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BASTION 442 BATAVIA lease of three prisoners, broke the spirit of the court party and changed the cur- rent of events in France. The anniver- sary of the fall of the Bastille has been regularly observed since France last be- came a Republic. BASTION, a projecting mass of earth or masonry at the angle of a fortifica- tion, having two faces and two flanks, and so constructed that every part of it may be defended by the flank fire of some other part of the fort. The flanks of adjacent bastions are connected by a curtain. The distance between two such flanks is termed the gorge. A detached bastion is called a lunette. Also: (a) A composed bastion is one which has two sides of the interior polygon very irregu- lar, with the effect of making the gorges also irregular, (b) A cut bastion is one which has a re-entering angle instead of a point, (c) A deformed bastion is one in which the irregularity of the lines and angles prevents the structure from having a regular form. (d) A demi- bastion is a bastion composed of one face only, with but a single flank and a demi- gorge. (e) A double bastion is a bastion raised on the plane of another one. (f ) A flat bastion is one erected in the middle of a curtain when the latter is too long to be protected by the bastions at its ends, (g) A hollow bastion is one hollow in the interior, (h) A regular bastion is one so planned as to possess the true pro- portion of its faces, flanks, and gorges, (i) A solid bastion is one solid through- out its entire structure. BASUTOLAND, a native province and British South African territory, between the provinces of Orange Free State, Natal and Cape of Good Hope. The Basutos belong chiefly to the great stem of the Bechuanas, and have made greater advances in civilization than perhaps any other South African race. In 1866 the Basutos, who had lived under a semi- protectorate of the British since 1848, were proclaimed British subjects, their country placed under the government of an agent, and in 1871 it was joined to Cape Colony. In 1879 the attempted en- forcement of an act passed for the dis- armament of the native tribes caused a revolt under the chief Moirosi, which the Cape forces were unable to put down. When peace was restored Basutoland was disannexed from Cape Colony (1884), and is now governed by a resi- dent commissioner under the High Com- missioner for South Africa. Basutoland has an area of about 11,700 square miles, much of it covered wilh grass and there is but little wood. The climate is pleasant. Capital, Maseru, The chief products are wool, wheat, mealies, and Kafiir com. The natives keep large herds of cattle. The revolt in Basuto- land led by Masupha came to an end Feb. 1, 1898. In 1903 it became a mem- ber of the South African Customs Union. Pop. about 405,000. BAT, the common name of all animals of the class mammalia which are fur- nished with true wings, and so are ca- pable of really flying or propelling them- selves in the air. Bats are now generally placed by naturalists in the order chei- roptera, although, like many other ani- mals of that great order, most of them LONG-EARED BAT are by no means exclusively carnivorous. Upward of 130 species have been de- scribed, and there is great probability that the actual number existing is very much greater. Bats walk or creep awk- wardly upon the ground, one side of the body being jerked forward, and then the other; yet they run with considerable celerity. Bats commonly produce one or two young at a birth. Fossil remains of cheiroptera are occasionally found in Eocene rocks. BATANGAS (ba-tan'gas), a province on the S. coast of Luzon Island, Philip- pines; also the name of the capital of the province. The city has an excellent har- bor, and prior to the war between the United States and Spain was the seat of a large commerce. The province is one of the richest sugar growing districts in the Philippines. It is also notable for its large production of cocoanut oil, the larger part of which is used for domestic purposes, chiefly lamp oil and lubri- cating machinery. Pop. of city about 40,000. Province: area, 1,108 square miles; pop. about 275,000. BATAVIA, properly the name of the island occupied by the ancient Batavi, became at a later date the Latin name for Holland and the whole kingdom of the Netherlands. The name Batavian Republic was given to the Netherlands on their new organization. May 16, 1795, and they continued to bear it until they were converted into the kingdom of Hol- land, under Louis Bonaparte, June 8, 1806.