Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 04.djvu/150

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FERDINAND 120 FEUGUSON 1912-1913. The victories of the Bul- garian forces in this war increased his prestige, but the collapse of Bulgaria in the second phase of the war brought him discredit both at home and abroad. In spite of the fact that the Bulgarian territory had been greatly enlarged as a result of the Balkan War, Ferdinand, who was a man of great ambition, v/as deeply disappointed that larger territory had not been secured. At the outbreak of the World War both the Entente and the Central Powers made strenuous efforts to secure the support of Bulga- ria. Ferdinand's sympathies were with Germany, while it is believed that the majority of the people, had they been left free to choose, would have preferred to join with the Allies. There is evidence to indicate that Ferdinand, even before the outbreak of actual hostilities, had FERDINAND I., KING OF BULGARIA arrived at a friendly understanding with the Central Powers. In September, 1915, ffter a period of neutrality, Ferdinand finally decided to actively join against the Allied Powers. On the final defeat of Bulgaria in October-, 1918, Ferdinand formally abdicated the crown in favor of the Crown Prince, Boris. See Bul- garia; World War. FERDINAND, VICTOR ALBERT MAINRAD, King of Rumania, born at Sigmaringen, Prussia, in 1865, the second son of Prince Leopold of Hohen- zollern, and elder brother of King Charles I. of Rumania. His father and his elder brother renounced title to the crown, and Ferdinand was declared presumptive. He became Sen- ator in 1889 and on March 18 of the same year was vested with the title of Prince of Rumania and declared successor to the throne. He married on Jan. 10, 1893, Marie Alexandra Victoria, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Edin- burgh. He succeeded his uncle on the death of the latter on Oct. 11, 1914. In spite of the German birth and relation- ships, his influence was opposed, at the outbreak of the World War, to the par- ticipation of Rumania on the side of the Central Powers. He was also opposed during the first years of the war, to active affiliation with the Entente na- tions. In August, 1917, however, Ru- mania finally cast aside her neutrality and declared war against Austria-Hungary, and from this time on King Fei'dinand's efforts were devoted to the direction of the Rumanian armies and to the welfare of his people who suffered greatly by the repeated Austrian and German in- vasions. At the end of the war he had firmly established himself in the admira- tion and affection of his people. FERDTJSI. See FiRDAUSl. FERGHANA, a province, since 1876, of Russian West Turkestan, formerly the khanate of Khokand, lying among the W. ranges of the Tian-Shan Moun- tains; area, 28,222 square miles, four- fifths of which are mountainous, the Tchotkal Mountains being in the N., and the Ala-tau and the Trans-Ala-tau chain in the S. The rest of the province consists of the fertile irrigated plain of the Syr Daria (Jaxartes), which trav- erses Ferghana from N. E. to S. W. The chief towns are Khokand (the for- mer capital), Marghilan (the present capital), Namangan, and Andijan. FERGUS I., King of Scotland, the son of Fergus, King of the Irish-Scots. He was invited to Scotland to repel the Picts, and for this was chosen king. He was drowned in his passage to Ireland, about 305 B. c. FERGUS FALLS, a city and county- seat of Otter Tail co., Minn.; on the Red River of the North, and on the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern railroad; is in the heart of the park section of the State, being surrounded by prairie land and forests of pine and hardwood. It contains the Norwegian Lutheran College; high school, public library, an Odd Fellows' Hall, Masonic Temple, court house. Hospital for the Insane, waterworks, electric lights, several banks and newspapers. It has large woolen and fk>ur mills. Pop. (1910) 6,887; (1920) 7,581. FERGUSON, ELSIE (MRS. THOMAS B. CLARKE), an American actress, born in New York City in 1885. She made her first appearance on the stage in "The