Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Luray Cavern" to "Mackinac Island" / Volume 17, Slice 2

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

43254

Title

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Luray Cavern" to "Mackinac Island" / Volume 17, Slice 2

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume of the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica offers a comprehensive alphabetical survey of topics ranging from natural wonders like Luray Cavern to historical figures and geographical locations. With entries on geology, biology, architecture, and history, it serves as an authoritative reference for general knowledge, presenting facts with clarity and scholarly depth.

Summary up to 500 words

Volume 17, Slice 2 of the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, offers a sweeping survey of geography, natural history, and biography, reflecting the era's commitment to encyclopedic breadth. The volume opens with a detailed examination of Luray Cavern in Virginia, a geological marvel carved from Silurian limestone. The text describes its unique formations, including the massive Hollow Column and the rose-colored Empress Column, as well as the translucent 'scarfs' and 'blankets' of alabaster. Notably, the cavern's pure air was utilized in a successful experiment to power the Limair sanatorium, filtering bacteria through natural crevices before reaching patients. The narrative then shifts to Macedonia, a region defined by its rugged mountainous terrain and complex ethnic dynamics. The entry details the geography of the Balkan Peninsula, highlighting ranges like Rhodope and Pindus, and discusses the severe climate and fertile valleys. Demographically, the region is portrayed as a theater of national struggle, with a population divided among Turks, Greeks, Vlachs, and Bulgars, each maintaining distinct cultural and religious identities under Ottoman rule. The volume also explores the Mackenzie River system in Canada, detailing its extensive navigation routes, fish stocks, and the seasonal migration of mackerel. The biological entry on mackerel explains their physical adaptations for rapid swimming, their carnivorous diet, and their annual migration patterns across the North Atlantic, noting their high culinary value. In the realm of biography, the text profiles Charles Follen McKim, a pivotal American architect. It outlines his education at Harvard and the École des Beaux-Arts, his founding of the firm McKim, Mead & White, and his significant contributions to American architecture, most notably the Boston Public Library. Finally, the volume covers Mackinac Island in Michigan, tracing its history from its indigenous Algonquian origins and French colonial settlement to its status as a British stronghold and, eventually, a U.S. summer resort. The entry notes the island's limestone cliffs, cedar forests, and the eventual cession of Fort Mackinac to the state in 1895, preserving its historical legacy.

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Categories

• Encyclopedias and dictionaries