Amboise

Amboise, a French town in the dep. of Indre-et-Loire, on the Loire, 15 miles by rail E. of Tours. The town is memorable for the Huguenot conspiracy (1560), which cost the lives of 1200 Protestants. The castle of Amboise from 1431 was a frequent residence of the Valois kings; and since the days of Louis XL, 15,000 prisoners are said to have been confined in its subterranean 'oubliettes.' Pop. 4580.

Amboyna

Amboyna, the most prominent of the Moluccas or Spice Islands belonging to the Dutch, lies SW. of Cerani, and NW. of Banda. Area, 365 sq. in. Pop. about 38,000, nearly a third Mohammedans. Amboyna is mountainous, well watered, fertile, and healthy. Clove, sago, mango, and cocoa-nut trees are abundant, also fine timber for cabinet-work. The Dutch took Amboyna from the Portuguese in 1605. The British settlement was destroyed by the Dutch in the infamous Amboyna massacre of 1623, for which, in 1654, Cromwell exacted compensation. The British held the island in 1796-1802. It became finally Dutch in 1814. - Amboyna, capital of the Dutch Moluccas, on the bay of Amboyna, has a good roadstead; pop. about 9000.

Ambriz

Ambriz, the northernmost division of the Portuguese territory of Angola, West Africa, extending from the Congo to the river Ambriz. The town of Ambriz has a pop. of 5000. See Angola.

Amersfoort

Amersfoort, an ancient town of the Netherlands, 14 miles NE. of Utrecht by rail. It has a large trade in grain; and manufactui'es of brandy, cotton, and woollen goods, leather, soap, and beer. Here was born the statesman Olden-barneveld. Pop. 18,182.

Amersham

Amersham, a town of Bucks, 7 1/2 miles ENE. of Wycombe. Pop. 3210.

Amesbury Amesfeury

Amesbury Amesfeury, a coursing ground in Wiltshire, near Stonehenge, and 7 1/2 miles N. of Salisbury.

Amesbury

Amesbury, a township of Massachusetts, 38 miles by rail N. of Boston, with woollen and carriage factories. Pop. 9473.

Amhara

Amha'ra ('the high lands'), the middle and largest of the three divisions of Abyssinia, extending from the Tacazze to the Blue Nile, and embracing the beautiful Lake Tzana. Capital, Gondar (q.v.).

Amherst

Amherst, a seaport of Tenasserim, Burma, on the Bay of Bengal, at the mouth of the Salwin,, 80 miles S. of Maulmain. Founded in 1S26 as capital of the newly-ceded province, it was next year superseded by Maulmain. Pop. 3000.

Amherst

Amherst, a seaport of Nova Scotia, at the head of Cumberland Basin, an inlet of the Bay of Fundy; pop. 5000.

Amherst

Amherst, in Massachusetts, 20 miles N. of Springfield, is seat of Amherst College (Congregational) and of an agricultural college; pop. 5000.

Amherstburg

Amherstburg, a town of Ontario, Canada, at the head of Lake Erie, 4 miles S. of Detroit; pop.2272.

Amirante Islands

Amirante Islands, a group of eleven low, wooded islands lying SW. of the Seychelles, opposite the east coast of Africa. Area, 32 sq. m.; pop. 100 French-speaking half-breds. They fell to Great Britain in 1814, and form a dependency of Mauritius.