SCHUYLKILL
1706
SCIPIO
one of "Washington's most trusted advisers. He made treaties with the Six Nations, and was state senator for 13 years, United States senator for two terms and surveyor-general of the state from 1782. He was one of the leaders of the Federal party in New York, and helped to prepare the state's code of laws. He died at Albany, Nov. 18, 1804. See Life by Lossing and Philip Schnyler by Schuyler.
Schuylkill (skol'ktt), a river of Pennsylvania, rising in the coal-region near Potts-ville and flowing 130 miles southeast into the Delaware at Philadelphia, to which it furnishes its water-supply. Coal-barges ascend the river by the help of dams and locks.
Schwatka (shwot'kd), Frederick, an American arctic explorer, was born at Galena 111., Sept. 29, 1849, and died at Portland, Oregon, Nov. 2,1892. In 1871 he graduated from West Point, receiving a commission as lieutenant of cavalry in the United States army, which he resigned in 1884. Early in his career he became interested in arctic exploration and in the fate of Sir John Franklin. In 1878 he joined an expedition for King William's Land. This party returned two years after, having discovered and interred many of the skeletons of Franklin's crew and, in some degree, solved the mystery of that explorer's fate, bringing home interesting relics of Franklin's outfit. On this expedition the party made a sledge-journey of over 3,250 statute miles — the longest on record. Later Schwatka explored the course of the Yukon in Alaska, and in 1886 he commanded the New York Times Alaskan expedition and ascended Mt. St. Elias 7,200 feet. He sought also in northern Mexico for remains of Aztec civilization. He published Along Alaska's Great River, A Nimrod of the North, Children of the Cold, The Franklin Search etc. See Gilder's Schwatka's Search.
Sci'ence. To know a truth in its relation to other truths is to know it scientifically. For example, when one understands that the change of night and day depends upon the apparent daily motion of the sun, he has mastered a scientific truth which thinking-minds have known from time immemorial. By summing up every-day experiences like this man has been led to the belief that natural events follow each other in an orderly and connected way. To investigate this orderly connection is the aim of all science. The method in use is called the scientific method, and is that of observation and experiment. In this way great laws are deduced, or thought to be deduced, for history shows that the scientific beliefs of one age are time and again overthrown by the scientific discoveries of a later age. Great principles which lie at the foundation of all science have, however, been certainly determined, and especially have great advances in scientific knowledge been made in the last century. The different divisions of science
have been grouped in different ways by Comte, Herbert Spencer and others. The most general division is into physical sciences, which have to do with matter and force; biological sciences, which consider the laws of life; and psychical sciences, which deal with the phenomena of the mind. Religion, agriculture, politics and art- as truly are sciences as are geology and astronomy. But science is often used popularly to mean the physical sciences alone. See Jevons' Principles of Science.
Scil'ly Islands, a group on the southwestern coast of England, 27 miles southwest of Land's End. There are six large and about 30 smaller islands, and many rocks and ledges. Tin is found in small quantities. Athelstan conquered the islands in 938, and put some monks on Tresco, where are still seen the ruins of their abbey. Queen Elizabeth leased the islands to Sir Francis Godol-phin, in whose family they remained for 250 years. The star-castle on St. Mary's island was built by him, and the village of Dolphin on Tresco owes its name to the family. In 1834 they were leased to Augustus John Smith and in 1872 to his nephew. There are lighthouses on several of the islands, but wrecks were formerly common, one of the most noted being that of Sir Cloudesley Shovel's fleet in 1707, when 2,000 men were drowned. The principal industry is the cultivation of the narcissus and other lilies, 100 tons of flowers being shipped in a single spring. The mackerel-fishing in May and June is extensive, a daily steamer carrying away a cargo of 100,000 fish. See White's Week in the Isles of Stilly.
Sciop'ticon. See MAGIC-LANTERN.
Scioto (sf-d'td), a river in southern Ohio. It rises in the northwest of the state, flowing east and south to the Ohio, which it enters at Portsmouth. It is 300 miles long, and is a feeder of the Ohio and Erie Canal.
Scipio (sip'i-o), Publius Cornelius, called Africanus Major, a Roman soldier, was born in 237 B. C. He saved his father's life at the battle of Ticinus (218) and was also in service at Cannse. He was so popular that he was elected to the Roman office of czdile before he was of legal age, and was chosen a "general extraordinary" for Spain by acclamation, a choice which his victories in that country, which gave the whole state to the Romans, proved wise. He succeeded in having the war carried into Africa, thus compelling Hannibal to leave Italy, and defeated him at Zama, Oct. 19, 202, thus ending the long struggle between Rome and Carthage. He was received in triumph at Rome, the title of Africanus given and the positions of consul and dictator for life offered, which he refused. With his brother he won the great victory of Magnesia over Antiochus, and when his brother was prosecuted for receiving bribes from Antiochus and condemned, he rescued him from prison.
