Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/439

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387
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BOXING. 387 BOYAR. and Cribb were noted champions at this period, which may be termed the palmy days of the ring. From various causes, its decline has since been iminterrupted. The more distinpiished patrons gradually withdrew; the Pugilist !<■ Club, which had been established in 1814, and included all the aristocratic patrons of the ring, was broken up. Magistrates set their faces against the law- less assemblies of roughs and pickpockets who latterly formed the greater part of the specta- tors at prize-lights. In 1S60, however, the inter- national combat between Tom Savers, the Eng- lishman, and John Heenan. the American, re- vived for a moment public interest in the art; but after that prize-fights were suppressed, and glove contests adopted under the Queensberry rules, which govern them all the world over. Under these rules wrestling and hugging are pro- hibited, each round is limited to three minutes with one minute interval, and the time allowed for a fallen man to get up is reduced to ten seconds. The art thenceforward was vigorously maintained in England by many amateur clubs, among the most important of which was the Amateur Athletic Club, founded in 1866. Tom Savers retired after the fight with Heenan in 1860. leaving the championship of the world open for competition. Jem JIace, by a series of contests, became entitled to meet J. Allen for it in America in 1870, and defeated him. .James Smith became the next champion of England in 1885. He was beaten by Jake Kilrain, of Boston, in 1887, Kilrain becoming the world's heavy- weight champion. In 1889 John L. Sullivan, of Boston, defeated Kilrain. James J. Corbett beat Sullivan in 1892, but was defeated in 1897 by Robert Fitzsimmons, who in his turn was van- quished by -James J. Jeffries in 1900, and again in 1902. The art of boxing, as an active and healthy e.xercise, is likely to be maintained ; it is a part of all gymnasiiun work in the United States, so far as facilities for the exercise are concerned, and it has been taken up by the Amateur Athletic Union, which aims to carry it on as a high-class sport, as distinct from professional pugilism. On pugilism, consult: Fistiana (London, 1868); American Fistiana (Xew York, 1876) ; Miles, Pugilistica, :i vols. (London, 1863) ; and for the side of boxing as a sport, Doran, aell'-Ocfcnse (Toronto, 1879) ; Trotter, Practical Treatise on Boxing (Philadelphia, 1900) ; TSnxinci, Badmin- ton Library (London, 1889) ; Bniinq. Oval Scries (London, 1806) : Boxing, Spalding's Athletic Li- brary (Xew York. 1893). BOXING-DAY. A popular term applied to Deceml)er 26th. in England. On that day the gentry were accustomed to give i)resents, gen- erally of money, to their servants or others of humble life. These presents came to be known as Christmas boxes. The custom is, perhaps, traceable to that of the Romans during the sea- son of the Saturnalia (q.v.). A fanciful deriva- tion of the term is to be found in Dunton's Athenian Oracle (reprinted by Bell, London, 1728, 4 vols.) ; but its actual origin is very ob- scure. The practice has of recent years been regarded as a nuisance, and in 1836 wivs actual- ly legislated against, so far as Government em- ploye's were concerned. Boxing-day is one of the four legal bank-holidays, the others being Easter Monday, Whit-Monday, and the first Monday in August. Consult Brand, I'opulur Antiijiiities (edited by Ellis, London, 1843, 3 vols.). BOXING THE COMPASS. One among many sea phrases whose origin is not easily traceable. It means simply a rehearsal or enumeration of the several points, half-points, and quarter-points of the mariner's compass, in their proper order, and is among the lessons which a young sailor has to learn. See Compass. BOXTEL. A town and important railway junction in North Brabant. Holland, at the con- lluence of the Beerze and Dcunmel, 6 miles south of Bois-le-Duc (Map: Netherlands. D 3). The Church of Saint I'eter and the castle of Stapel are the chief buildings. It has celebrated manu- factures of damask linens, of paper and salt. In 1794 the French here won an important victory over the Anglo-Dutch Army. Population, in 1899. 6743. BOXTHORN, or ilATBiMONY Vine. See Ly- cir.M. BOX TORTOISE, tor'tis or -tiis, or TUR- TLE. See TtHTi.K. BOYACA, bo'ya-ka'. A State of the Republic of Colombia, South America, bordering upon Venezuela and the States of Santander and Cun- dinamarca. It covers an area of 33.3.51 square miles. In the western part of the State is a branch of the Andes, from which the land slopes east in vast prairies, covered to a great extent with marshes and forests, with scattered pastures and cultivated ground, watered by tributaries of the Orinoco and the ilcta. The lowlands are fer- tile, yielding tropical fruits, sugar, cotton, cacao, tobacco, dyes, drug-stufTs, and timber. In the mountainous parts of the State various minerals are found, and in the south are situated a number of hot springs. The people have rude manufac- tures of cotton, wool, straw, etc.. but cattle- raising is the chief occupation. Capital. Tunja. Population, in 1890. 645,000. Only a small part of the State is inhabited. BOYACA. A town of Colombia, about 60 miles northeast of Bogota, near which in 1819 Bolivar won a victory over the Spaniards, and thereby secured the independence of Colombia (Map:" Colombia. C 2). Population, 7000. BOY AND THE MANTLE, The. A ballad, among those collected liy Bishop Percy, which relates that a youth once came to King Arthur's Court, bearing a cloak which, he said, only such wives could wear as had always been faithftil. It fell to the possession of Sir Craddoek, whose wife alone was pure, together with a golden cup "which no cuckold covdd drink from," and a brawn's head, which no cuckold could cut. BOYAR, IxVyiir', or Bo.T.R (Russ. boi/arinii, originally cither ( 1 ) fighting man, warrior, from hoy. fight, battle, or (2) "great man,' for boh/a- riiiii, from Slav, boli, Russ. bolshot/, great, grand. The modern Russian form is barinu, estate hold- er, nobleman, master) . A word originally of the same meaning as Czech, l^ech, and Bolgarin — i.e. free proprietor of the soil. The Boyars in Old Russia were the order next to the kniazes or knieses (ruling princes). They formed the im- mediate 'following' of these princes, and bore somewhat the same relation to them as the lesser English and Scottish knights of the feudal ages bore to the great barons. They had their own partisans, who served as a kind of bodyguard. They gave their services to a prince of their own choice, whom, however, they left again at their pleasure; and, in conse<iuence of this, the kniazes