LIBYA ITALIANA 476 LICK OBSEBVATOBY LIBYA ITALIANA, the Italian pos- sessions in north Africa, which include what was, before 1911, the Turkish prov- ince, or vilayet, of Tripoli, and Cyrenai- ca, the former Mutessarifat of Bengazi. The territory lies between the Libyan Desert on the E. and Tunis on the W. On account of the indefinite boundaries with the desert the area can only be approximately given at from 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 square kilometers. This territory was taken from the Turks by the Italians after the Turkish-Italian War of 1911, after which only the spirit- ual authority of the caliphate was rec- ognized, according to the Treaty of Lau- sanne. LICHENS (li'kens), familiar plants which form incrusting growths on rocks and stones, on the stems and branches of trees, on walls and fences, and on the earth itself. They are common in every zone, and at all levels from the seashore to the mountain summit. They are har- dy, long-lived plants, able to survive pro- longed dessication. LICHNOWSKY, PRINCE, a German diplomat. After long experience in serv- ing various German embassies abroad he became in 1911 Ambassador to Great Britain. During the serious crisis caused by the Balkan War he handled Ger- man relations with England in such a way as effectively to promote peaceful relations between the two nations. He was unable however to prevent the clash of war in 1914 and was handed his pass- ports in August of that year. In March of 1918 a copy of a memorandum made by himself for his own private defense and justification reached the public. His bitter criticism of German diplo- matic methods and his exoneration of Sir Edward Grey, British Minister of Foreign Affairs, brought him into great unpopularity in Germany. LICHTENBERG, a suburb of Berlin, Germany, situated to the E. of the capi- tal and possessing many handsome resi- dences. Many of the important chari- table institutions of Berlin have their buildings here. Its industries include those dealing with the manufacture of phannaceutical implements, leather goods, carpets and pianos. Pop. about 82,000. LICINIUS, CAITTS, a Roman tribune; of a plebeian family, he rose to the rank of tribune. He made a law, which allowed the plebeians to share the con- sular dignity with the patricians; and he him::elf became one of the first plebe- ian consuls, 364 B. c. LICK, JAMES, an American philan- thropist; born in Fredericksburg, Pa., Aug. 25, 1796. In 1819 he was employed in a piano factory in Philadelphia, and a year later started in the same business for himself in New York, and South America. In 1847 he emigrated to Cali- fornia, and investing in real estate made a fortune. In 1874 he placed his entire property in the hands of trustees, to be devoted to public and charitable pur- poses. The total amount thus given was $1,765,000, of which $700,000 was for Lick Observatory (q-. v.), to be con- nected with the University of California, $150,000 for free public baths in San Francisco, and $540,000 for an institu- tion to be called the California School of Mechanical Arts. For himself he re- served $500,000, gave his son $150,000, and each of his relatives suros varying from $2,000 to $5,000. He died in San Francisco, Cal., Oct. 1, 1876. LICK OBSEEVATOBY, an astronom- ical station; on the summit of Mount Hamilton, Santa Clara co., Cal.; erected through the liberality of James Lick, the testator imposing in the trust-deed the obligation of erecting "a powerful tele- scope, superior to and more powerful than any telescope yet made." In 1881 the trustees contracted with Alvan Clark & Sons for "an achromatic astronomical object-glass of 36 inches clear aperture" (this being the largest the Clarks would venture to contract for), to be delivered Nov. 1, 1883. The price was $50,000. The flint glass disk was successfully cast by Fell & Sons, Paris, France, early in 1882. Its companion, the crown-glass disk, was cast and ready for shipment at the close of 1882, but the material was so brittle that it unfortunately cracked in packing. The difficulties attending the casting of the crown disk were ex- traordinary, and it was not till 1886 that success crowned the efforts of the Messrs. Fell. This monster object-glass safely reached Mount Hamilton, and was mounted early in 1887. James Lick re- served for himself the selection of a suitable site for the observatory destined to bear his name. After considerable deliberation and frequent consultation with good authorities Mr. Lick selected as a site for the observatory. Mount Hamilton. The telescope was put into use early in 1888. The column is of cast iron, 10x17 feet at the base, and 4x8 feet at the top, and weighs 20 tons. On this rectangular column rests the head, weighing four tons, in which is journaled the polar axis. Around this head is a balcony, on which the assistant astronomer is stationed. By a system of wheels he is able to adjust the instru- ment on any star desired, and read its position by microscopes, illuminated by
