Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 10.djvu/707

on the Continent and in the United States. It does not appear that they have been extensively manufactured, for at the best they were but toys, but they certainly displayed great ingenuity in their con- struction. A French manufacturer used a spherical bladder as a base for his globe, affixing to it rigid poles, and covering it with a map printed on soft white leather, which map was applied in the same way as the maps on the ordinary globe. By inflating the bladder through a mouth-piece which was fitted with a stop-cock and constituted also one of the poles, the spherical form of the globe was obtained; and by discharging the air, the globe could be compressed into a small space. A frame composed of detached pieces was also provided for this globe, to permit of its being used for working problems thereon. When not required for use, the globe and its fittings could be packed into a very small compass. The best globes of this class were to be seen in the American department of the 1851 Exhibition. These measured ‘24 inches in diameter, and were manufactured by the late Mr Goodyear, of india-i'iibber fame; but they never obtained a market in England, and were evidently intended for reference globes only.

Some 50 years ago, the late Mr William Newton designed a pocket globe of some merit. It was mounted in a spherical case, which, opening at a centre line, disclosed the globe mounted in a brass ring and within a fixed horizon. Upon this globe, measuring 3 inches in diameter, numerous problems could be worked with tolerable accuracy. His last and best improvement was what he termed the “ Newtonian Globe.” It was designed chiefly for common schools, and was set upon an iron pillar, which avoided the cost of a wooden frame. The princrpal object. however, of the author was to convey to children, in the most simple manner, an elementary acquaintance with the construction and movements of the heavenly bodies. The author's design may be thus briefly explained. The Newtonian globes are hung in stationary rings or meridians, and are capable of turning upon their axes or poles for the purpose of showing the real diurnal motion of the earth and the apparent diurnal motion of the heavens, according to the Newtonian system or real structure of the universe. In place of a wooden horizon, a sliding annular plate is substituted. On the terrestrial globe this plate acts as a terminator to indicate the line of demarcation between day and night. The globe is so mounted upon its pedestal that the axis always lies in its true inclined position, and points to the north polar star in the heavens. A small brass ball representing the sun is made to slide upon the meridian, and it is carried by an arched arm, which connects it with the annular terminator. This ball is adjust- able to correspond to the declination or perpendicular position of the sun north or south of the equator, according as the sun’s declination varies from day to day throughout the year; and the terminator follows the motions of the sun. Upon the celestial globe a similar sliding annular plate marks the visible horizon of any place on the earth's surface, and shows what part of the heavens would be there seen at a given time; it also assists in illustrating the rising and setting of the sun and moon at different seasons and periods of the year, and the apparent diurnal rotation of the planets and fixed stars. These globes have been well appreciated in the north of Europe, but as they are not in conformity with English school books, they have had little success in the United Kingdom.

(a. v. n.)

GLOBE-FISH or Sea-Hedgehog. By these names some sea-fishes are known, which have the remarkable faculty of inflating their stomachs with air. They belong to the genera Diodon and Tetradon. Their jaws resemble the sharp beak of a parrot, the bones and teeth being coalesced into one mass with a sharp edge. In the Diodonts there is no inesial division of the jaws, whilst in the Tetrodonts such a division exists, so that they appear to have two teeth above and two below. By means of these jaws they are able to break ott‘ branches of corals, and to masticate other hard substances on which they feed. Usually they are of a short, thick, cyclindrical shape, with powerful fins (fig. 1).

Fig. 1.—Diodon oimculatus.

Their body is covered with thick skin, without scales, but provided with variously formed spines, the size and extent of which vary in the different species. When they inflate their capacious stomachs With air, they assume a globular form, and the spines protrude, forming a more or less for- midable defensive armour (fig. 2).

Fig. 2.—-Dioclon maculatus (inflated).

A fish thus blown out turns over and floats belly upwards, driving before the u ind and waves. Many of these fishes are highly poisonous when eaten, and fatal accidents have occurred from this cause. It appears that they acquire poisonous qualities from their food, which frequently consists of decomposing or poisonous animal matter, such as would impart, and often does impart, similar deleterious qualities to other fish. They are most numerous between the tropics and in the seas con- tiguous to them, but a few species live in large rivers, as, for instance, the Tetrodon faka/ra, a fish well known to all travellers on the Nile. Nearly 100 different species are known.

GLOBIGERINA. See Foraminifera.

GLOGAU (sometimes called Gross or Great Glogau, to distinguish it from Klein or Little Glogau, in the govern- ment of Oppeln), is a fortified town of Prussia at the head of a Circle in the Lower Silesian government of Liegnitz, Situated partly on an island and partly on the left bank of the Oder, about 80 miles SE. of Frankfort. Among its more important buildings are the cathedral, in the Gothic style, and a castle in the Renaissance style, now used as a courthouse ; and it also possesses a new town-house, a synagogue, a poorhouse, an orphanage, a military hospital, two gymnasia, and several libraries. Situated as it is on a navigable river and at a junction of two or three railway lines, Glogau carries on an extensive trade, which is fostered by a variety of local industries, dealing with tobacco, beer, oil, sugar, vinegar, bone-meal, earthenware, &c. One of its publishing firms—that of Flemming & Company—has at- tained awide reputation for maps. In 1871 the population of Glogau, inclusive of the garrison, amounted to 18,266,— of whom 6039 were Roman Catholics and 947 Jews ; and in 1875 it was stated at 18,062.

In the beginning of the 11th century Glogau, even then a populous and fortified town, was able to withstand a regular siege by the emperor Henry V. ; but in 1157 the duke of Silesia, finding he could not hold out against Frederick Barbarossa, set the place on fire. In 1252 the town, whieh had been raised from its ashes by Henry the Bearded, became the capital of a principality of Glogau, which continued till 1506, when town and district were united to the Bohemian crown. In the course of the Thirty Years’ “'ar Glogau suffered greatly. The inhabitants, who had become Pro- testants soon after the Reformation, Were dragooned into conformity by Walleiistciii's soldiery; and the Jesuits received permission to build themselves a church and a College. Captured by the Protestant allies in 1632, and recovered by the Imperialists in 1633, the town was again captured by the Swedish general Torstenson in 1642, and continued in Protestant hands till the peace of West- phalia in 1648. In 1741 the Prussians took the place by storm, and during the Seven Years’ War it formed an important centre of operations for the Prussian forces. After the battle of Jena it fell into the hands of the French; and they have reason to be proud of the gallant defence made by Laplane, who held out against the Russian and Prussian besiegcrs, after the battle of Katzbaeh. (August 26, 1813), till the 17th of the following April.