Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/409

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KHIVA 341 KIDD John Howard, the prison reformer, died. Pop. about 100,000. KHIVA, a semi-independent khanate of central Asia, forming part of Turkes- tan. It formerly occupied a large extent of surface on both sides of the Amu- Darya or Oxus, but since the cession to Russia, in 1873, of its territory on the E. of the Amu, it is confined to the W. side of this river. A great part of the surface consists of deserts, thinly in- habited or uninhabitable; but along the Amu the land consists of rich alluvial loam of the greatest natural fertility, assisted by irrigation, and securing luxuriant crops of grain, cotton, madder, fruit, including the vine and vegetables. Pop. about 800,000. The capital lies on an alluvial flat at the junction of two canals, 50 miles W. of the left bank of the Amu. Among the principal build- ings are two palaces of the khan, a num- ber of mosques, and the castles of the principal state officers. Pop. about 5,000. KHOOTBAH, an oration delivered every Friday after the forenoon service in the principal Mohammedan mosques, in which the speaker praises God, blesses Mohammed, and prays for the sultan or king. KHOBASAU (feo-ras-an'), a province of Persia, bordering on Afghanistan; area, 140,000 square miles; pop. about 900,000. Much of the surface consists of deserts, but there are also fertile dis- tricts producing crops of cotton, hemp, aromatic and medicinal herbs. The most valuable mineral is the turquoise from the ancient mines of Nishapur. The principal manufactures are silk and woolen stuffs, carpets, muskets, and sword-blades. About two-thirds of the inhabitants are Persians proper; the re- mainder are chiefly Turcomans and Kurds. KHOBDAD (^^r-dad'), the good genius of the Persians. KHOSBU, a Persian prince, who flourished in the 6th century of our era and figures brilliantly in poetry and legend. His grandson, also named Khosru, reigned from 590 to 628. KHOTAN (/^o-tan'), called locally Ilchi, a city and district of eastern Turkestan, lying at the N. base of the Kuen-Lun Mountains, and only 6 miles from the desert. The district is rich in gold and jade, manufactures silk, and exports silk stuff, carpets, and jade ware. Pop. about 50,000;- KHYBEB PASS {hVher) , a military road between the Punjab and Afghanis- tan, winding in a N. W. direction for 33 miles between the projecting spurs of two inclosing ranges of hills. The pass is merely the bed of a narrow water- course. The mountains on either side are in many places perpendicular walls of smooth rock, and can be climbed only in a few places; they vary in height from 1,404 to 3,373 feet. Over the roughest parts of the pass artillery has to be dragged by men. The Khyber Pass has been the key of the adjacent regions in either direction from the days of Alexander the Great. During the Afghan Wars of 1839-1842 it was twice traversed by a British army in spite of an obstinate defense by the natives. The first fighting in the Afghan War of 1878-1880 was in forcing an entrance into this pass. It was stipulated in the treaty of Gandamak (1879) that the Anglo-Indian authorities were in future to have full control of this pass. KIATJ-CHAU (ke-o-chow'), a town in China, in the province of Shantung, occupied by Germany in 1897, and for- mally ceded to her on a 99 years' lease by China in 1898. The territory conceded with the town stretches about 160 miles along the coast, and extends inland to an average distance of 20 miles. Pop. (1915) 9,264. In August, 1914, the Japanese Government called on Grermany to formally deliver to them this fortified port by Sept. 15, 1914. On Aug. 23, Japan declared war against Germany. Japanese troops, assisted by a British contingent, attacked the fort on Nov. 7, 1914. The garrison, after a brave re- sistance, surrendered May 15, 1915. Japan, during the peace negotiations of 1919, solemnly promised to return the territory to China if allowed to control certain privileges and concessions pre- viously held by Germany. KIDD, BENJAMIN, an English so- ciologist; born in 1858. He entered the inland-revenue service of Great Britain in 1877. He wrote "Social Evolution" (1894); "The Control of the Tropics" (1898) ; "Individualism and After" (1908) ; "The Two Principal Laws of Sociology" (1909). Died in 1916. KIDD, WILLIAM, an American pi- rate; born probably in Greenock, Scot- land. He is supposed to have been the son of a worthy Covenanting minister. The lad went early to sea, saw much hard service privateering against the French, and gained a high reputation for stubborn courage, and in 1691 a re- ward of $900 from the council of New York City. At this time the American colonies were supposed to be nests of