Metallurgie (1850); Handbuch der Krystallographischen Chemie (1855); Handbuch der Mineralchemie (1860); Handbuch der Krystallographisch-physikalischen Chemie (2 vols., 1881–82), some of the earlier works being incorporated in later and more comprehensive volumes with different titles. He died at Gross Lichterfelde, near Berlin, on the 28th of December 1899.
RAM MOHAN ROY (1774–1833), Indian religious reformer,
and founder of the Brahma Samaj (q.v.) or Theistic Church,
was born at Radhanagar, in the district of Hugli, Bengal, in
May 1774. He was the son of a small landowner, and in his
early life acquired a knowledge of Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit,
besides his own vernacular, Bengali. At the age of sixteen he
first assailed idolatry in his Bengali work, entitled The Idolatrous
Religious System of the Hindus. This gave offence to his orthodox
father, and Ram Mohan left home and spent some years
in travel. At the age of twenty-two he began his study of the
English language, and he also acquired a knowledge of other
modern and ancient European languages. On the death of his
father he obtained an appointment under the British government
in 1800, from which he retired in 1814, settled down in
Calcutta, and devoted himself to religious reform. He had
already inaugurated a circle for discussing the absurdities of
idol worship, and published a striking book in Persian called
Tuhfat-al-Muwahhiddin (“A Gift to Monotheists”). On his
settlement in Calcutta he established a little friendly society
(Atmiya Sabha), which met weekly to read the Hindu scriptures
and to chant monotheistic hymns. In 1820 he issued a selection
from the Christian Gospels entitled The Precepts of Jesus the
Guide to Peace and Happiness. He also wrote Bengali works
on the Vedanta philosophy, translated some of the Upanishads,
entered into controversies with Christian missionaries, and on
the 23rd of January 1830 definitely established the Brahma
Samaj “for the worship and adoration of the Eternal, Unsearchable,
Immutable Being who is the Author and Preserver
of the Universe.” He gave his support to the governor-general,
Lord William Bentinck, for the abolition of the suttee rite, i.e.
the custom of permitting Hindu widows to burn themselves on
the funeral pyre of their husbands. He also worked hard to
spread education among his fellow-countrymen, and to improve
the quality and the prestige of the native press. In 1830 the
emperor of Delhi bestowed on Ram Mohan the title of raja, and
sent him to England as his agent. Raja Ram Mohan Roy gave
his evidence before the Select Committee of the House of
Commons on the judicial and revenue systems of India. He
presented petitions to the House of Commons in support of the
abolition of the suttee rite, and had the satisfaction of being
present in the House when the appeal against such abolition
was rejected on the 11th of July 1832. As the first educated and
eminent Indian who had come to England, he received cordial
welcome from learned men; and Bentham addressed him as an
“intensely admired and dearly beloved collaborator in the
service of mankind.” Ram Mohan also visited France and
contemplated a voyage to America, but a sudden attack of
brain fever led to his death on the 27th of September 1833. He
was buried at Bristol, where a tomb was erected by his friend
Dwarka Nath Tagore.
RAMNAD, a town of British India, in the Madura district
of Madras, at the base of the spit of land that projects towards
the island of Pamban in Palk strait. Pop. (1901) 14,546.
It is the residence of a raja of old family, head of the Maravar
caste, whose title is setupathi, or lord of Adam's Bridge. The
estate covers an area of 2104 sq. m., and pays a permanent
land revenue of £25,000. It is a desolate and generally unfertile
tract, traversed by the South Indian railway.
RÂMNICU SARAT (Rîmnicu Sărat), the capital of the
department of Râmnicu Sarat, Rumania; on the railway from
Buzeu to Focshani, and on the left bank of the Râmnicu, a
tributary of the Sereth. Pop. (1900) 13,134, about 1500
being Jews. The town rises from a marshy plain, east of the
Carpathians, and west of the cornlands of southern Moldavia.
