Wikisource:WikiProject 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica

WikiProject 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica

This project relates to the adding of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica to Wikisource. This edition is considered one of the best reference works of all time, and was the biggest edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica with:

  • 29 volumes
  • 44 million words
  • 40,000 articles written by over 1,500 authors within their various fields of expertise.

As such, it was considered to represent a summary of human knowledge in the early 20th Century.

Sub-pages edit

Disclaimer edit

See Wikisource:Project disclaimers/1911 Encyclopædia Britannica

Structure and points of discussion edit

This is a work in progress, feel free to add to the list of things to consider ;)

  • Layout: images, navigation etc.
  • Organising wikipedians for this mammoth task.
  • Linking to corresponding articles on Wikipedia where appropriate
  • Creating categories for content. I.E. Cities, biographies, elements, etc. Just like Wikipedia.
  • Providing English translations of Latin and French passages (EB1911 doesn't do this).
  • Contrasting smaller (detailed information or extended quotes) with larger fonted portions of an entry.

Style Manual edit

  • The EB1911 style manual is a general style manual that should be used specifically to this project. Mainly, it is a way to standardize the look and feel of going from one article to another, suggestions on formatting, and in general some tips on what to look for when trying to improve these articles over the raw text from external sources.

Using transclusion edit

Few people read a volume of a long encyclopaedia from cover to cover. It is a reference work, and the natural unit for the reader is the article. To do the two things at once (reproduce the paginated text, produce single articles) is quite possible, using the transclusion of whole or partial pages into other pages. For one fundamental aspect of the activity of the project, checking the text against the image of the original in our djvu files, this has a clear advantage: correction of an error found with the text next to the image will propagate into the free-standing article. And then anyone can go and verify a spelling or date (say), and make a change if one is needed.

The technical requirements to do the transclusion are twofold: markup in the Page: namespace, which is simple and something of which the reader will not be aware; and the transclusion syntax applied by the article creator, which lives on the article page.

The current position is that the project uses two styles of transclusion, and there are numerous pages created simply by article text plus header only. Therefore there are three types of pages that you will see if you go to the edit tab on a EB1911 article. The project does not prescribe which way is "correct". For more details see /Transclusion.

Using Gutenberg text to aid proofing edit

For most articles from "A" up to "Mecklenberg" you can use already-proofed text from Gutenberg. Converted to Wiki-format text from there is available from Dropbox along with the script used to do the conversion. Further details are available at WT:EB1911.

Wikimedia Sister Project Advertisement edit

The Wikimedia Sister Project Ad is a recruiting tool that is to be edited by current participants to try and get some more help here when we are ready for them. The intention is that the contents of this page will be posted in the "Water Cooler" section of the respective Wikimedia projects to advertise this project among other Wikimedia users. As of right now this is just a draft, and add comments in the Talk page about this if you don't like the tone before it gets sent out.

The targets (for now) of participation and announcement will be on Meta, Wikipedia, and Wiktionary. Wikibooks has plenty of advertising for now, although a general announcement might be in order too, at least to formally let everybody know the project is finally over here at this Wikimedia project.

See comment on talk pageApwoolrich 14:30, 24 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Participants edit

Add your name here with ~~~~ if you wish to join the team!

See also edit

Sources edit

Commons sources (a full set of DJVU files, by volume) These are large (around 85 MB) and may not load in all browsers.

The 29 volumes are named:

