Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/569

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
LEFT
469
RIGHT

BEIRUT 469 BELFAST LOUGH BEIRUT. See Beyrut. BEJAPOOR, or BIJAPUR, a ruined city of Hindustan, in the Bombay presi- dency, near the borders of the Nizam's dominions, on an affluent of the Krishna. It was one of the largest cities in India until its capture by Aurungzebe in 1686. The ruins, of which some are in the richest style of Oriental art, are chiefly Mohammedan, the principal being Ma- homet Shah's tomb, with a dome visible for 14 miles, and a Hindu temple in the earliest Brahminical style. Pop. about 27,500. BELA, the name of four Kings of Hungary belonging to the Arpad dy- nasty. Bela I., son of Ladislaf, competed for the crown with his brother Andrew, whom he defeated, killed, and succeeded in 1061. He died in 1063, after introduc- ing many reforms. Bela II., the Blind, mounted the throne in 1131, and after ruling under the evil guidance of his Queen, Helena, died from the effects of his vices in 1141. Bela III., crowned 1174, corrected abuses, repelled the Bo- hemians, Poles, Austrians, and Venetians and died in 1196. Bela IV. succeeded his father, Andrew II., in 1235; was shortly after defeated by the Tartars and de- tained prisoner for some time in Aus- tria, where he had sought refuge. In 1244 he regained his throne, with the aid of the Knights of Rhodes, and de- feated the Austrians, but was in turn beaten by the Bohemians. He died in 1270. BELASCO, DAVID, an American dra- matic author and producer, born in San Francisco in 1859. He graduated from Lincoln College, California, in 1875. His stage career began as manager of Bald- win's Grand Opera House at San Fran- cisco. Removing to New York he be- came stage manager of the Madison Square Theater in 1880, remaining in that position until 1887. He later man- aged the Lyceum Theater, becoming owner and manager of the Belasco The- ater. He wrote many plays, but is best known as a producer of plays and a trainer of players. Among the well- known artists developed under his man- agement are Mrs. Leslie Carter, Blanche Bates, Henrietta Crosman, David War- field, and Frances Starr. Plays pro- duced under his management are "Zaza"; "Madame Butterfly"; "Du Barry"; "The Darling of the Gods"; "The Music Master"; "The Girl of the Golden West"; "The Return of Peter Grimm"; and "Tiger Rose." He wrote much on the stage and related topics in current magazines. BELFAST, a seaport and municipal and parliamentary borough of Ireland (in 1888 declared a city), principal town of Ulster, and county town of Antrim, built on low, alluvial land on the left bank of the Lagan, at the head of Bel- fast Lough. Ballymacarret, in county Down, on the right bank of the Lagan, is a suburb. The chief Episcopal churches are St. Ann's, Trinity, and St. George's, but the most magnificent is the Roman Catholic, St. Peter's. The chief educational institutions are Queen's Col- lege and the theological colleges of the Presbyterians and Methodists. Chief public buildings include the town hall, the county court house, the Commerical Buildings and Exchange, etc. In the suburbs are extensive public parks, and a botanic garden. Belfast Lough is about 12 miles long, and 6 miles broad at the entrance, gradually narrowing as it approaches the town. The harbor and dock accommodation is extensive. Belfast is the center of the Irish linen trade, and has the majority of spinning mills and power loom factories in Ire- land. Previous to about 1830 the cot- ton manufacture was the leading in- dustry of Belfast. The shipbuilding trade is also of importance, and there are breweries, distilleries, flour mills, oil mills, foundries, print works, tan yards, chemical works, rope works, etc. The commerce is large. Some direct trade is carried on with British North America, the Mediterranean, France, Bel- gium, Holland, and the Baltic, besides the regular traffic with the principal ports of the British Islands. Belfast is comparatively a modern town, its pros- perity dating from the introduction of the cotton trade in 1777. It has suffered severely at various times from factional fights betweeen Catholics and Protes- tants, the more serious having been in the years 1864, 1872, and 1886. It re- turns four members to Parliament. Pop. (1917) 393,000. BELFAST, city, port of entry, and county-seat of Waldo co., Me.; at the head of Penobscot Bay, and on the Maine Central railroad; 30 miles from the ocean, and 132 miles N. E. of Port- land. It has a fine harbor, a large do- mestic trade, and important manufac- tures. The most notable industry is ship- building, which was begun here in 1793. There are also a number of other in- dustrial establishments. Belfast was set- tled in 1770; was invested by the British in 1815, and was given a city charter in 1853. Pop. (1910) 4,618; (1920) 5,083. BELFAST LOUGH, an inlet in the N. E. of Ireland between counties Antrim