dispute arising between the province of
New Brunswick, Canada, and the state of Maine, reaching its crisis in 1839 and settled amicably in 1842. By the treaty acknowledging American independence in 1783, the boundary between the two countries was loosely defined to be the St. Croix River, eked out by a line from its source to the watershed between the streams flowing to the St. Lawrence and those to the Atlantic Ocean. The United States set up for boundary a stream far to the east of the river, only to have their contention disproved by the discovery of Champlain's little colony on the island at the true river's mouth. A branch to the east was then seized upon, but commissioners agreed upon the most westerly branch and there, in 1798, set a stone monument. The watershed then fell into dispute; the United States asserted that it skirted the St. Lawrence valley, a hundred miles north. The district became known as the disputed territory. In 1829 the king of the Netherlands, to whom the dispute was referred for arbitrament, refused a decision. Ten years later, lumber-thieves began cutting timber there in defiance of all law. The Maine authorities arrested them, and were in turn arrested by New Brunswick lumbermen. Maine sent i 800 militia to the Aroostook River, and a call was issued for 10,000 more to take possession. Sir John Harvey, governci of New Brunswick, occupied .the ground with two regiments of regulars, artillery and several bands of volunteers. Nova Scotia voted all her militia and £100.000 in aid. At this crisis Gen. Winfi.eld Scott was sent on by President Van Buren. Harvey had fought against htm at Lundy's Lane and Stony Creek, and their respect was mutual. The war-fever abated, and the question was referred to a commission. In 1842 Alexander Baring, for Great Britain, and Daniel Webster, for the United States, met and framed the treaty known as the Ashburton, from the barony soon to be conferred upon Mr. Baring, under it a line was continued due north from the monument of 1798 untii it met the St. John River somewhat beyond the mouth of the Aroostook, giving New Brunswick only 5,000 and Maine 7,000 square miles cf the land in dispute. When the treaty came up for confirmation in the United States senate, ratification was at first refused, the United States Waning all the territory. But when Webster produced a map which had been in his possesston all the time, showing that Franklin himself in 1783 had agreed precisely upon the boundaries set up by New Brunswick, the treaty was confirmed. The survey in pursuance of the Ashburton treaty is not yet complete, but several supposedly American towns have been
compelled to transfer their allegiance to New Brunswick as it has proceeded.
Ar'pad, the national hero of Hungary, under whom the Magyars first gained a footing in the country about the year 884. Chosen duke en his father's death, he carried on an incessant warfare with the Bulgarians, Wallachians and Moravians, and made several successful sallies into Italy,t He died in 907, lea,ving his power to his son. The Arpad dynasty ruled Hungary as dukes until 1000, and as kings from that year until 1301. Arpad still lives in the popular songs of his country, and not a little legend has gathered around his name.
Arrhenius (dr-r^m-us), Svante, a distinguished Swedish chemist, born February 19, 1859. At the age of 19 he received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Upsala. Since 1895 he has been professor of physics in Stockholm. His most important contributions to knowledge are in the domain of physical chemistry, more particularly in the theory of solutions. The explanation which he has recently offered for the repulsion which the tails of comets experience on approaching the sun is probably the simplest and most satisfactory ever given.
Ar'rowroot. A well-known starch obtained from the thick underground stems of various tropical plants related to Canna. Arrowroot is adulterated with the starches of potatoes and corn.
Ar'senal, a government establishment for the manufacture, storing and issue of arms, gunpowder and other munitions of war for land and marine forces. In the .United States those naval arsenals which provide for the construction and repair of war vessels, are called navy yards. In the Old World, where the term is more familiar and is equivalent to our navy yard, the most notable is the Royal English arsenal at Woolwich, a borough of the metropolis, with its great gun-factories, military carriage and transport departments, laboratories and establishments for the manufacture of ordinance and war stores, and the seat also of the Royal Military Academy for the education of cadets for the artillery and engineer service. Besides Woolwich, there are also in England notable naval dock-yards at Portsmouth, Chatham, Sheerness, Mill-wall and the West India docks at London, together with naval stations abroad at Gibraltar, Malta, Ascension, Bermuda, Cape of Good Hope, Sydney, Bombay and Weihaiwei. Other Old World arsenals embrace those of France at Cherbourg, Brest, Toulon, and Le Orient; those of Germany at Wilhelmshaven, Kiel and Dantzic; those of Russia at Kronstadt, Reval and Sevastopol; besides Antwerp in Belgium, Cartagena in Spain and Venice and Spezia
