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naval conferences

(Encyclopedia)naval conferences, series of international assemblies, meeting to consider limitation of naval armaments, settlement of the rules of naval war, and allied issues. The London Naval Conference (1908–9...

Pugin, Augustus Charles

(Encyclopedia)Pugin, Augustus Charles pyo͞oˈjĭn [key], 1762–1832, English writer on medieval architecture, b. France. His writings and drawings furnished a mass of working material for the architects of the Go...

Blackburn with Darwen

(Encyclopedia)Blackburn with Darwen därˈwĭn, dărˈĕn [key], borough and unitary authority, NW England. It was formed as ...

Shore, Jane

(Encyclopedia)Shore, Jane, or Elizabeth Shore, d. 1527?, mistress of Edward IV of England. The wife of William Shore, a goldsmith, she became c.1470 mistress to Edward IV and exerted a great influence over the king...

Gravesham

(Encyclopedia)Gravesham grāvˈshem [key], city and district (1991 est. pop. 90,000), Kent, SE England, on the Thames River. Industries include shipbuilding, metal casting, engineering, paper making, printing, and ...

Elton, Sir Geoffrey Rudolph

(Encyclopedia)Elton, Sir Geoffrey Rudolph, 1921–94, English historian, b. Germany as Geoffrey Rudolph Ehrenberg. He was educated at the Univ. of London and began teaching at Cambridge in 1949, holding the post of...

justice of the peace

(Encyclopedia)justice of the peace, official presiding over a type of police court. In some states of the United States the justices, who are usually elected, have jurisdiction over petty civil and criminal cases a...

Staunton, Howard

(Encyclopedia)Staunton, Howard, 1810–74, English chess player, writer, and editor, b. Westmoreland. Settling (1836) in London, he edited (1841–54) England's first major chess magazine and wrote (1845–74) a ch...

Leith Hill

(Encyclopedia)Leith Hill lēth [key], 965 ft (294 m) high, Surrey, SE England; highest point of the North Downs. On the summit is a tower, from where there is a view on clear days of London and the English Channel....

Cook, Sir Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Cook, Sir Joseph, 1860–1947, Australian statesman, b. England. A leader of the Free Trade party, he served as prime minister (1913–14) and later as minister of the navy (1917–21) and high commis...