ZIONIST MOVEMENT. 782 ZIRKNITZEB. SEE. turists, artisans, and tradesmen in Palestine," and "preparatory steps for the attainment of those governmental grants which are neeessary for the achievement of the Zionist purpose." Subsequent Zionist congresses were held in 1898 (when the Jewish Colonial Trust, the finan- cial instrument of Zionism, was founded), in 1899, 1900, 1901, and 1903, all in Basel except the congress of 1900, which took place in Lon- don. Dr. Herzl has had a number of audiences with the Sultan of Turkey, who summoned him to Constantinople twice "in 1902. Though sympa- thetically disposed, the Sultan has not yet offered such concessions as Dr. Herzl, standing firmly on the Basel platform, could accept. Before the last congress (1903) an offer was made to the Zionists by the British Government of a grant of land in British East Africa for the purpose of an autonomous Jewish settlement, un- der .Jewish local administration, and general British control. With the distinct understand- ing that no abandonment of the Palesrf:inian plans was implied, the offer was referred to a commis- sioner for investigation. Of great significance, too, is considered the promise of the Russian Government, conveyed in a letter of M. de Plehve to Dr. Herzi. to place no obstacle to the Zionist movement, and to use its influence with the Sultan on behalf of the plan. The Zionist movement has aroused and con- tinues to hold the devotion of a large part of the Jewish people. There are at present 300,000 pay- ing niembers'of the Zionist organization, which consists of more than 1000 constituent societies, over 900 of these being in Russia. At the last convention of the American Federation of Zion- ists, under the presidency of Dr. Richard Gott- heil, the total number of American Zionist so- cieties was reported as 250. The reformed clergy as a class and the great financiers have shown strong opposition to Zionism; on the other hand, many leaders of thought and literary men, such as Max Xordau and Israel Zangwill, are promi- nently identified with the movement. Consult, for early Zionist projects: Puhlica- iions of fhe American Jewish IJistorical Society, No. 8; Laurence Oliphant, The Land of Gilead (London, 1880) ; and Graetz, Geschichte <Jer Ju- den (Leipzig, 18.53-70). The annals of the Zionist movement since 1895 are to be found in periodi- cal publications: The Jewish Chronicle (Lon- don); Die Welt (Vienna), the official Zionist org-an; The Maeeahean (New York) ; and in the publications of the American Federation of Zion- ists. Consult also: Herzl, Der liaseler Kongress (Vienna, 1897); Jalfe, Die nationale Wicderge- hurt der Judcn (Berlin, 1897); Farbstein, Der Zionisnnis nnd die Judenfrage (Berne, 1897); and articles hj' Dr. Herzl in Contemporary lie- view (London, 1897) ; by I. Zangwill in Cos- rnnpohs (ib., 1897) and Contemporarij h'erieir (ib., 1899) ; and bv Erail Reich in Nineteenth Century (ib., 1897)." ZIRCON (from Ar. zarlcun, cinnabar, ver- milion, from Pers. zaryun, golden, yellow, from zar, Slct. hiranya, gold -f gi'in, Av. yaunu. color). A mineral zirconium silicate crystallized in the tetragonal system. Jt is yellowish to hrown in color, and is met with in crystalline rucks, cKpecially granular limestone, various schists, gneiss, syenite, and granite. It is found in the alluvial sands in Ceylon, in the Ural, and in various localities in Norwav, Bohemia, France, Italy, and elsewhere in Europe; also in .Aus- tralia. In the United States it occurs in Maine, New York. New .lersey, Pennsylvania, and large- ly in North Carolina, Colorado, and California, The mineral finds use in the manufacture of the incandescent mantles of Welsbach burners. The transparent varieties, especially those from Cey- lon, are cut into gems and are called variously jargon or jargoon, jacinth, or true hyacinth. ZIRCONIUM (Neo-Lat. from circoH). A metallic element found as a new earth in the mineral zircon by Klaproth in 1789. and first obtained in the isolated state by Berzclius in 1824. It occurs in combination with silica in the mineral zircon, and also in certain rarer minerals, including eudialyte. fergusonite. and polymignite. The metal is obtained by reducing the silicate with carbon in an electric furnace, or by heating potassium zirconofluoride with potas- sium. Zirconium (s^^nbol. Zr: atomic weight, 90.40) is a black amorphous powder which has also lieen obtained as a lustrous gray brittle crys- tallized solid. The crystallized variety has a specific gravity of 4.15: its melting-point is above 1300° C. It combines with oxygen to form a dioxide, a white ta.steless powder that has been used instead of lime in the oxyhydrogen flame, and with thoria, yttria, and other rare earths for the mantle of the Welsbach burner. The oxide combines with strong bases to form zirconatcs. ZIRKEL, tser'kcl, Ferdinand (1838—). A German mineralogist, born at Bonn. He was at first interested in mining, visited Iceland in com- pany with Preycr in 1860. and after being em- ployed for two years in the Geological Institution at Vienna, became professor, successivelv at the universities of Lemberg (1803), Kiel (1868), and Leipzig (1870). where he was also made di- rector of the Jliueralogical Museum. He trav- eled for study in France, Italy, and Scotland ; came to .merica in 1874 to examine the great col- lections of minerals made during the exploration of the fortieth degree of latitude, and in 1894-05 pursued scientific investigations in Ceylon and India. His more extensive writings include: Jicise nach Island ini Hammer IfiHO (with Preyer, 1862) ; Lehrhtich der Petrographic (ISfiO, 2d ed. 1893-95) : Die miln-oskopischc licschaffenhcit der Mincralicii nnd Ccsleinr (1873); ".Microscopical Pctrogra]ihy." in Report of the United Slates (leohigical Kxplorntion of the Forfielh Paynllr! (1876) : an<l Vcher T'raiisscheidnngen rheiniseher Ilasattc (1893). .After the death of Naumann he edited the new issues of Ins FJemente der Mincr- tilogic (14th ed. 1901), ZIRKNITZER SEE, tsirk'nltsor za, or CZIRKNITZER SEE. A small lake in Car- niola, Austria, 28 miles northeast of Tricst (Map: Austria. D 4). It lies in a depression of the limestime plateau known as the Karst (q.v.), and exhibils some of the most remarkable features of Karst pluMKUiicna. Tlie lake, which imder ordinary conditions has an area of about 10 scjuare miles and :i mean de|itli <if 20 feet. conuDUuicatcs tlirough :i nimbcr of openings with a series of subterranean reservoirs or caverns,
