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BEEF 464 BEFEBENDUM BEEF, a chain, mass, or range of rocks in various parts of the ocean, lying at or near the surface of the water. BEEF KNOT, in nautical language, a knot formed by passing the ends of the two parts of one rope through the loop formed by another w' ose two ends are similarly passed through a loop on the first; the two parts of one rope are passed above, and of the other below the loop through which they are inserted. A longitudinal pull tightens the knot, which can only be untied by pushing the loops in opposite directions. BEEL, a revolving contrivance on which fiber, thread, cord, rope, fabric, etc., are wound, to form them into hanks or skeins, and for various other pur- poses; applied to: Agriculture, a device having radial arms carrying horizontal slats, and ro- tated by gear or pulley connected with the axle of a harvester, for pressing backward and holding the stalks of grain in position for being severed by the knives. Angling, a skeleton barrel at- tached to the butt of a fishing rod, around which the inner end of the line is wound, and from which it is payed out as the fish runs off with the bait, and is gradually wound in again as his strug- gles become less violent, bringing him to land or to the landing net. Baking, a cylinder with radial arms rotating in a heated chamber, carrying pans in which loaves of bread are placed for baking in the reel-oven. Cotton machinery, a ma- chine on which cotton is wound, making hanks of thread, each 840 yards in length. Domestic, a spool or bobbin of wowi on which cotton, thread, silk, etc., is wound for use in sewing. Milling, the barrel or drum on which the bolting cloth is fastened. Nautically, a revolv- ing frame to hold a line or cord, as: (a) the log-reel; (b) the deep sea-reel; and (c) the spun-yarn-reel, etc. Rope-mak- ing, spun-yams are wound on a reel preparatory to tarring or laying up into strands as the twisting of each length is completed. Silk-making, the revolv- ing frame on which silk is wound from the cocoons, or yarn is wound off from the spindle of a hand-spinning machine, and reeled into cuts or hanks. Teleg- raphy, a barrel on which the strip of paper for receiving the message is wound in a recording telegraph. BEEL, a lively rustic dance, peculiar to Scotland. In the United States, the Virginia reel is widely popular. Also the music for such a dance, gener- ally written in common time, but some- times in jig time of six quavers to a bar. BE-ENTBY, in law, the resuming or retaking the possession of lands lately lost. A proviso for re-entry is a clause usually inserted in leases, that upon non- payment of rent, etc., the term shall cease. BEEVE, the title of the official existing in early times in England, who was ap- pointed by the king to carry into execu- tion the judgments of the courts presided over by the ealdorman (earl) and other high dignitaries, to levy distresses, exact the imposts, contributions, tithes, and take charge of prisoners. BEEVES, JOHN SIMS, an English singer; born in Shooters' Hill, Kent, Oct. 21, 1822. At 14 he was a clever per- former on various instruments, and was appointed organist and director of the choir in the church of North Cray in Kent. He first appeared in public as a baritone at Newcastle in 1839. This debut was a complete success; and he acquired fresh fame, but as a tenor, in London. In order to perfect his voice and style he studied at Paris (1843) for some time, and then appeared at Milan in the tenor part of Edgardo in "Lucia di Lammermoor." He returned to Eng- land in 1847, and, at Drury Lane as Edgardo, was immediately recognized as the first English tenor. He was en- gaged in 1848 at Her Majesty's Theater, and in 1851 sang as first tenor at the Italian Opera in Paris. After 1860 he became popular all over the country as a ballad singer at concerts. He espe- cially excelled in singing oratorio parts, his first oratorio role having been in "Judas Maccabaeus" in 1848. He died in 1900. BEFEBENCE, the act or process of assigning a cause depending in court, or some particular point in a cause for hearing and decision, to a person or persons appointed by the court. BEFEBENDUM, a system of legisla- tion which consults all the electors of a State as to whether new laws shall be confirmed. In some cantons of Switzer- land a method resembling the referen- dum has been practiced since the 16th century. The present form was adopted in the canton of St. Gall in 1830. In 1848, in spite of Conservative opposition the referendum was, by the action of the Radicals, incorporated in the Swiss fed- eral constitution, and in 1874 its appli- cation was extended. In all the Swiss cantons, except Freiburg, the referen- dum is now established. Accord ng to the Swiss federal constitution, all con- stitutional amendments must be ratified by the Swiss electorate before they be- come law. Other measures must be sub-