Block Island

Block Island, formerly called Manisees, is situated in the Atlantic, 9 miles S. from Rhode Island, United States, to which it belongs. It is 8 miles long, and contains the township of New Shoreham, a summer resort. A breakwater on the east side of the island forms a harbour of refuge. Pop. 1447.

Bloemfontein

Bloemfontein (Bloomfon'tine), capital of the Orange River Colony, on the Modder, 200 miles W. by N. of Durban. It is the seat of an Anglican bishopric and of a college. Pop. (1904) 33,890.

Blois

Blois (Blwah), capital of the French dep. Loir-et-Cher, on the Loire, here spanned by a bridge (1717) 1000 feet long, is 36 miles SW. of Orleans. It has an archiepiscopal cathedral, and an old castle, the scene of many historical events. After 1814 it was used as a barrack; but since 1845, especially in 1880-87, a great part of it has been restored at great cost. Natives have been King Stephen of England, Louis XVI, and the physicist Papin, of whom a statue has been erected. Blois has manufactures of porcelain and gloves, with a trade in brandy, wine, and wood. Bop. 23,500.

Bloomington

Bloomington, (1) capital of M'Lean county, Illinois, 126 miles SSW. of Chicago, is an important railway centre, and has a brisk trade and large railway-works, with foundries, furnaces, and coal-mines. There is a Wesleyan university in the town; and near it is the Illinois Normal University. The population is over 25,000. - (2) A town in Indiana, seat of the state university, between the branches of the White River, CO miles SSW. of Indianapolis. Pop. 7018.

Bluefields

Bluefields, Escondida, or RIO del Desastre, a river of Nicaragua flowing eastward to the Caribbean Sea. Here is a small town of the same name.

Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains, (1) a branch of the Dividing Range, New South Wales, running very nearly parallel with the coast, about 80 miles inland. Their highest point, Mount Beemarang, is 4100 feet high. See Jenolan Caves. - (2) The Blue Mountains, in the centre of Jamaica, attain in the West Peak 7105 feet.

Blumenau

Blumenau, a German colony In the Brazilian state of Santa Catharina (q.v.), 50 miles inland of the capital, Desterro. The population In 1905 was 40,000, mainly German; the township of Blumenau has 7000 inhabitants.

Blyth

Blyth (Blith), a seaport of Northumberland, at the mouth of the river Blyth, 9 miles SB. of Morpeth. Pop. 5553.

Bobbio

Bobbio, a Lombard town, 3 miles SSE. of Pavia, near the confluence of the Bobbio and the Trebbia. Here Columbanus founded a monastery in 612. Since 1014 it has been the seat of a bishopric. Pop. 4635.

Bobruisk

Bobruisk, a town of Russia, on the Beresina, 87 miles SE. of Minsk by rail. Pop. 30,079.

Boca Tigre

Boca Tigre, the Portuguese translation of the Chinese name Hu-mun, 'tiger's mouth,' given to the upper portion of the estuary of the Canton River (q.v.).

Bochnia

Bochnia, a town of Austrian Galicia, 24 miles ESE. of Cracow by rail, with rock-salt mines. Pop. 11,000.