Hamilton, Sir

WILLIAM ROWAN, born in Dublin, Aug. 3, 1805; graduated at the Dublin University with high honors in mathematics; became Astronomer Royal for Ireland in 1827; was knighted in 1835, and president of the Royal Irish Academy in 1837. He was one of the greatest mathematicians of the age, producing many works of importance in this science. His fame rests, however, on his great invention, that of the calculus of quaternions, which remains as a monument of analytical genius. In his Theory of Systems of Rays he determined two new laws of light, the internal and external conical refraction of biaxial crystals. Died Sept. 2, 1865. Hamilton, in Kansas , a S.W. co.; area, 922 sq. m. Intersected by Arkansas River. Surface , undulating prairie; scarcely any timber. Cap . Syracuse. Pop . (1895) 1,411. Hamilton, in Nebraska , a S.E. central co.; area , 576 sq. m. Bounded on the N.W. by Platte river, and also drained by North, Middle, and West Forks of Big Blue river. Surface , undulating; timber scarce; soil , fertile. Products, wheat, oats, corn, live stock. Cap . Aurora. Pop . (1890) 14,096. Hamilton College. ( Educ .) An educational institution located at Clinton, Oneida co., N. Y., founded in 1793 as an academy, and chartered as a college in 1812, it being the third in the State. It was named from Alexander Hamilton, its generous contributor and one of its first trustees. There are 18 profe orships, most of which are endowed. Connected with the college is the Maynard-Knox Law school; also, the Edwin Litchfield Observatory, whose director, Dr. C. H. F. Peters, has the credit of discovering no le than 48 asteroids and making over 100,000 zone star observations, It has a library of 35,000 volumes. Since its organization its graduates have numbered 2,522. Its invested funds amount to $370,000. Hamilton Group. ( Geol . ) An American geological formation, occupying the middle portion of the Devonian period, its name being derived from Hamilton, N. Y., near which it is particularly displayed. It includes a considerable thickne of shales, with some limestone, and lies between the Mar cell us and the Gene see shales, though considered by some to include these shales also. This formation extends southward along the Appal a chi an system into Pennsylvania and Virginia, and westward, it being represented by a thin shale in Ohio and calcareous rocks further west. Flagstones of excellent quality, known as bluestone, are obtained from its harder layers and extensively used, especially in New York City. Some of its deeper shaly members, bituminous in character, are supposed to be the chief source of the petroleum and natural gas of the overlying sandstones in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The fo ils include land and water plants, great numbers of invertebrate animals, and fishes. Hamilton i an, a . Of or pertaining to any one of several noted men by the name of Hamilton, viz.: Alexander Hamilton, American statesman and financier (1757-1804); Sir Wm. Hamilton, Scottish metaphysician and logician (1788-1856); Sir Wm. Rowan Hamilton, Irish mathematician, who invented quaternions (18051865); and, especially, James Hamilton, who popularized a system of language-teaching called from him the HAMILTON I AN SYSTEM, though it was known long before and had been recommended by Locke in his Thoughts Concerning Education. H. was born in 1769, and in early life went to Hamburg, where he studied German under a French refugee, named D'Angel is. After twelve le ons he was able to read an easy book, his tutor having discarded the use of a grammar and translated stories for his pupils word for word. Η . began busine in Paris, but on the rupture of the treaty of Amiens he was made a prisoner of war. In 1814 he came to America and commenced teaching in New York on the method of D'Angel is. In 1823 he returned to England, taught with succe in Manchester and visited other cities, attracting crowds of people. His system excited both favorable attention and opposition. It was denounced by some as quackery, but was warmly defended by Sydney Smith in the Edinburgh Review of June, 1826. H. died in Dublin, in 1831. The so-called "natural method" of teaching languages, popular at the present day, appears to be largely an adaptation of his system. Ham'ler, in Ohio , a post-village of Henry co., on B. & O. and L. V. R. Rs.; has manufactures of staves and lumber. Pop . (1897) about 600.