GIBSON 815 GIFFEN GIBSON, HUGH, an American diplo- mat, born at Los Angeles, Cal., in 1883. He was educated in France, and in 1908 was appointed secretary of legation at Honduras. In 1909-1910 he was 2d secretary of the American Embassy in London, and in 1910-1911 he was private secretary to the Assistant Secretary of State, in Washington. He served in Le- gations in Havana and Santo Domingo and in 1914 was appointed secretary of Legation, in Brussels, where he re- mained until 1916, when he was assigned to the Embassy in London. In the fol- lowing year he was on duty at the De- partment of State in Washington. He was appointed in 1918 1st secretary of the American Embassy in Paris. He was a member of the Inter-Allied Mission to the countries of the former Austro-Hun- garian Empire, in 1918-1919. In the lat- ter year he was appointed first American Minister to Poland. He was the author of "A Journal from Our Legation in Belgium" (1917). GIBSON, WILLIAM HAMILTON, an American artist and author; born in Sandy Hook, Conn., Oct. 5, 1850; con- tributed to the "American Agriculturist" and "Hearth and Home," and supplied many natural-history subjects for the "American Cyclopaedia." Many of his il- lustrations appeared in the "Art Jour- nal" and in "Picturesque America"; and his illustrations of books were numerous and popular. He was a member of the Art Union and the Authors' Club. The essays, "Birds of Plumage," "A Winter Idyl," and "Springtime," appeared in "Harper's Magazine." His later works included "Our Edible Toadstools and Mushrooms." He died in Washington, Conn., July 16, 1896. GIDDINGS, FBANKLIN HENRY, an American educator; bom in Sherman, Conn., March 23, 1855; was graduated at Union College in 1877; accepted the chair of sociology in Columbia Univer- sity in 1894. In 1896 he was appointed to the chair of sociology and history of civilization, Columbia University. He is the author of "The Principles of Sociol- ogy"; "The Theory of Socialization"; "The Elements of Sociology"; "Democ- racy and Empire" ; "Inductive Sociology" (1901); "Pagan Poems" (1914); "The Western Hemisphere in the World of To-morrow" (1915). GIDDINGS, JOSHUA REED, an American statesman; born in Athens, Pa., Oct. 6, 1795; admitted to the Ohio bar in 1820; elected a member of its Legislature in 1826, and of Congress in 1838, where he was prominent as an op- ponent of slavery. In 1861 he was ap- pointed consul-general to British North America. Among his works are: "The Exiles of Florida" (1858); "History of the Rebellion" (1864). He died in Mon- treal, May 27, 1864. GIDEON, a judge of Israel. He was the youngest son of Joash, of the house of Abiezer, and lived with his father at Ophrah, in Manasseh. During his youth Israel was sunk in idolatry and sloth, and was oppressed by the plundering incur- sions of the Amalekites and Micianites. Confident in the assurance of super- natural direction, he mustered the people, reduced the unwieldy host to a handful of resolute men, fell suddenly upon the enemy in the neighborhood of Mount Gilboa, and routed them with great slaughter. GIEN (zhyan), a town of the depart- ment of Loiret, France, 37 miles S. E. of Orleans. Its manufactures include earthenware, serge and leather. Gien has a handsome stone bridge across the Loire. Here, in 1410, a treaty was signed by the young Duke d'Orleans, with the dukes of Berry, Bourbon and Brittany, against John the Fearless, Duke of Bur- gundy, to avenge the assassination of his father, Louis I. GIERS, NICHOLAS CARLOVITCH DE (gerz), a Russian statesman; born May 21, 1820. After holding various posts, in 1875, he became adjunct to Prince Gortchakoff, the minister of for- eign affairs, whom he succeeded in 1882. His policy in general was understood to have peaceful tendencies, and in par- ticular opposed to Panslavistic ideas of development. In central Asia, however, M. de Giers continued the policy of ad- vance, and in 1885 the Russian occupa- tion of positions within the Afghan fron- tier nearly brought about a war with Great Britain. He died in St. Peters- burg, Jan. 26, 1895. GIESSEN (ges'sen), a town of Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, at the confluence of the Wieseck and the Lahn, 40 miles N. of Frankfort-on-the-Main. It is the seat of a university, founded in 1607, which possesses well-appointed labora- tories, collections, and museums, and a good library, with 72 professors, and 672 students in 1899. Pop. about 31,000. GIFFEN, SIR ROBERT, an English economist; born in Strathaven, Scotland, in 1837; went to London in 1862, where he was sub-editor of the "Globe" till 1866. He was acting editor of the "Economist" under Walter Bagehot 1868-1876; then founded the "Statist" and became chief of the Statistical Department in the board of trade and assistant secretary in 1882. He was John Morley's assistant
