; and from 1867 to I88I to the United States. He was knighted in 1870; in 1871 was a member of the commission on the Alabama Claims, and was appointed Privy Councilor; and in 1873 was arbitrator in the commission on the Jlexican and I-nited States claims. He was ap- pointed Ambassador at Saint Petersliurg in 1881 ; Ambassador at Constantinople in 1884, and re- tired into private life in 1887. THORNTON, .John WiNGATE (1818-78). An American historian, born at Saco, Me. He gradu- ated at the Harvard Law School in 1840. and 1)C- came a practicing lawyer. His great interest, how- ever, lay in genealogical and historical work, and he published a number of books along these lines, including: The Landing af Cape Ann (18.54); The First Records of Anglo-Ainerican Coloniza- tion (1859): and The Pulpit of the American Rerolution (1860). He was the founder of tho New England Historical and Genealogical Society ( 1844 ) . Consult Amory, Memoir of J. W. Thorn- ton (Boston, 1879).
