Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/307

ROOF. 279 ROON. ered with tiles of marble or terra-cotta. The Romans were the first to span broad halls with vaults and domes of brick or concrete, covered probal)ly with lead for [jrotection from the rain; they also used roofs carried by elaborate timber trusses and covered with tiles or with bronze plates. It was in the nicdijEval cathedrals that the system was developed of an inner covering or ceiling of stone vaulting, with an outer protec- ROOK (AS. hiOc, OllG. hriioh, rook; connect- ed Willi Cioth. hrOkjan, to crow, Skt. kruc. to cry out ) . A species of crow ( Corii/s frtigilnjuti ) , very common in the southern parts of llrituin and found in many pnrt.s of Euro|)c and Asin, even to Japan; about (he same 8izc an the com- mon crow, hut ensily distinj^niisbed from it, even at a distance, by its color, which is a plo.ssy, deep-blue black, in certain aspects grayish. Ctn 1. KING-POST ROOF. tive roof of timber trusses sheathed with boards and covered with copper, lead, slate, or tiles; these roofs were of a very steep ])itcli. At the same time there were built many roofs without the stone vaultings, the timber supporting trusses being exposed to new and decoratively treated ('open-timber roofs') and the spaces between them richly paneled. Since the Renaissance it has been customary to hide the roof behind a decorative ceiling of plaster or of paneled wood- work ; on the other hand, the external roof has received much attention, and its form and deco- rative treatment are important elements in the design of many modern edifices. In those, how- ever, of Italian classic tj-pe, the roof is kept nearly flat and masked by balustrades and para- pets. The structural design of the trusses or other framework which supports the roof has in all ages been one of the determining factors in architectural development. In modern practice, although wood is by far the commonest material used, steel takes its place for structures of great span, and by its use spaces 376 feet wide have been roofed without intermediate supports (Lib- eral Arts Building. Chicago Columbian Exhibi- tion, 1893). For such roofs arched trusses are used. Iron and steel roofs of 250 feet span are not uncommon in railway stations. The largest vaulted roof is that of the Pantheon at Rome, a dome 142 feet in diameter. See Dome. In ordinary roof construction the truss is of the ling-post type (Fig. 1), for spans up to 3.5 feet ; or the queen-post type (Fig. 2) for spans up to 60 feet; though there are more complex types. The horizontal beams resting on these are called purlins ; these carry the jack-rafters, and to these last is nailed the slieulhing. which is covered by the roofing. The roofing may he of tar and gravel, of tin or of copper (for nearly flat roofs), of shingles, slates, metal tiles, or terra-cotta tiles for steep roofs. The part of the roof which pro- jects over the wall is called the eaves, and the trough for carrying off the rainwater, the gntler. Consult: Denfer, Coiiverture dcs fdifiees (Paris, 1803) ; Merrinian and Jacoby, Roofs and Bridges (New York, 1806) ; and the authorities referred to under Building. ROOFING FELT. See Felt. 2. QUEEN -POST KOOr. a nearer view a more notable distinction is found in the naked warty skin at the base of the l>ill, extending back rather beyond the eyes, and quite far down on the throat. The rook is gregarious; and very large companies often assemble in rook- eries, making their nests in close proximity, generally in tall trees, the same tree often sus- taining many nests. Jlost cities or large towns in Great Britain have rookeries, sometimes of considerable magnitude. In all of their habits rooks arc much like the .-Vmerican cro«s. Con- sult writings of European naturalists, especially as to the Hocking, .Selous, 13ird Watching (Lon- don, 1901). ROOKE, Sir George (1G50-1709). An English admiral. He was born near Canterbury, at the couutry-seat of his father. Sir William Rooke. He entered the na^-y, .saw active service against the Dutch, and in 1689 was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral. He was engaged in the action oft' Beacliy Head in 1690 between the Earl of Torringtou and the French admiral Tour- ville, and in 1692, in the battle of La Hngiie, fought between the French licet and the c(mil)iiied English and Dutch force under Admiral Russell, led the night attack on the enemy's lleet which resulted in the burning of 13 French ships with the loss on the allied side of only 10 men. For his brilliant services on this occasion he received the rank of vice-admiral of the red, the honor of knighthood, and a pension of £1000 a year. His next important service was the destruction of a Franco-Spanish plate-llcet in the port of igo: and in July. 1704. in conjunction with Sir Cloiid- esley Shovel, he accomplished the capture and annexation to the British Crown of GibraUar (q.v.). A few days later off Malaga, he fought an indecisive battle with a French licet of su- perior force, under the Comte de Toulouse; the French loss was upwards of 3000, the English upwards of 2000 men. Consult The Life and Glorious Aelions of Admiral Sir George Rooke, M.V. (London, 1707; new cd., 1713). ROON, ron, AiniiEciiT TiiEonoR Emil, Count von I 1SII3-79I. A I'russhin licbl-iiiar-<lml ami war minister, born at Pleushagen near Kollierg. Ho was trained at the military school in Berlin, and in 1836 was appointed to the general stuff with the rank of captain. In 18,")8 he wiia