color is the best means, as applying to all sys- tems of whatever kind, while the shape admits of numerous exceptions. The color is also appli- cable in all countries and with little expense, whereas the immediate adoption of sliape would involve changes of several existing systems. In consequence, it was recommended to adopt a uni- formity in color, whereas the shape could remain optional. From an immense amount of data it was clearly shown that in the matter of beacons there has been a far greater lack of uniformity than in the matter of buoys, and even the differ- ent countries have not in tliemselves rigidly ad- hered to a ii.xed rule in relation to the construc- tion of beacons. About the most extensive sys- tem of day-marks and beacons at use along the coast of the United States is found along the Florida reefs. Here the beacons are in some cases lettered, and in others numbered. The cage, shaft, vane, letter, or figaire is of different color in adjacent stations, so that there may be no confusion. Combinations of red. white, and black are used; and as a full description of each is to be had in the sailing directions of that sec- tion, the navigator is always able to determine his position. See Lighthouse.
BEACONSFIELD, bek'onz-feld. A market-
town of Buckinghamshire. England. IV2 miles
northwest of Windsor. It is noted as the birth-
place and residence of Waller, the poet, and Ed-
mund Burke, and as giving its name to the title
of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield.
Population, in 1S91, 1773; in I90I, 1570.
BEACONSFIELD, A municipality of Cape
Colony, South Africa. 2 miles southwest of Kim-
berley (Map: Cape Colony, A 7). It owes its
growth and importance to its diamond-mining
industries. Population, in 1881, 4259; in 1891,
10.478.
BEACONSFIELD, Lord. See Disraeli, Ben- J.MIX.
BEACON HILL. The hill north of Boston
Common, so called from the fact that in the early
history- of Boston a beacon was set on it to give
notice of threatened attacks by the Indians. The
summit is occupied by the State House. Beacon
Street, a noted residence street of Boston, ex-
tends along the slope of the hill skirting the
Common and Public Gardens westward through
the Back Bay District.
BEAD. In architecture, a small, convex,
round molding, sometimes called an astragal. It
is of frequent occurrence in architecture, particu-
larly in the classical styles, and is used besides
in picture-frames and other objects carved in
wood .
SEAD. a variety of personal ornament, made
of various materials, as glass, pottery, metal,
bone, ivory, wood, jet, amber, coral, etc., and per-
forated so that it can be strung on tlireads and
made into necklaces, bracelets, rosaries, etc., or
worked on cloth as a kind of embroidery. The use
of beads is of great antiquity, for they are found
in the most ancient of the Egyptian tombs
as decorations of the dead, and beads .supposed
to have been used as barter by the Phoenicians
in trading with various nations in Africa are
still found in considerable numbers, and are
highly valued by the natives under the name
•of 'Aggry' beads. Ever since the Fourteenth
Centurv the manufacture of glass beads has
been chiefly engrossed by the Venetians. (See
Glass. ) The manufacture is curious; the
melted glass, colored or uncolored, is taken
from the pot by two workmen, who slightly
expand the collected mass by blowing down
their blowpipes; they then open up the ex-
panded glass, and join the two together, while
still very soft. This done, thej' walk rapidly
away from each other in opposite directions, in a
long shed like a small rope-walk, and draw the
glass, which retains its tubular character given
by the blowing, etc., into rods of great length,
and often extremely small diameter. On cooling,
which takes place very quickly, these long rods
are broken up into short lengths of about a foot,
and a small number of these shorter rods are
placed on a sharp cutting edge, after being an-
nealed, and are chopped into lengths. The rough-
ly cut beads are next mixed very thoroughly with
line sand and ashes, then put into a metal cylin-
der over a brisk fire, and turned round rapidly as
they begin to soften with the heat. They are
then agitated in water, which cleans away the
sand and ashes, and leaves the holes free, after
which they are strung.
BEAD, Beade, or Bede (allied to bid). A
word which in Anglo-Saxon and Old English sig-
nified a prayer, and hence came to mean the
small perforated balls of gold, silver, glass, ivory,
hard wood, etc., used for keeping account of the
number of pra}ers repeated, A certain number
strung on a thread makes a rosary (q.v. ). A
hedesman or bedesiroman is one who prays for
another. Persons of station and wealth in old
times, "had regularly appointed bedesmen, who
were paid to weary Heaven with their supplica-
tions." Bedesmen appointed to pray for the
King and State sometimes lived together, and
hence bedehoxse is s.'imonymous with an alms-
house. A common form of signature at one time
was: 'Your bounden bedesman,' meaning 'Your
obedient servant.'
BEADLE, be'd'l (OF. hedel, of Teutonic ori-
gin, akin to AS. hydel, jiroclaimer, from bid).
Formerly an important parish officer, appointed
by the vestiy. He attended the vestry-meetings,
executed its orders, and assisted the constable in
minor matters. He has been largely supplanted
by the verger, the visitor of the poor, and various
petty town clerks.
BEADS, Saint Cuthbebt's. A title popularly
given to the single joints of the articulated stems
of encrinites. The central perforation permitted
them to be strung as beads; and from the fancied
resemblance, in some species, of this perforation
to a cross, they were formerly used as rosaries,
and associated with the name of Saint Cuthhert.
They are also known as entrochites, or wheel-
stones.
BEAGLE, be'g'l (origin obscure). A breed
of diminutive foxhounds, formerly much used in
hare-hunting; very similar to the harrier. For
illustration, see Dogs. See Hound.
BEAGLE, Sir Harry. A character in Col-
man's comedy. The Jealous Wife. He is a typi-
cal country squire of the more vulgar class, with
a great enthusiasm for dogs and horses. He
ofl'ers to give one of the latter to Lord Frinket in
exchange for Harriet,
BEAGLE, The. A small brig of war, of 235
tons, engaged in surveying the southern coasts of
