Evening star., 1915-12-26

discussion and was censured as a van
dal Doubts were expressed as to the
artistic value of many OF the pieces.
The marbles are still on exhibition In
the British Museum.
AT this same TIME. Giovanni Bat.
tista Belzoni, the Italian explorer of
Egyptian Antiquities removed with
H. commonly called the young Memnon.
which he shipped to England and
placed in the British Museum.
Science in 1915 was not advanced by
any remarkable discovery or invention.
A number OF events OF small signih-
canoe came to pass, however. which
may be taken as an indication that the
scientific world was no- standing COM
pletely still at the time
Baltimore will have been lighted by
gas for a century upon the advent of
the new year. In Philadelphia the first
theater was lighted by gas In lsi6:
stereo plates were first used in book
printing: the first iron ships were con-
structed; travellers were able to pass
from New York to Philadelphia be-
tween sunrise and sunset-a speed
deemed quite remarkable: the electric
teieSrapn WIN anu ClOCkwOrk
was invented by Sir Francis Ronalds.
Historically. the year 1916 was a 1ull
one. Few centenaries of notable eyents
will call forth humanitys laurel
wreaths this year. The most interest
Ing of these which did occur. however,
are the law passed in France excluding
forever from French soil the family OF
Napoleon Bonaparte: the declaration
of independence from Spanish rule de-
clared by the Argentine congress OF
deputies: the first session of the diet
of the Germanic federation, held at
Frankfort November l6: the admittance
of India..a to statehood and the initial
opening of savings banks in the United
States.
The progress of education was accel-
Grated by the establishment in 1915 OF
the universities of Ghent and Liege
ami the founda tion of the Pennsylvania
State Public Library at Harrisburg.
During this year the French Academy
was reorganized. to compose of forty
life members. who should be the high
est authority on questions of language.
grammar. rhetoric and poetry.
Two important births occurred during
1916 that may not be included under
any of the headings of literature. art.
rreligion or science. These are the
births of August Belmont. famous
american fnancier. and George Henry
ahomas. major general IN the United
states Army during the civil war
They both have left strong impress
. sions. each in his line of endeavor. on
the life Of this nation. August Bel
mont was born at Alzei. Rhenish Prus-
sia, on the Sth of December. He en-
tered the banking house of the Roth
schiids at Frankfort at the age Of four
teen. and subsequently acted as their
agent at Naples. In 1887 he settled in
the United States as American repre-
sentative and became naturalized
American citizen. He married the
daughter of Commodore Matthew Perry.
In the later years of his life August
Belmont found time to serve his coun-
try in numerous capacities. He was
charge d'affaires of the United States
legation at The Hague in 1854 and
American minister at this post until
1858. During the civil war he was an
energetic supporter of the north and
exerted strong influence in the favor
of the north upon foreign merchants
and fnancfers. He died in New York in
1890.
mont, have also been prominent in the
national affairs. Perry Belmont, who
makes his home in Washington In the
winter. has been a member OF Congress
~and United States minister to Spain.
August Belmont succeeded his father
as head of the banking house in New
York and was prominent In financing
the New York subway.
George Henry Thomas, famous civil
war general was born in Virginia
July 81, 1916. After his graduation
from the Military Acadamy he served
In Florida against the Seminoles. A:
the outbreak of the civil war he gave
standing his sympathies and associa-
tions with the south In the battle Of
MurfreeSboro he comma nded the center,
and at Chickamausa he commanded tho
took place for the repossession Of
Chattanooga, out Of which the enemy
had been maneuvered.
The record of Thomas wonderful re-
sistance for upward OF hve hours
against the concentrated efforts OF the
enemy after the Federal right was
routed forms one Of the most remark
able events in the history of the war.
cessively of the Army of the Curher-
land and in Tennessee. As reward
for the heroic action which he dis
played in the battle of Nashville he
general in the army and rendered a
vote of thanks by Congress
During the remaining months of the
war he contributed materially to the
eanizing raidine expeditions. one Of
which resulted in the capture of JET.
ferson Davis.
After the close OF the war he COM
manded military districts in several
parts of the country. his death occur
ring at San Francisco, where he COM
manded the military division Of the
Pacific
A large bronze statue was erected to
his memory in Washington shortly
after his death, and the CIRCULAR park
which incloses the statue is called by his
name.