Volume DjVu Scan index From To
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 01.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 01.djvu A Androphagi
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 02.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 02.djvu Andros, Sir Edmund Austria
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 03.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 03.djvu Austria, Lower Bisectrix
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 04.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 04.djvu Bisharin Calgary
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 05.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 05.djvu Calhoun, John Caldwell Chatelaine
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 06.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 06.djvu Châtelet Constantine
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 07.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 07.djvu Constantine Pavlovich Demidov
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 08.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 08.djvu Demijohn Edward the Black Prince
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 09.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 09.djvu Edwardes, Sir Herbert Benjamin Evangelical Association
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 10.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 10.djvu Evangelical Church Conference Francis Joseph I
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 11.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 11.djvu Franciscans Gibson, William Hamilton
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 12.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 12.djvu Gichtel, Johann Georg Harmonium
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 13.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 13.djvu Harmony Hurstmonceaux
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 14.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 14.djvu Husband Italic
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 15.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 15.djvu Italy Kyshtym
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 16.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 16.djvu L Lord Advocate
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 17.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 17.djvu Lord Chamberlain Mecklenburg
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 18.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 18.djvu Medal Mumps
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 19.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 19.djvu Mun, Adrien Albert Marie de Oddfellows, Order of
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 20.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 20.djvu Ode Payment of members
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 21.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 21.djvu Payn, James Polka
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 22.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 22.djvu Poll Reeves, John Sims
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 23.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 23.djvu Refectory Sainte-Beuve, Charles Augustin
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 24.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 24.djvu Sainte-Claire Deville, Étienne Henri Shuttle
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 25.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 25.djvu Shuválov, Peter Andreivich Subliminal self
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 26.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 26.djvu Submarine mines Tom-Tom
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 27.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 27.djvu Tonalite Vesuvius
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 28.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 28.djvu Vetch Zymotic diseases
[[:File:EB1911 - Volume 29.djvu]]
Index:EB1911 - Volume 29.djvu Index List of contributors

Additional sources that can be used to help in compiling the text of EB:

Free, public-domain sources for 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica text edit

Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia:

Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia
(As of 31 January 2015)
Section From To
Volume 1:   A   –   Androphagi
Volume 2.1:   Andros, Sir Edmund   –   Anise
Volume 2.2:   Anjar   –   Apollo
Volume 2.3:   Apollodorus   –   Aral
Volume 2.4:   Aram, Eugene   –   Arcueil
Volume 2.5:   Arculf   –   Armour, Philip
Volume 2.6:   Armour Plates   –   Arundel, Earls of
Volume 2.7:   Arundel, Thomas   –   Athens
Volume 2.8:   Atherstone   –   Austria
Volume 3.1:   Austria, Lower   –   Bacon
Volume 3.2:   Baconthorpe   –   Bankruptcy
Volume 3.3:   Banks   –   Bassoon
Volume 3.4:   Basso-relievo   –   Bedfordshire
Volume 3.5:   Bedlam   –   Benson, George
Volume 3.6:   Bent, James   –   Bibirine
Volume 3.7:   Bible   –   Bisectrix
Volume 4.1:   Bisharin   –   Bohea
Volume 4.2:   Bohemia   –   Borgia, Francis
Volume 4.3:   Borgia, Lucrezia   –   Bradford, John
Volume 4.4:   Bradford, William   –   Brequigny, Louis
Volume 4.5:   Brescia   –   Bulgaria
Volume 4.6:   Bulgaria   –   Calgary
Volume 5.1:   Calhoun   –   Camoens
Volume 5.2:   Camorra   –   Cape Colony
Volume 5.3:   Capefigue   –   Carneades
Volume 5.4:   Carnegie, Andrew   –   Casus Belli
Volume 5.5:   Cat   –   Celt
Volume 5.6:   Celtes, Konrad   –   Ceramics
Volume 5.7:   Cerargyrite   –   Charing Cross
Volume 5.8:   Chariot   –   Chatelaine
Volume 6.1:   Châtelet   –   Chicago
Volume 6.2:   Chicago, University of   –   Chiton
Volume 6.3:   Chitral   –   Cincinnati
Volume 6.4:   Cincinnatus   –   Cleruchy
Volume 6.5:   Clervaux   –   Cockade
Volume 6.6:   Cockaigne   –   Columbus, Christopher
Volume 6.7:   Columbus   –   Condottiere
Volume 6.8:   Conduction, Electric
Volume 7.1:   Prependix
Volume 7.2:   Constantine Pavlovich   –   Convention
Volume 7.3:   Convention   –   Copyright
Volume 7.4:   Coquelin   –   Costume
Volume 7.5:   Cosway   –   Coucy
Volume 7.6:   Coucy-le-Château   –   Crocodile
Volume 7.7:   Crocoite   –   Cuba
Volume 7.8:   Cube   –   Daguerre, Louis
Volume 7.9:   Dagupan   –   David
Volume 7.10:   David, St   –   Demidov
Volume 8.2:   Demijohn   –   Destructors
Volume 8.3:   Destructors   –   Diameter
Volume 8.4:   Diameter   –   Dinarchus
Volume 8.5:   Dinard   –   Dodsworth
Volume 8.6:   Dodwell   –   Drama
Volume 8.7:   Drama   –   Dublin
Volume 8.8:   Dübner   –   Dyeing
Volume 8.9:   Dyer   –   Echidna
Volume 8.10:   Echinoderma   –   Edward
Volume 9.1:   Edwardes   –   Ehrenbreitstein
Volume 9.2:   Ehud   –   Electroscope
Volume 9.3:   Electrostatics   –   Engis
Volume 9.4:   England   –   English Finance
Volume 9.5:   English History
Volume 9.6:   English Language   –   Epsom Salts
Volume 9.7:   Equation   –   Ethics
Volume 9.8:   Ethiopia   –   Evangelical Association
Volume 10.1:   Evangelical Church Conference   –   Fairbairn, Sir William
Volume 10.2:   Fairbanks, Erastus   –   Fens
Volume 10.3:   Fenton, Edward   –   Finistere
Volume 10.4:   Finland   –   Fleury, Andre
Volume 10.5:   Fleury, Claude   –   Foraker
Volume 10.6:   Foraminifera   –   Fox, Edward
Volume 10.7:   Fox, George   –   France
Volume 10.8:   France   –   Francis Joseph I.
Volume 11.1:   Franciscans   –   French Language
Volume 11.2:   French Literature   –   Frost, William
Volume 11.3:   Frost   –   Fyzabad
Volume 11.4:   G   –   Gaskell, Elizabeth
Volume 11.5:   Gassendi, Pierre   –   Geocentric
Volume 11.6:   Geodesy   –   Geometry
Volume 11.7:   Geoponici   –   Germany
Volume 11.8:   Germany   –   Gibson, William
Volume 12.1:   Gichtel, Johann   –   Glory
Volume 12.2:   Gloss   –   Gordon, Charles George
Volume 12.3:   Gordon, Lord George   –   Grasses
Volume 12.4:   Grasshopper   –   Greek Language
Volume 12.5:   Greek Law   –   Ground-Squirrel
Volume 12.6:   Groups, Theory of   –   Gwyniad
Volume 12.7:   Gyantse   –   Hallel
Volume 12.8:   Haller, Albrecht   –   Harmonium
Volume 13.1:   Harmony   –   Heanor
Volume 13.2:   Hearing   –   Helmond
Volume 13.3:   Helmont, Jean   –   Hernosand
Volume 13.4:   Hero   –   Hindu Chronology
Volume 13.5:   Hinduism   –   Home, Earls of
Volume 13.6:   Home, Daniel   –   Hortensius, Quintus
Volume 13.7:   Horticulture   –   Hudson Bay
Volume 13.8:   Hudson River   –   Hurstmonceaux
Volume 14.1:   Husband   –   Hydrolysis
Volume 14.2:   Hydromechanics   –   Ichnography
Volume 14.3:   Ichthyology   –   Independence
Volume 14.4:   Independence, Declaration of   –   Indo-European Languages
Volume 14.5:   Indole   –   Insanity
Volume 14.6:   Inscriptions   –   Ireland, William Henry
Volume 14.7:   Ireland   –   Isabey, Jean Baptiste
Volume 14.8:   Isabnormal Lines   –   Italic
Volume 15.1:   Italy   –   Jacobite Church
Volume 15.2:   Jacobites   –   Japan (part)
Volume 15.3:   Japan (part)   –   Jeveros
Volume 15.4:   Jevons, Stanley   –   Joint
Volume 15.5:   Joints   –   Justinian I.
Volume 15.6:   Justinian II.   –   Kells
Volume 15.7:   Kelly, Edward   –   Kite
Volume 15.8:   Kite-Flying   –   Kyshtym
Volume 16.1:   L   –   Lamellibranchia
Volume 16.2:   Lamennais, Robert de   –   Latini, Brunetto
Volume 16.3:   Latin Language   –   Lefebvre, François-Joseph
Volume 16.4:   Lefebvre, Tanneguy   –   Letronne, Jean Antoine
Volume 16.5:   Letter   –   Lightfoot, John
Volume 16.6:   Lightfoot, Joseph   –   Liquidation
Volume 16.7:   Liquid Gases   –   Logar
Volume 16.8:   Logarithm   –   Lord Advocate
Volume 17.1:   Lord Chamberlain   –   Luqman
Volume 17.2:   Luray Cavern   –   Mackinac Island
Volume 17.3:   McKinley, William   –   Magnetism, Terrestrial
Volume 17.4:   Magnetite   –   Malt
Volume 17.5:   Malta   –   Map, Walter
Volume 17.6:   Map   –   Mars
Volume 17.7:   Mars   –   Matteawan
Volume 17.8:   Matter   –   Mecklenburg

Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed. 1911, separate volumes in several formats, on the Internet Archive:

Internet Archive – Text Archives
Individual Volumes
Volume DjVu From To
Volume 1 DjVu 1 A Androphagi
Volume 2 DjVu 2 Andros, Sir Edmund Austria
Volume 3 DjVu 3 Austria, Lower Bisectrix
Volume 4 DjVu 4 Bisharin Calgary
Volume 5 DjVu 5 Calhoun, John Caldwell Chatelaine
Volume 6 DjVu 6 Châtelet Constantine
Volume 7 DjVu 7 Constantine Pavlovich Demidov
Volume 8 DjVu 8 Demijohn Edward the Black Prince
Volume 9 DjVu 9 Edwardes, Sir Herbert Benjamin Evangelical Association
Volume 10 DjVu 10 Evangelical Church Conference Francis Joseph I
Volume 11 DjVu 11 Franciscans Gibson, William Hamilton
Volume 12 DjVu 12 Gichtel, Johann Georg Harmonium
Volume 13 DjVu 13 Harmony Hurstmonceaux
Volume 14 DjVu 14 Husband Italic
Volume 15 DjVu 15 Italy Kyshtym
Volume 16 DjVu 16 L Lord Advocate
Volume 17 DjVu 17 Lord Chamberlain Mecklenburg
Volume 18 DjVu 18 Medal Mumps
Volume 19 DjVu 19 Mun, Adrien Albert Marie de Oddfellows, Order of
Volume 20 DjVu 20 Ode Payment of members
Volume 21 DjVu 21 Payn, James Polka
Volume 22 DjVu 22 Poll Reeves, John Sims
Volume 23 DjVu 23 Refectory Sainte-Beuve, Charles Augustin
Volume 24 DjVu 24 Sainte-Claire Deville, Étienne Henri Shuttle
Volume 25 DjVu 25 Shuválov, Peter Andreivich Subliminal self
Volume 26 DjVu 26 Submarine mines Tom-Tom
Volume 27 DjVu 27 Tonalite Vesuvius
Volume 28 DjVu 28 Vetch Zymotic diseases
Volume 29 DjVu 29 Index List of contributors
Volume 1 of 1922 supp Abbe English History
Volume 2 of 1922 supp English History Oyama, Iwao
Volume 3 of 1922 supp Pacific Ocean Islands Zuloaga
Reader's Guide - 1913

Google Book Search:

  • Format: all have machine-readable plain text, with many typos
  • Completeness: complete
  • The text is not accessible to many IP addresses outside the USA however the same sources are available at the Internet Archive (See above)
        
DJVU pages provided by Tim Starling (historical)
User:Tim Starling's Full-page scans in TIFF format removed from Wikisource in December 2012‎.
However User:Tim Starling's home page still provides a link to a tar archive of the pages.
Torrent download at:
thepiratebay.org: "Encyclopaedia Britannica 1911" djvu lossless torrent of 29 djvu volumes, losslessly created from the Tim Starling TIFF files. .torrent
In 2021 all remaining links the pages were removed from en Wikipedia (dead links for only 9 years!)
Format: DJVU. Completeness: ?

Other sources for 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica text edit

  • The "LoveToKnow Classic Encyclopedia" was a wiki that was "based" on the original encyclopædia text, and claimed copyright on the modified text.
    • It later displayed the notice "Thank you for visiting the 1911 encyclopedia. This site is no longer available." From 2018 it displays "404 - File or directory not found."