Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/408

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392
BAR—BAR

a separate bar for the sale of groceries, one room is provided for re creation, with a coffee bar attached, and another room for reading, with a small book-room attached to it, where the library is stored, and from which books are issued. Where there are several barracks at the same station, the sick are usually treated in a garrison hos pital ; but where there is only one barrack, a regimental hospital forms a part of it. 1200 cubic feet are allowed at home for each patient treated in military hospitals, and about 1800 cubic feet in those constructed in hot climates. The proportion of hospital ac commodation now allowed at home stations is 6 per cent, on the accommodation of the barrack or barracks to which such hospital is attached. A surgery, store accommodation, a separate infection ward, hospital sergeant s quarters, sick-orderly s rooms, and a mortuary, are provided as part of an hospital establishment. There is also, whenever practicable, a garden, where the convalescents can sit out, or take exercise in line weather. At the main entrance to every barrack a regimental guard-room is -placed, which, besides a good room for the guard, provided with a wooden bed on an iron frame, contains a prisoners room, and also a few separate cells for the detention of such prisoners as require to be kept apart. A proportion of "provost cells" are also constructed in large barracks, where soldiers are confined when ordered or sentenced to imprison ment for short periods. In headquarter cavalry barracks a riding school, ordinarily 150 feet long and 50 feet wide, is provided ; also one or more maneges for out-door training. In smaller barracks, for mounted troops only, maneges are provided for equitation exer cise. Rifle ranges are now considered to be necessary adjuncts to all except small barracks, but sometimes the troops have to be moved to a distance for this purpose, owing to local difficulties pre venting practice being carried on. In barracks of modern construc tion, a separate house or quarter containing about six rooms is provided for a commanding oth cer,and two rooms with a kitchen (or servant s room) for each field officer, or officer holding relati ve rank as such, and for each quarter-master. Other ofiicers have one room each, with a compartment screened or curtained off for sleeping and dressing, a servant s room for brushing and cleaning being provided for every two or three officers. A mess establishment is attached to every officers barrack, which is constructed in proportion to the numbers to be quartered in the barracks. "Where the headquarters of a regiment are stationed, a billiard-room is usually allowed as part of the mess establishment. A good supply of water is one of the first requisites in a barrack, and it is preferable to obtain it, if possible, from the water-works of the locality, rather than from wells, which are liable to become polluted from soakage, leakage of drains, or other causes. Barracks should have high-level tanks, to contain one or two days supply of water, as a reserve, or in case of fire, aud fire-cocks should be fixed in suitable places. Fire-engines, with an ample supply of hose and also ladders, are always supplied for use in barracks. The sewers or drains of a barrack should, if possible, discharge into the main or branch sewers of the locality, but if none such exist, irrigation of land may be resorted to, or earth closets can be adopted, and the liquid drainage only be disposed of by irrigation, or such other means as may be practicable. All drains should be .properly trapped and ventilated. Soil-pipes of water- closets should also be ventilated by means of small pipes carried up above the roof of the main building ; pipes of the size of ordinary gas-pipes will suffice for this purpose, allowing the escape of foul gas into the outer air. Overflow or other water-pipes should on no account be connected directly with a drain, but should discharge into an open or surface channel, cr over a trap or grating. Gas is ordinarily laid on to barracks both externally and internally, the quantity con sumed being checked by a meter or meters. It is usually obtained by agreement from any public gas-works in the locality, but at cer tain large stations the War Department have their own gas-works. At certain large stations where large bodies of troops are quartered, churches are provided in addition to or in place of chapel schools. The latter are used for the services of the men of different persua sions in succession ; the former are sometimes similarly used but are more generally restricted to the Church of England or other specific religious persuasion. Sometimes military cemeteries are provided, but more generally the soldiers are buried in those of the localities where they may be quartered. Wherever there is sufficient ground about or near a barrack, as at Eastney, near Portsmouth soldiers may have portions for gardening allotted them.

The funds for the construction and maintenance of barracks are included in Vote 13 of the army estimates, and the average amounts so provided for them during the past three years have been as follows:—

Part 1, Works over 1000 102,198 Part 2, New works and alterations under 1000 6s ,040 Part 3, Ordinary and current repairs ,. 21o 455 380,693 The funds for the equipment of barracks are provided in Vote 12, for the departmental staff in Vote 9, and for supplies of fuel and light in Vote 10 of the army esti

mates.
(c. b. e.)

BARRAS, Paul François Jean Nicolas, Comte de, a distinguished actor in the great French Revolution, was born in June 1755. He was a descendant of a noble family in Provence, and at an early age entered the army. He was twice in India with his regiment, but retired from the service after attaining the rank of captain. Like many others, he saw in the Revolution a good opportunity for retrieving his fortunes, which had been ruined by his extravagance and dissipation ; and his penetration enabled him to foresee the certain fall of the royalist party. He threw in his lot with the revolutionists, aud speedily distinguished himself by his vigour and hardihood. When elected a member of the National Convention, he gave au uncompromising vote for the king s death ; and at the siege of Toulon, where for the first time he met Napoleon, his energetic measures contributed much to the success of the French arms. Robespierre, who hated Barras for his dissolute habits, and feared him for his boldness, endea voured to have his name included in one of his prescription lists, but, on the 9th Thennidor 1794 Barras completely overthrew his power. His success from this period was secured; after the 13th Vinddmiaire 1795, he was nomi nated gcncral-in-chief ; and after the affair of the 18th Fructidor 1797, in which Augereau played a prominent part, he was practically dictator. Bonaparte s coup d etat of the 18th Brumaire 1799 changed the whole aspect of affairs. Barras, seeing that resistance to his powerful protege" was useless, gave in his resignation, and retired to his country seat. His latter years w r ere spent in various intrigues, in which he showed a strong leaning towards the royalist party. He died in 1829. The character of Barras has little in it that is worthy of admiration. He was dissolute in private life, and can scarcely be said to have had any delinitc public policy. At the same time he was courageous, prudent, and, on occasions, an able speaker.

BARRHEAD, a town of Scotland, county of Renfrew, three miles S. of Paisley, and 8 miles S.W. of Glasgow on the Caledonian Railway line between that city and Kil- marnock. It has rapidly increased since about 1840, and formed a junction with the neighbouring villages of Dove- cothall, Cross Artherlie, and Grahamston. The principal employment is spinning, weaving, and bleaching. Popu lation in 1S71, G209.

BARRI, Girald de, commonly called Giraldiis Cambrensis, an historian and ecclesiastic of the 12th and

13th centuries, was born at the castle of Maenor Pyrr near Pembroke, probably in 1147. By his mother he was descended from the princes of South Wales, and the De Barris were one of the most powerful Welsh families. Being a younger brother, and intended for the church, he was sent to St David s, and educated in the family of his uncle, the bishop of that see. When about twenty years of age he was sent to the University of Paris, where he continued for some years, and, according to his own account, became an excellent rhetorician and lecturer. On his return in 1172 he entered holy orders, and was made archdeacon of Brecknock. Having observed with much concern that his countrymen the Welsh were very backward in paying tithes of wool and cheese, he applied to Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, and was appointed his legate in Wales for remedying this and other disorders. Barry excommunicated all, without distinction, who refused to compound matters with the church, and, in particular, delivered over bodily to the evil one those who withheld the tithes. Not satisfied with enriching, he also attempted to reform the clergy. He delated an aged archdeacon to

the archbishop, for the unpardonable crime of matrimony ;