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BISMARCK-SCH0NHAX7SEN 44 BISON tic policy was marked, among other things, by a reformed coinage, a codifi- cation of law, a nationalization of the Prussian railways (as a preliminary step to Imperial state lines), fiscal reform in the direction of making the Empire self- supporting (i. e independent of matric- ular contributions from its component states), repeated increase of the army and the regular voting of its estimates for seven years at a time (military sep- tennate), the introduction of a protec- tive tariff (1879), and the attempt to combat social democracy. In 1884 Bismarck inaugurated the career of Germany as a colonizing power, a new departure which brought him into sharp but temporary conflict with the England of Gladstone. For the rest, his foreign policy mainly aimed at isolating France and rendering her incapable of forming anti-German alliances. On the other hand, he gradually combined the central powers of Europe into a peace league, aiming at counteracting the aggressiveness of Russia and France, separately or combines, on the Danube or the Rhine. The nucleus of this peace league was formed in 1879 by the Aus- tro-German Treaty of Alliance (pub- lished irx February, 1888), which Italy formally joined in 1886, and which en- titles Bismarck to be called the "peace- maker" and the "peacekeeper" of Eu- rope, a character he first publicly acquired when, as "honest broker" between Austria and Russia, he presided over the Berlin Congress in 1878. The phrase, "man of blood and iron," is based on the Iron Chancellor's own use of the words in a speech in 1862. Bismarck's life was often threatened, and twice actually attempted — once at Berlin in 1866, just before the Bohemian campaign, by Ferdinand Cohen (or Blind), a crazy youth who aimed at making himself the instrument of pop- ular dissatisfaction with Bismarck, as the champion of absolutism, and again in 1874 at Kissingen, by a Catholic tin- smith named KuUmann. Emperor William died on March 9, 1888. The short reign of Emperor Fred- erick followed and then his son William II. ascended the throne. On March 18, 1890, Bismarck fell. The main causes for his fall were undoubtedly: that the ambitious young ruler wanted a free hand, and was not in sympathy with many of Bismarck's plans, while the lat- ter would not tolerate the Emperor's di- rect consultation with other Ministers. After the war with Denmark, King Wil- liam had made Bismarck a Count. After the conquest of France Emperor William had named him Prince. Emperor William II. gave him the title of Duke of Lauen- burg. When Bismarck's 81st birthday was celebrated in 1896, there was talk of a reconciliation between the Prince and his sovereign. The Emperor sent his photograph to Bismarck, the latter returned thanks, and little by little the way was paved for a meeting between the two men, and eventually for the state visit which the Emperor paid to Bis- marck at Friedrichsruhe, where the statesman died July 30, 1898. BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO, the name oflBcially given by Germany to New Britain, New Ireland, New Hanover, and several smaller adjoining islands in the South Pacific, since in 1884 they became a German dependency. By the terms of the Peace Treaty of 1919, Australia, through Great Britain, received a man- date for these islands. BISMUTH, a triad metallic element, Sym. Bi; At. Wt. 210; found associated with the ores of nickel, cobalt, copper and silver, in Saxony, Austria, Peru, Australia and Bolivia. Bismuth is usu- ally found in a metallic state, and is readily obtained from the ores contain- ing it on account of its low fusibility (266° C). Bismuth forms a dioxide Bi202, a trioxide BizOs, and a pentoxide BiaOs. The so-called tetroxide Bi204 is said to be a compound of the last two oxides. Bismuth forms one choride BiCU, bismuthous choride. Bismuth is known by its reddish color and crystalline structure. On account of its brittleness it is unfit for use in the metallic state, by itself, except in the construction of thermo-electric piles. The use of bismuth in alloys depends on its low melting point, and its property of expanding upon solidification. It is used in type metal and in several solders. Bis- muth is used for pharmaceutical pur- poses in form of subnitrate of bismuth, carbonate of bismuth, and oxide of bis- muth, which, taken internally, act as sedatives on the stomach, in dyspepsia and chronic vomiting. They have been also used in epilepsy and in diarrhoea at- tending phthisis. Preparations of bis- muth are sometimes employed externally as cosmetics, but when a sulphuretted gas acts upon them they blacken the face, BISON, the name given to two species of ruminating animals belonging to the ox family; (1) the aurochs; (2) an analogous species, now nearly extinct, but once in countless herds roaming over the N. W. plains of the United States. Bisons have proportionately a larger head than oxen, with a conical hump be-