Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 09.djvu/67

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SPURGEON, CHARLES HADDON 41 SQUARE ROOT culation, many of them being translated into various languages. He wrote : "John Plowman's Talk," "Morning by Morn- ing," "Evening by Evening," "The Treas- ury of David," "Lectures to My Stu- dents," "The Saint and his Saviour," etc.; and from 1865 edited a monthly magazine, "The Sword and the Trowel." He died in Mentone, France, Jan. 31, 1892. SPY, a secret emissary sent into the enemy's camp or territory to inspect their works, ascertain their strength and their intentions, to watch their move- ments, and report thereon to the proper officer. By the laws of war among all civilized nations a spy is subjected to capital punishment. To be treated as a spy one must first be caught in the enemy's territory, and in dress other than the adopted military uniform of his country. It must also be clearly shown that the object of the accused person is to gain information for the enemy which it would be to their advantage to know. If, when captured, the prisoner can show that his errand in getting through was of a personal nature, or that he was trading with the enemy, he can only be held as a prisoner of war. In trying a spy his military rank counts for much. An officer of high rank receives a more thorough trial than a private, though both are tried by court-martial. In the United States the verdict is sent to the President or the Secretary of War or Navy, for approval before execution. "When a spy is caught in the act all these formalities are omitted. He is tried by a drum-head court-martial; allowed to make an explanation and a verdict is rendered without much deliberation. If he is found guilty the verdict is sent to the highest commanding officer in camp, and on his approval is carried out, after which a full report is made to the Pres- ident. The two most famous spies in American history are Nathan Hale and Maj. John Andre. SPY WEDNESDAY, an old name given to the Wednesday immediately preceding Easter, in allusion to the be- trayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot. SQUAD, a small body of troops as- sembled for drill, inspection, or other purposes. The awkward squad is com- posed of those recruits who have not received sufficient training to take part in regimental drill. SQUADRON, in military language, a force of cavalry commanded by a cap- tain, and averaging 100 to 150 men. Each squadron is composed of two troops, each commanded by a captain for purposes of administration, but united under the senior for service in the field. Three to six form a regiment. The squadron is frequently considered the tactical unit of cavalry. As a naval term, a division of a fleet; a detachment of ships of war employed on a particular service or station, and under the com- mand of a junior flag officer. In the United States Navy 11 ships or less con- stitute a squadron. The fleet is usually divided into van, center and rear squad- rons. SQUARE, in geometry, a quadrilateral figure, both equilateral and equiangular, or, in other words, a figure with four equal sides and equal angles. In meas- uring superficial areas it is only neces- sary to multiply one side by itself to have the area of the square, because each of the sides may be considered as the basis or as the perpendicular height. Thus a square the sides of which meas- ure 4 feet is equal to 16 square feet, that is, 16 squares each 1 foot high and 1 foot long. To square a figure (for example, a polygon) is to reduce the surface to a square of equivalent area by mathematical means. It has often been attempted to square the circle, but this has been proven impossible. In arithmetic and algebra the square of a number is the number or quantity pro- duced by multiplying a number or quan- tity by itself. Thus 64 is the square of 8, for 8 X 8 = 64. SQUARE, in military tactics, a body of infantry formed into a rectangular fig- ure with several ranks or rows of men facing on each side, with officers, horses, colors, etc., in the center. The front rank kneels, the second and third stoop, and the remaining ranks (generally two) stand. This formation is usually em- ployed to resist a cavalry charge. Hol- low squares are frequently formed with the faces fronting inward when orders and instructions, etc., are to be read, and the like. SQUARE ROOT, in mathematics, a quantity which, being taken twice as a factor, will produce the given quantity. Thus, the square root of 25 is 5, because 5X5=25; so also 2-3 is the square root of I, since |Xf=|; x' is the square root of .^•^ since x^Xx^—x*', a--x is the square root of a^+2ax--x^, and so on. When the square root of a number can be expressed in exact parts of 1, that number is a perfect square, and the indicated square root is said to be commensurable. All other indicated square roots are incom- mensurable.