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PERU 201 PEBUVIAN BALSAM War produced serious economic disturb- ances. The government resorted to the issuing of paper money, which caused furtl. 3r unsettled financial conditions. Jose Pardo v/as elected president in 1914. In 1915 Congress passed a constitutional amendment guaranteeing religious lib- erty Neutrality was preserved in the World War until Oct. 6, 1917, when dip- lomatic relations with Germany were sev- ered. The Germans made unsuccessful eflForts to blow up interned steamers at Callao. In May 18, 1918, Augusto B. Leguia was elected president. A na- tional assembly was called at Lima in the same year and fundamental changes in the constitution were adopted. In Au- gust, 1920, 4 American naval officers, at the request of the Peruvian Government, began the reorganization of the Peru- vian navy, and took charge of the Peru- vian Naval Academy. Peru also re- quested the United States to send 30 American educators; 15 to fill adminis- trative and university positions and 15 for secondary school work. PERU, a city in La Salle co., 111.; at the head of navigation on the Illinois river, and on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, Chicago, Burlington arid Quincy, and the Chicago, Ottawa anj^ Peoria railroads; 100 miles S. W. of C^hi- cago. Here are St. Mary's Hospital, high school, public library, street rail- road and electric light plants, water- works. National and State banks, and several weekly newspapers. It has grain elevators, rolling mills, and manufactor- ies of clocks, zinc, plows, sulphuric acid, brick, tile, sash doors, blinds, and wheels. Pop. (1910) 7,984; (1920) 8,869. PERU, a city and county-seat of Miami eo., Ind.; on the Wabash river, and on the Lake Erie and Western, the Wabash, and the Chesapeake and Ohio railroads; 75 miles N. of Indianapolis. Here are a public library. City Hospital, waterworks, electric lights. National and State banks, and several daily and week- ly newspapers. It has railroad shops, and manufactories of flax, carriages, baskets, foundry products, glass, furni- ture, flour, woolen goods, carbon, etc. Pop. (1910) 10,910; (1920) 12,410. PERUGIA, ancient Perusia, a town of central Italy, capital of the province of Umbria, 84 miles N. of Rome. It is beautifully situated on an eminence above the Tiber, has irregular but spa- cious streets, and is surrounded by old walls. It is rich in art and literary treasures, and has many remarkable buildings, including a Gothic cathedral of the 15th century, a number of churches and monasteries, a town hall (Italian Gothic, begun 1281), and a university, founded in 1307. The manufactures, not of muc?i consequence, consist of velvet, silk stuffs, etc. Perugia was an old Etruscan city, and was conquered by Rome in 310 B. c. Pop. about 70,000. Pop. department, about 715,000. PERUGIA, LAGO DI, or LAGO TRASIMENO, a lake in Italy, 9 miles W. of Perugia, about 8 miles long, vary- ing in breadth from 7 miles to 4 miles, surrounded with olive plantations. It contains three islands, and abounds in fish. It has no visible outlet. PERUGINO, PIETRO, an Italian painter; born in Citta della Pieve, about 1446. His real name was Pietro Vanucci, but becoming a citizen of Peru- gia, he acquired the name by which he is PIETRO PERUGINO best known. He was employed for 10 years in the Sistine Chapel and the Stanze of the Vatican, and on his return to Perugia opened a school, and had Raphael among his pupils. Perugino was a sordid and eccentric man, and in his latter years produced many works, unworthy of him, for gain. His best work is the "Pieta," in the Pitti Palace. Among his best works are an "Ascen- sion," at Lyons; the "Infant Christ Adored by the Virgin," at Rome; "Ma- donna Enthroned," at Bologna; and the fresco of the "Baptism" in the Sistine Chapel. He died in 1524. PERUVIAN BALSAM, in botany and commerce, the balsam flowing from in- cisions in the trunk of Myroxylon pe- reirse. It is a thick, viscid, almost opaque, balsam, like molasses, with a red- dish hue, and translucent when in thin layers; its odor fragrant, its taste acrid, but aromatic. It is brought from San