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STEVIN. 568 STEWART. works, a part of which were published in Dutch in 1568 were collected and translated into French, being published in 1(534. For his work in mathe- matics consult: Cantor, Vorlesungen iiber Oes- chichte der Uuthematik (Leipzig, 1892) ; for his work in physics, Gerland and Traumiiller, Ges- chichte der Physikalischen Experimentier Kunst (Leipzig, 1899). STEWARD (AS. stigweard, stiweard, from sill/, pen fur cattle, sty + iceard, guard). Lord High. The first of tlie great offices of State in England. Although of ancient origin, it owes its eminence to John of Gaunt (1340-99). It was hereditar}' in various lines until the accession of Henry IV. (1399), when it was merged with the Crown, and has since been in abeyance except when temporarily revived from time to time under the great seal pro hac vice. It is now revived only on the occasion of a coronation, when the Steward is of great ceremonial impor- tance, or the trial of a peer by the House of Lords for treason or felony, when the Steward presides. The last session of this character oc- curred in 1901. before which the Lord High Stew- ard's Court had not met for sixty years. When the proceedings are at an end, the Lord Steward terminates his commission by breaking his wand of ollice. STEWART, stii'ert. A Scotch and English royal family. Sec Stuart. STEWART, Alexander Turret (1803-76). An Irish-American merchant, born at Lisburn, near Belfast, Ireland, of Scotch parentage. He entered Trinity College, Dublin, with the inten- tion of studying for the ministry, but left beffire graduating and in 1823 emigrated to America. Settling in New York City, he taught school for two years, and in 1825, having fallen heir to a small legacy from some Irish relatives, he estab- lished himself in the dry-goods business. In 1848 he built the store at Broadway and Cham- bers Street, which at the time was the largest dry-goods store in the woi'ld. In 1862 he re- moved his retail business to a new store, which he erected at a cost of $2,750,000. at Broadway and Ninth and Tenth Streets, retaining his old store for wholesale trade. At the time of his death the business of A. T. Stewart and Com- pany comprised branches and agencies in the principal cities of Europe, and several mills and factories in the United States. STEWART, Alvan (1790-1849). An Ameri- can abolitionist, born at South Granville, Wash- ington County, N. Y. After teaching in the Royal School of the seigniory of Saint Armand, Canada, in 1811-12, and practicing law at Utica, N. Y., he devoted himself chiefly to advocating temperance and the abolition of slavery. In 1835 he called together in Utica an anti-slavery con- vention that was dispersed by mob violence. Ac- cording to William Godell. Stewart was the first to insist "on the necessity of forming a distinct political party to promote the abolition of slavery." When such a party was formed, he was its candidate for Governor, but was, of course, defeated. Years before Lincoln made his famous 'house divided against itself speech or Seward his 'irrepressible conflict speech.' Stew- art declared that "these States must necessarily be in eternal conflict until liberty conquers slav- ery, or slavery overturns the liberty of all." A collection of his speeches, with a slight me- moir, was published bj' his son-inlaw, Luther R. iNlarsh (New York, 1860). STEWART, Balfoue (1828-87). A British physicist and meteorologist. He was born at Edinburgh, and was educated at Saint Andrews Universitj- and Edinburgh University. After a brief career in business in 1850 he became connected with Kew Observatory, later (1859) being appointed its director. He was appointed professor of natural pliilosophy in Owens College, Manchester, in 1870, where he served until his death. Professor Stewart's researches in radiant heat procured for him the Rumford medal of the Royal Society. He also devoted himself to the study of terrestrial magnetism and meteorological problems, particularly those connected with solar radiation. He was also a devout churchman and was a member of a com- mittee appointed to promote the interchange of views of scientific men of ortliodox religious opinions. In The Unseen Universe, a popular work written by Stewart in conjunction with Professor Tait, an attempt was made to com- bine theological doctrines with the scientific ideas then current to demonstrate the existence of the soul and of a transcendental universe. He published an Elementary Treatise on Heat (1866, 5th ed. 1888) ; Lessons in Elementary Physics (1871); Physics (1872); The Conservation of Energy (1875) ; and Lessons in Practical Physics, with W. H. Gee (vol. i., 1885; vol. ii., 1887). STEWART, Ch.rles ( 1778-1869) . An Ameri- can naval officer, born in Philadelphia, Pa. At the age of thirteen he shipped on board a mer- chant vessel as cabin boy, and in a few years rose to be captain of an Indiaman. In 1798 he entered the L'uited States Navy as fourth lieu- tenant of the frigate United States, on which he served until 1800, after which he was given com- mand first of the schooner Enterprise and then of the Experiment. Soon afterwards he cap- tured the French schooner Deux Amis, and a few days later the schooner Diane. While on this cruise he captured the British privateer Louisa Bridger by a night action, but on dis- covering her nationality made suitable repara- tion. In 1804, in command of the Siren, he joined the Mediterranean Squadron. He then returned to the United States in command of the Conslcllalion, and in 1800 was promoted to be captain. During the following years he was for a time in the merchant service, but he reentered the navy, and at the outbreak of the War of 1812 aided Commodore Bainbridge in perstiading the Administration to send the United States warships to sea instead of keeping them in New York Harbor. In 1813 he was transferred to the Coiistilnlion, which on February 20, 1815, cap- tured two British war-vessels, the Cyane, 34 guns, and the Levant, 18 guns. Soon afterwards, however, he was surprised by a British squad- ron and the Levant was recaptured. He com- manded the Mediterranean Squadron from 1817 to 1820, after which he was sent to the Pacific Station. On his return in 1823 he was tried by court-martial on a number of charges, but was acquitted. He commanded the Home Squadron in 1842-43. and for several years was commandant of the Philadelphia Na'y'Yard. In 18C2 he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral. During