remedies for nightmare and other maladies. Later naturalists classed them as forms of am- ber, stalactites, sea-urchin spines, crocodile and fish teeth, and as chambers in which dwelt small marine animals. In 172-t Ehrhardt first recog- nized their affinity to Nautilus and Spirula. For illustration, see Cephalopoda.
BELE'RIUM. An ancient name for Land's
End. the southwestern extremity of Cornwall,
England, sometimes written Bolekium. The
name is of doubtful origin, though sometimes de-
rived from Bellerus, a legendary Cornish giant.
BELFAST, bel-fltst' (Gael. Bel-feirsde, the
fort of the far set or sand-bank). The principal
commercial and manufacturing city in Ireland,
the chief town of Antrim County, and capital of
the Province of Ulster. It stands at the mouth of
the Lagan and the head of Belfast Lough, 12
miles from the Irish Sea. and 86 miles north-
northeast of Dublin (Map: Ireland, F 2).
The city site is reclaimed nuirshland. On the
land side it is picturesquely bounded by the
ridges of Divis (1567 feet high) and Cave Hill
(1185 feet). It is connected with its suburbs
on the Down, or south side, by four bridges.
Many of the streets, especially in the Yhite
Linen Hall quarter, are well built and spacious.
The mercantile section lies chiefly near the ex-
tensive and well-built quays. Churches abound,
and the public buildings include the Linen Hall,
commercial buildings, several fine banks, the
Corn Exchange, the government offices, club-
houses, and museum. The Royal Academical
Institution, (Jueen's College, and the Government
School of Design are the chief of many educa-
tional establishments. The fine botanical gar-
dens of the Natural History Society occupy 17
acres, and there are five jjublic parks, inclosing
200 acres.
The staple manufacture is linen, -dating from 1637. Other branches of in<lustry are bleaching, dyeing, calico-printing, iron-founding, flour and oil mills, chemical works, breweries, distilleries, alabaster and barilla mills, sawmills, shipbuild- ing, rope, and sail-cloth yards. The iron sliip- buikling yards in the harbor employ a large number of hands, and have built among other important vessels the ships of the White Star Line. The inland trade is carried on by the Lagan, the Ulster Canal, and several railways; and lines of steamers constantly ply between Belfast and the ports of Great Britain. The harbor is one of the first-class ports of the United Kingdom, and has several docks and basins, the largest being the Abercorn Basin and the Sjiencer Tidal Dock. The harbor is under the control of commissioners elected by the rate- payers. Tlu' most important branch of commerce is the Channel trade. Linen yarns and manufac- tures, machinery, mill and metal work, cattle, ag- ricultural produce, provisions, and whisky are the chief exports. The imports include grain and raw products, cotton, flax, linen yarn, timber, sugar, etc. From 1806 to 1900 the annual value of the total imports and exports increased from $21,000,000 to .$.30,000,000. An average of 1 1,000 vessels enter and clear annually. One hundred and ten steamers of 109,000 gross tonnage, and as many sailing vessels, of .30,000 tons, are in- scribed oil its own shipping register. It is the seat of a United States consulate.
Belfast is governed by a corporation of 10 aldermen (one being mayor) and 30 councilors, and is noted for its municipal activities. It owns the harbors, ferries, abattoirs, nuxrkets, gas and electric-lighting plants, tramways; maintains a fire brigade, free libraries, museums, artisans' dwellings, and controls the elementary schools. Population, in 1821, 37,000; in 1851,. 103,000; in 1891, 273,000; in 1901, 349,000. Belfast was destroyed by Edward Bruce in the Fourteenth Century, but became an important town after 1604, receiving a charter in 10 11. In the great Civil War the inhabitants at first joined the Parliament, but afterwards were Royalists. It became a city in 1888. The Bel- fast Netcs-Letter, established 1737, is the chief ncAvspaper, and the third oldest published in the United Kingdom.
Bibliography. Henn, Histort/ of Belfast (Lon- don, 1877); Yoimg, Historical Notices of Old Belfast (Belfast, 1896) ; Munce, Worh-men's Dwellings in Belfast (1898); "Belfast Tram- ways," in Rnilipay World (Philadelphia, 1899) ; Fisher, Trading Centres of the Empire: Belfast (London, 1901).
BEL'FAST. A city, port of entry, and the
county-seat of Waldo County, Maine, 30 miles
southwest of Bangor, on Penobscot Bay, at the
terminus of the Belfast Division of the Maine
Central Railroad (Map: Maine, E 7). There is
a good harbor, and the principal industries are
the maiuifacture of shoes, doors, sashes, and
blinds, leather, boards, and ship-building. It
has a public library of 9600 volumes, a Masonic
Temple, and Odd Fellows' Building. Settled by
Scotch-Irish in 1770, Belfast was incorporated as
a town and named ( from Belfast, Ireland ) in
1773, and was chartered as a city in 1850. The
charter now in force was adopted in 1853, and
provides for a mayor elected annually and a.
bicameral citv council. Population, in 1890,
5294; in 1900, 4615. Consult Williamson, His-
tory of the City of Belfast (Portland, 1877).
BEL'FIELD. The name of a character in
Miss Burney's novel Cecilia.
BEL'FOND. A polished roug in Shadwell's
comed}'. The Squire of Alsatia.
BEL'FORD. A character in Samuel Richard-
son's novel Clarissa Harloue. He and Lovelace
agree to excuse in each other every breach of
etiquette.
BELFORT, bel'for' (Fr. beau, OF. bel, beautiful -^- fort, fort, citadel ) . The capital of the Territory of Belfort (q.v. ), France, a town of great strategical importance on the Savoureuse, commanding the Trouee-de-Belfort, a pass between the Vosges and Jura Mountains (Map: France, N 4). It is dominated by a lofty citadel, on a rock 200 feet high. In front of the citadel is carved the 'Lion of Belfort,' a colossal figure, 36 feet in height and 72 feet long, the work of Bartholdi, which commemorates the defense of 1870-71. Belfort has breweries and tan-yards, hut its industries are unimportant. The town Avas ceded to France by Austria in 1648, and was fortified by Vauban. During the war between France and Geriuaiiy, the town uuiintained a gallant defense against the German troops from November 3, 1870." until February 16, 1871. It then capitulated with all the honors of war. Since the war Belfort has been converted, by the
