Banswara

Banswara, a hilly, well-wooded state in the south-west of Rajputana. It has an area of 1500 sq. m., and is peopled by wild and turbulent Bheels. In 1818 it passed voluntarily under British protection. Pop. 164,000. - The capital, Banswara, lies 8 miles W. of the Mahi River. Pop. 6000.

Bantam

Bantam', a decayed seaport, 61 miles W. of Batavia, in a residency of the same name, which forms the west end of Java. It was the first Dutch establishment in Java (1595), and the seat of government of the residency, until transferred to the more salubrious Serang, 6 miles distant, in 1816.

Bantry

Bantry, a seaport in the south-west of County Cork, at the head of Bantry Bay, and 44 miles WSW. of Cork. Pop. 3100. - Bantry Bay runs 25 miles ENE., with a breadth of 4 to 6 miles. It is one of the finest harbours in Europe. Here a French force attempted to land in 1796.

Banyuls-sur-Mer

Banyuls-sur-Mer, a watering-place of France in the Pyrenees Orientales, 21 miles SE. of Per-pignan by rail. Pop. 2342.

Banyumas

Banyu'mas (Dutch spelling, Banjoeinas), a town of Java, on the Serajo, 22 miles from the south coast. Pop. 9000.

Banyuwangl

Banyuwangl, a seaport on the east coast of Java. Pop. 10,000.

Banz

Banz, a former great Benedictine monastery (1071-1803) in Bavaria, on the Maine, 3 miles below Lichtenfels.

Bapaume

Bapaume (Ba-pome'), a town in the French dep. of Pas-de-Calais, 12 miles S. of Arras, scene of a German victory on 2-3d January 1871. Pop. 3000.

Baraba

Baraba', a steppe of Siberia, between Obi and Irtish.

Baracoa

Baracoa, a decayed seaport near the east end of Cuba. Pop. 4900.

Barataria

Barataria, a bay of Louisiana, W. of the Mississippi delta, haunted in 1800-14 by a band of pirates.

Barbacena

Barbacena (Bar-ba-say'na), a town of Brazil, 125 miles NW. of Rio de Janeiro. It lies 3500 feet above the sea. Pop. 5000.

Barbary

Barbary, in Northern Africa, comprises the countries known in modern times as Barca, Tripoli Proper, Fezzan, Tunis, Algeria, and Mor-occo; and in ancient times as Mauritania, Numidia, Africa Propria, and Cyrenaica. It stretches from Egypt to the Atlantic Ocean, and from the Mediterranean to the Desert of Sahara, or between 10' W. and 25° E. long., and 25° to 37° N. lat. The north-west of this region is divided by the Atlas Mountains into two parts. The history of Barbary is a record of successive conquests by Romans, Vandals, Arabs, Turks, and the French (1830). To Europe it was chiefly known as the home of the dreaded Barbary corsairs. See the articles on the several countries of Barbary.

Barbastro

Barbastro, a cathedral city of Spain, on the Vero, 44 miles NW. of Lerida by rail. Pop. 7155.

Barberton

Barberton, a gold-mining town of the Transvaal, 292 miles N. of Durban. Pop. 5000.

Barbizon

Barbizon (Bar-bee-zong), a village close to the Forest of Fontainebleau. It is a great artists' resort, and was the home and death-place of Millet. Corot, Diaz, Daubigny, and Rousseau were other members of the 'Barbizon School' of painters.