Salt and petroleum are worked in the mountains, and there
is a considerable trade in agricultural produce and preserved
meat. Râmnicu Sarat was the scene of battles between the
Moldavians and the Walachians in 1434 and 1573, and between
the Walachians and Turks in 1634. Here also, in 1789, an
Austro-Russian army defeated the Turks. In 1854 the town was
almost destroyed by fire and was rebuilt.
RÂMNICUVÂLCEA (Rîmnicu Vâlcea), or Rymnik, an episcopal
city and the capital of the department of Vâlcea, Rumania;
situated at the foot of the Carpathians, on the right bank of
the river Olt, and on the railway from Caracal to Hermannstadt
in Transylvania. Pop. (1900) 7317. Three monasteries
in the Vâlcea department, those of Bistritza, Cozia and
Horezu, are among the finest in Walachia. Besides wine,
fruit, grain and timber, the surrounding uplands yield
petroleum and salt. Within a few miles are the thermal
springs of Olanestzi and the salt mines of Ocnele Mari. The
city is said to be the ancient Castra Traiana, and many traces
of old encampments bear evidence of this.
RAMPOLLA, COUNT MARIANO DEL TINDARO (1843–),
Italian cardinal, was born on the 17th of August 1843, at
Polizzi, in the Sicilian diocese of Cefalù. Having completed
his studies in the Capranica College at Rome, and having
taken holy orders, he studied diplomacy at the College of
Ecclesiastical Nobles, and in 1875 was appointed councillor
to the papal nunciature at Madrid. Two years later he was
recalled to Rome and appointed secretary of the Propaganda
for Eastern Affairs, and for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical
Affairs. Consecrated titular archbishop of Heraclea in 1885,
he returned to Madrid as nuncio, but was shortly afterwards
created cardinal and appointed to the papal secretaryship of
state. New to the Sacred College and free from traditional
preconceptions, he was admirably fitted to carry out the papal
policy under Leo XIII. (see Papacy). Rightly or wrongly, he
was held personally responsible for the rapprochement with
France and Russia and the opposition to the Powers of the
Triple Alliance; and this attitude had its effect on his career
when Leo XIII. died. Rampolla was undoubtedly the
favourite among the papabili cardinals; but the veto of Austria
was interposed (see Conclave), and the votes of the Sacred
College fell to Cardinal Sarto, who on the 4th of August 1903
became pope as Pius X. Cardinal Rampolla at once resigned
his office as secretary of state, being succeeded by Cardinal
Merry del Val, and ceased to play any conspicuous part in
the Curia.
RAMPUR, a native state of India, in subordination to the
United Provinces. It lies in Rohilkhand, between the British
districts of Moradabad and Pilibhit. Area, 893 sq. m. The
country is level and generally fertile; being watered in the
north by the rivers Kosila and Nahul, and in the south by the
Ramganga. The chief crops are maize, rice and sugar cane.
Pop. (1901) 533,212, showing a decrease of 3.3% in the decade.
Estimated revenue, £234,000; military force, 2556 men, including
two squadrons of Imperial Service lancers. The chief, whose
title is nawab, is a Rohilla Pathan, representing the family
which established their power over this part of the country
in the 18th century. When the Rohillas were subjugated by
the nawab of Oudh, with the assistance of a force lent by
Warren Hastings, one of their number, Faiz-ullah Khan, from
whom the present nawab traces his descent, was permitted
to retain possession of Rampur. During the Mutiny of 1857
the nawab of Rampur rendered important services to the
British, for which he received a grant of land assessed at £9000
in perpetuity, besides other honours. The state is crossed
by the main line of the Oudh & Rohilkhand railway from
Bareilly to Moradabad. The town of Rampur is on the left
bank of the river Kosila, 620 ft. above the sea, with a railway
station 39 m. N.W. of Bareilly. Pop. (1901) 78,758. There
are manufactures of damask, pottery, sword-blades and sugar.
It is partially, and was once completely, surrounded by a broad
bamboo hedge, which formed a strong defence. In addition
to a modern fort and several fine buildings, it contains an
Arabic college, which attracts students from all parts of India.
There are two other towns in India called Rampur, one