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SLOANE. 241 SLOTH. library of 50,000 volumes and 35G0 MSS., which he directed to be oll'ered at his death to the na- tion for £20,000, and which formed the com- mencement of the British Museum (q.v.). He contributed numerous memoirs to the I'hilosophi- cal Transactions, whose publication he superin- tended for a number of years, and published in 1745 a treatise on medicine for the eyes. SLOANE, Thomas O'Coxor (1851 — ). An American writer on science, born in New York City. He graduated at Saint Francis Xavier College in 1869, and at the School of Mines of Columbia University in 1872. For many years he served as a gas engineer, inventing a self- recording photometer, and was later professor of natural sciences iu Seton Hall College. His publications include many books on popular science. SLOANE, WiLLi.M MiLLiGAN ( 1850— ) . An American educator and historian, born at Rich- mond, Jefferson County, Ohio. He graduated at Columbia College. New York Citj-, in 1868, and from then till 1872 was instructor in classics at Newell School, Pittsburg, Pa. Then he became private secretary to George Bancroft, who was United States Minister to Germany, and while in Germany studied history under Mommsen and Droysen. In 1883 he was made professor of his- tory in the College of New .Jersey (Princeton) , a position which he resigned in 1896 to become pro- fessor of history at Columbia University. From 1885 to 1888 he was editor of the New Princeton Review. He published the Life and Work of James Renwick Wilson Sloane (1888), The French War and the Revolution (1896), Napo- leon Bonaparte (1895-97), and Life of James McCosh (1896). SLOAT, slot, John Drake (1780-1867). An American naval officer, born in New Y'ork City. He entered the navy as a midshipman in 1800, but after a j'ear's service was honorably dis- charged through operation of the Peace Establish- ment Act of 1801. In 1812, however, he reentered the na-y as a sailing-master, and throughout the war with England was attached to the frigate United States, which in October. 1812. captured the British frigate Macedonian. In 1813 he was promoted to be lieutenant. In 1823-25 he com- manded the schooner Grampus, which was one of the squadron engaged in suppressing piracy in the Vest Indies. He became a captain in 1837, commanded the Portsmouth Navy Yard in 1840-44, and from 1844 to 1846 was in command of the Pacific Squadron, and took possession of Monterey and San Francisco at the outbreak of the Mexican War. He commanded the Norfolk Navy Yard in 1847-51, and was retired in 1861, but was subsequently promoted to the rank of commodore in 1862 and to that of admiral in 1866. SLO'CTJM, Hein-kt Warner (1827-94). An American soldier, born at Delphi, N. Y. He graduated at West Point in 1852. In 1856 he resigned from the military service and became a counselor-of-law in Syracuse, N. Y. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was apjjointed colonel of the Twenty-seventh New York Volun- teers, which he led "at the first battle of Bull Run, where he was severely wounded. He re- turned to active service in September, 1861,w'ith the rank of brigadier-general of volunteers. He rendered conspicuous service at the battle of Gaines's Mill (q.v.). After the battle of Mal- vern Hill (.July 1, 1862) he was promoted to the rank of major-general of volunteers. He w.as engaged in the second battle of Bull Run, and in the battles of Soutii Moiuitain, Antictam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. He later com- manded the Twentieth Army Corps, taking part in the capture and occupation of Atlanta. In Sherman's march to the sea Slocum was given the left wing, a command which he held until after Johnston's surrender at Durham Sta- tion. In 1865 he resigned from the service and resumed the practice of the law at Brooklyn, N. Y. He was elected to Congress in 1868 and 1870. SLOE (AS. shl, slahw, OHG. slBlia, Ger. Schlche. sloe), or Sloe-Thorn {Primus spinosa). A shrub of the natural order Rosaces, by some botanists supposed to be the original species of some of the cultivated plums. It is generally a much branched spiny shrub of 4 to 10 feet high, or sometimes a small tree of 15 to 20 feet, with small snow-white flowers, which generally ap- pear after the leaves. The fruit, generally about the size of large peas, is used for making pre- serves, brandy, and gin. An astringent extract, called German acacia, prepared from it, was once much used as a substitute for gum arable. The Juice is much used in the manufacture of spurious port wine, and to impart roughness to the genuine. The sloe is abundant in European thickets and borders of woods, and in arid places, and is sparingly introduced in the Eastern United States. SLONIM, slo'nyem. The capital of a district in the Government of Grodno. Russia, situated on the Shara, a navigable triliutary of the Niemen, 1 10 miles southeast of Grodno ( Map : Russia, C 4). It has manufactures of cloth, tobacco, and spirits. Population, in 1897, 15,893, mostly Jews. SLOOP (Dutch sloep, Ger. Schlupe, sloop; probably from OF. chaloitpe, from Sp. chaliipa, Eng. shallop). A Small vessel having a single mast and fixed bowsprit. A sloop's sails are mainsail, gaff topsail, jib, and staysail; spin- naker, club topsail, jib topsail, balloon jib. and flying jib are carried by large racing sloops. Formerly sloops and cutters differed considerably in shape, the cutter usually being much nar- rower and deeper, but at present the difference in form is very slight. IJeforc the advent of steam .a sloop of war was a ship-rigged vessel, but smaller than a frigate; in the early days of steam men-of-war a sloop of war was a war ves- sel carrying her guns on a single deck; the term is now obsolete. See Y'aciit a.nu Yaciitikg. SLOP, Doctor. An irascible, enthusiastic physician in Sterne's Tristram Shandy, who broke the hero's nose at his birth. SLOTH (from AS. slaw, OHG. slco. slew, dialectic Ger. schlcw, schlo. Eng. slow). An edentate mammal of the family Bradypodidae, re- markably adapted to an arboreal life, and reju'e- sented by many species, all residents of tropical America. They vary in size from that of a small bear to that of a cat. They feed on the leaves, buds, and young shoots of trees, among the branches of which they are born and spend their entire lives, rarely and unwillingly de-