already preceded them. Those who remained afterward entered into an arrangement with the English by which they were confirmed in possession of a small part of their ancient inheritance. They are now represented by the Amalecites on Saint John River, New Brunswick and Quebec (820), the Passamaquoddies on the bay of that name in Maine (300), the Penobscots at Oldtown, Maine (400), and the Abnakis at Saint Francis and Bécancour, Quebec (430). Their language is preserved in the monumental dictionary of Rasle.
AB'NER (Heb. father of light). The son of Ner. and cousin of Saul, and commander of his army (I. Samuel xiv:50). After Saul's death the tribe of Judah recognized David, while Abner prevailed upon the other tribes to recognize Saul's son, Ishbosheth (II. Samuel ii:8-11). David sent his army, under Joab, into the field, and at the pool of Gibeon the followers of Abner, who was in control, suffered defeat (ibid., verses 12-17). In his flight, Abner, being hotly pursued by Asahel, turned and reluctantly slew him (ibid., verses 19-23). Afterward Abner had a quarrel with Ishbosheth and went over to David (II. Samuel iii:7-11, 17-21); but the death of Asahel produced a blood feud between Joab (Asahel's brother) and Abner, which ultimately led to Abner's death. In consequence of a quarrel between Abner and his master, Ishbosheth, who accused him of having designs upon the throne, Abner espoused David's cause. While being hospitably entertained by David at Hebron, Abner was treacherously killed by Joab with the connivance of his brother Abishai (II. Samuel iii:22-27). The murder called forth general indignation, and the King himself acted as chief mourner. He ordered a public mourning, and a portion of an elegy is preserved (II. Samuel iii:33-34), said to have been composed by David in memory of Abner.
AB'NEY, Sir William de Wiveleslie (1844—). An English astronomer and physicist. He was born at Derby, and was educated at the royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was made a lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in 1861 and a captain in 1871. From 1893 to 1895 he served as president of the Royal Astronomical Society, and in the latter year he became president of the Physical Society of London. Subsequently he was appointed the principal assistant secretary of the Science and Art Department of the Board of Education. He is well known for his researches in photography and spectroscopy, and has published a number of important books on these subjects, including Instruction in Photography (1870); Treatise on Photography (1875); Colour Vision, Colour Measurement and Mixture (1893); Thebes and its Five Great Temples (1876); and, with C. D. Cunningham, The Pioneers of the Alps (1888). Captain Abney was knighted in 1900 in recognition of his scientific work.
ÅBO, .I'bo. The most ancient city and former
capital of Finland, now the chief town of the
Russian Government of Åbo-Björneborg, situa-
ted on the River Aurayoki, near its embouchure
in the Gulf of Bothnia, 128 miles west by north
from Helsingfors (Map: Russia, B 2). Its streets
are broad and lined with rather low stone build-
ings. Owing to its antiquity, Åbo has a number
of buildings of historical interest, among them
the cathedral, containing a magnificent sarcopha-
gus erected in 1865 for the unfortunate Queen, Catharine Monsdotter, who died in 1512. In one of its suburbs is the spring of St. Henry, in which, according to tradition, the first Finns embracing Christianity were bap- tized. It is in regular steamship communication with St. Petersburg, Stockholm, and other ports on the Baltic, visited annually by some 700 vessels, whose aggregate tonnage reaches about 200,000 tons. Shipbuilding is an important industry here, many of the Russian warships having been constructed in this city. The great Crayton works supply the Russian fleet with torpedo boats. It has a number of cotton mills, tobacco factories, sugar refineries, and machine shops. Of its educational institutions, the School of Navigation and the School for Deaf- mutes deserve special attention. In addition to these it has a number of gymnasiums, a technical institute, a commercial school, and a normal training school. The United States is repre- sented by a consular agent. Population, 1888, 27,000; 1897, 35,000, 54% being Finns and nearly 42% Swedes. The town grew up around a castle (which is still in existence, and is used as a prison at present) founded in 1156 by Eric IX., and became an important place in the following century. It was repeatedly attacked and de- stroyed by the Russians in their many wars with the Swedes, and finally fell into their hands in 1808; since then it has remained a Russian possession. It was the capital of Finland until 1819. In the year 1827 a great part of the town, including the university build- ings, was destroyed by fire, and the university was removed to Helsingfors, now the capital. The Peace of Åbo (1743), between Sweden and Russia, gave Russia control of the southern part of Finland as far as the Kymen River and put an end to the war commenced by Sweden, under French instigation, in 1741.
ÅBO-BJÖRNEBORG, s'b6-byer'ne-borg. A
government in southwest Finland. Area, 9336
square miles. Its topography is like that of
the rest of Finland. Among the mountain
ranges of granite crossing it there are about
one hundred and fifty lakes and numerous
marshes. The southern section is more hilly than
the northern, and along the seashore has many
safe havens for sea-going vessels. Except the
River Kumo, Åbo-Björneborg has no navigable
rivers. It has a temperate and healthful climate,
and the principal industries are agriculture and
the raising of cattle, and fishing. There is a
flourishing mining industry, the chief products
being granite, black marble, iron, and clay.
Åbo-Björneborg is, moreover, the foremost manu-
facturing province of Finland, the chief branches
of industry being wood and metal working, distill-
ing, brewing, manufacture of leather, paper, and
tobacco. Population, 1897, 419,300, of whom
about one-seventh lived in towns and villages;
in 1888 there were 380,500 people. About 83% of
the population are Finns, less than 17% Swedes.
AB'OLI'TIONISTS (Lat. abolitio, an annulling, from abolere, to check the growth). The term used in the United States, after 1835 and until the Civil War, for those opponents of slavery who were the most intense in their desire to secure the immediate emancipation of the blacks. Others avowed their "anti-slavery" opinions, but these advocated, by all the means they could command, immediate "abolition." Their posi-
