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WORTHINGTON 454 WREN brought to a successful termination after several severe conflicts. At the outbreak of the Mexican War, he joined the com- mand of General Taylor, and distin- guished himself at the storming of Mon- terey, for vk^hich he received the brevet of Major-General, and a svi^ord from Congress. He also distinguished him- self at Cerro Gordo, Puebla, Churubusco, the capture of Vera Cruz, Molino del Rey, and in the storming the San Cos- mo gate of Mexico. At the close of the war he was placed in command of the Southwest. He was presented with a sword by the States of New York and Louisiana, and by his native county, be- sides a vote of thanks from Florida. He died in San Antonio, Tex., May 17, 1849. A monument was erected to his memory by the city of New York, where his re- mains are interred. WORTHINGTON, HENRY ROSSI- TER, an American inventor; born in New York City, Dec. 17, 1817; early en- gaged in mercantile business with his father; but in 1840 began a series of ex- periments with steam for the propulsion of canal boats. Soon afterward he de- vised a small steam pump to be used in the maintenance of the water supply in the engine boiler, and in 1841 patented an independent feed pump which de- veloped into the direct-acting steam pump that he patented in 1849. Subse- quently he built in Savannah, Ga., the first direct-acting compound engine ever used in waterworks; erected a large plant for the manufacture of pumping machinery; invented the duplex pump, and devised various improvements in steam and hydraulic machinery. He died in Tarrytown, N. Y., Dec. 17, 1880. WOTHERSPOON, WILLIAM WAL- LACE, an American soldier born in Washington, in 1850. He was educated in private schools, and in 1873 was ap- pointed 2d lieutenant of the United States Infantry. He was promoted to be 1st lieutenant in 1879, captain in 1893, major in 1901, and lieutenant-colonel in 1904. In 1905 he graduated from the Army War College. He was appointed a brigadier-general in 1907, and major- general in 1912. From 1905 to 1909 he served on the general staff, and from 1907 to 1909 was president of the Army War College. He was assistant to the chief of staff in 1909-1910. From 1910 to 1912 he again served as president of the War College. He commanded the Department of the Gulf in 1912, and in the same year was appointed assistant to the chief of staff. From April to November, 1914, he was chief of staff. In the latter year he was retired. WOTTON, SIR HENRY, an English diplomatist; born in Bocton Malherbe, Kent, England, in 1568; was educated at Winchester and Oxford. He resided on the Continent for some years, and on returning to England was employed as secretary to Essex. On the fall of that nobleman from power (1600) Wotton fled to Florence, where he was employed by the grand-duke to reveal to King James of Scotland a plot against his life. When the Scotch king ascended the throne of England he showed his grati- tude by making Wotton a knight, em- ploying him abroad as an ambassador and ultimately (1625) appointing him provost of Eton. His ability as a writer is shown in "Reliquiae Wottonianae" (Wotton's Literary Remains), published in 1651, with Izaak Walton's "Life of Wotton." He died in Eton, in December, 1639. WRANGEL LAND, an island in the Arctic Ocean; lying N. of the E. extrem- ity of the Asiatic coast, and intersected by the meridian of long. 180° E. It was seen by the Englishman Kellett in 1849, again discovered by the American Long in 1867, and named after the Russian explorer vVrangel (1796-1870), who sought in vain to reach it in 1821-1823. It was first explored by the American expedition under Hooper and Berry in 1881. WREN, SIR CHRISTOPHER, an English architect; born in East Knoyle, Wiltshire, England, Oct. 20, 1632; was educated at Wadham College, Oxford; became a fellow of All Souls in 16^; was appointed Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College in 1657, and three years afterward was elected Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford. He had been appointed by Charles II. to re- store old St. Paul's, but after the great fire (1666) it became necessary to re- build the cathedral. In preparing his plans he was considerably hampered by the ecclesiastical authority, but with the king's permission he modified and im- proved the design as the building pro- ceeded. Thus, the division of the ex- terior into two orders of columns, and the present dome and drum on which it stands, were alterations on the original plan. The cathedral was begun in 1675, and the architect saw the last stone laid by his son 35 years after- ward. Among the other notable build- ings which Wren designed are: The modern part of the palace at Hampton Court, the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, the hospitals of Chelsea and Greenwich, the churches of St. Ste- phen's, Walbrook; St. Maryle-bow; St,