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Fink, Mike

(Encyclopedia)Fink, Mike, 1770?–1823?, American border hero, whose exploits have been so elaborated in legend that the actual facts of his life are difficult to discover. He was born probably at the frontier post...

excess profits tax

(Encyclopedia)excess profits tax, levy on any profit above a standard level. Chiefly a wartime phenomenon, it is intended to increase revenue during periods of distress and to prevent businessmen from taking unfair...

Aberdeen, city, Scotland

(Encyclopedia)Aberdeen, city (2020 pop. 229,060) and council area, NE Scotland, on the North Sea at the mouth of the Dee River. It is Scotland's third largest city in population. Aberdeen is the financi...

Sher Ali

(Encyclopedia)Sher Ali shēr älēˈ, shâr [key], 1825–79, emir of Afghanistan (1863–79), son of Dost Muhammad. His succession was opposed by other members of his family, notably his brothers. Sher Ali turned ...

Smith, Sir Harry George Wakelyn

(Encyclopedia)Smith, Sir Harry George Wakelyn, 1787–1860, British general and administrator. He served in the Peninsular War and in the War of 1812 and was a brigade major at the battle of Waterloo. He commanded ...

Silva, Antonio José da

(Encyclopedia)Silva, Antonio José da əntôˈnyo͝o zho͝ozĕˈ dä sēlˈvə [key], 1705–39, Portuguese playwright, b. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He belonged to a family of “New Christians” (Jews forced to con...

Pratt, Richard Henry

(Encyclopedia)Pratt, Richard Henry, 1840–1924, American soldier and educator, b. Rushford, N.Y. He served in the Union army during the Civil War and then in the Indian wars in the West, where he became interested...

Roxana

(Encyclopedia)Roxana –sănˈē [key], d. 311 b.c., wife of Alexander the Great. She was the daughter of Oxyartes, a Bactrian baron, and Alexander married her (327) to consolidate his power in Persia. She and Alex...

Neuss

(Encyclopedia)Neuss nois [key], city (1994 pop. 148,560), North Rhine–Westphalia, W Germany. It is a rail junction and canal port, near the left bank of the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf. Its industries produce heav...

Saalfeld

(Encyclopedia)Saalfeld zälˈfĕlt [key], city (1994 pop. 31,981), Thuringia, E central Germany, on the Thüringer Saale River. Manufactures include machinery, chocolate, and dyes. Iron is mined and slate is quarri...