Scotland, about 1740: killed at Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775

A British officer (major), commander of the advanced force in Gage's expedition to Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775. Pitcairn (or Pitcairn's) Island. An island in the South Pacific, situated in lat. 25° 4′ S., long. 130°18′ W. It was discovered in 1767, and was settled in 1790 by mutineers from the British ship Bounty. The colony removed to Norfolk Island in 1856. Many of them have since returned to Pitcairn Island. It is under the supervision of New South Wales. Area, 3 square miles. Population, 120. Pitcher, Molly. The wife of a Revolutionary soldier who distinguished herself at the battle of Mon mouth, June 28, 1778. She took the place of her husband, who was killed while discharging a cannon. Washington commended her bravery and gave her a com mi ion as sergeant. Piteå-elf (pit'e-a-elf). A river in northern Sweden which flows into the Gulf of Bothnia about lat. 65° 25′ N. Length, about 180 miles. Pith i viers (pē-tē-vyā'). A town in the department of Loiret, France, situated on the river Œuf 25 miles northeast of Orléans. Population (1891), commune, 5,480. Pithom (pi'thom). One of the store cities built in Egypt by the Israeli tes. It was determined by É. Naville to be near the modern Tel el-Maskhutah, about 12 miles from Is mail i a, on the Suez Canal. In the time of the Greek dynasty its name became Heroopolis, which the Romans abridged to Ero. Pitti Palace Pitilagas (pē-tē-lä'gäs). An Indian tribe of the Gran Chaco, on the river Vermejo, mentioned by Azara and others. They were probably a branch of the Tobas. Lozano called them Yapitalaguas. Pitkin (pit'kin), Timothy. Born at Farming ton, Conn., Jan. 21, 1766: died at New Haven, Conn., Dec. 18, 1847. An American lawyer, politician, and historian. He published "Statistical View of the Commerce of the United States" (1816), "A Political and Civil History of the United States from the year 1763 to the close of Washington's Administration" (1828). Pitman (pit'man), Sir Isaac. Born at Trow bridge, England, Jan. 4, 1813: died at Bath, Jan. 22, 1897. An English stenographer. He became master of the British school at Barton-on-Humber in 1832, established the British school at Wotton-under Edge in 1836, and removed to Bath in 1839. He published in 1837 his first treatise on shorthand, entitled "Stenographic Sound hand," in which he applied phonography to shorthand. After the establishment of the Phonetic Society in 1843, he devoted himself wholly to the propaga tion of his system of shorthand, and was the head of the Phonetic Institute at Bath. He was also identified with the movement for spelling reform. He was knighted in 1894. Pitris (pi'triz). [Skt. pitr , father; nom. pita ras.] In Hindu belief, the Manes, or spirits of the departed. They are the object of shraddhas, or oblations to the Manes, accompanied by a funeral meal and gifts to the Brahmans. Pit River Indians. See Palaihnihan . Pitt (pit), William, first Earl of Chas am. Born at Westminster, Nov. 15, 1708: died at Hayes, Kent, May 11, 1778. A famous English Whig statesman and orator. He was the son of Robert Pitt of Boconnock, in Cornwall; studied at Trinity College, Oxford; and obtained a cornet's commi ion in the dragoons. He entered Parliament in 1735, and in 1746 became vice-treasurer of Ireland in Pelham's administration. He was in the same year promoted to the office of paymaster-general, which he retained under the Duke of Newcastle. Disap pointed in his hope of advancement, he attacked the gov. ernment in 1755, and was deprived of office. He was secretary of state under the Duke of Devons hire 1756-57. In 1757 he formed a coalition with the Duke of Newcastle, who became premier, although Pitt, as secretary of state, obtained the ascendancy in the government. He adopted vigorous measures in prosecution of the Seven Years' War, and the period which followed is one of the most brilliant in English history. He resigned in 1761, inasmuch as he failed to receive the support of the rest of the ministry for with Spain. He became premier on the fall of Rock ingham in 1766, and was created Viscount Pitt and Chas am. He resigned in 1768, owing to ill health. He opposed the policy pursued toward the American colonies, although his last appearance in the House of Lords, on April 7, 1778, was in order to protest against the dismemberment of the British empire by the acknowledgment of their independence. Pitt, William. Born at Hayes, near Bromley, Kent, May 28, 1759: died at Putney, Jan. 23, 1806. A celebrated English Whig statesman. He was the second son of William Pitt, earl of Chas am, and Lady Hester Grenville, daughter of Hester, Counte Temple. In 1773 he entered Cambridge (Pembroke Hall). In 1780 he was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn and elected member of Parliament for Apple by. On Feb. 26, 1781, he made his first speech in favor of Burke's plan of economical reform. In a speech, May 7, 1782, he attacked the exdefeated by a narrow majority. In July, 1782, he became isting electoral system and moved an investigation, chancellor of the exchequer and leader of the House of Commons in Shelburne's ministry, which resigned March 31, 1783. On the downfall of “the coalition" of North and Fox, Pitt became prime minister, first lord of the treasury, and chancellor of the exchequer (Dec., 1783). He was member for Cambridge in 1784. Pitt's first administration continued until 1801. The French Revolution in 1789 was at first regarded with favor in England, and as late as the spring of 1792 Pitt hoped for peace. When finally dragged into the struggle (1792-93), his activity was political rather than military. His policy was frustrated by Napoleon on the Continent, but at home it met with no opposition: by 1799 the largest po ible minority in Parliament was 25. His internal administration was extremely severe. Jaco binism was suppre ed, and the Habeas Corpus Act repeatedly suspended. His policy in Ireland resulted in the union of 1800. His attempt to relieve Roman Catholic disabilities was opposed by the king, and he resigned March 14, 1801. The Adding ton ministry, which succeeded, was made up of Pitt's supporters. It fell after the failure of the treaty of Amiens, and Pitt's second administration began May 12, 1804. Napoleon's attempted invasion of Eng. land failed through the vigilance of Nelson, but the coa lition of England, Ru ia, and Austria, with which Pitt opposed him on the Continent, was wrecked at Ulm and Austerlitz in 1805. was completely prostrated by disasters; retired to his villa at Putney Jan. 1806; and died there. Pitta, Sebastião da Rocha. See Rocha Pitta . Pittacus (pit'a-kus). [Gr. Πιττακός.] Born in Lesbos about 651 в. с.: died about 569 в. с. One of the seven wise men of Greece, ruler of Mytilene about 589-579 в. с. Pitt Diamond, The. A celebrated diamond which was purchased by Thomas Pitt, grandfather of William Pitt, first earl of Chas am, and was sold by him to the Regent of Orléans in 1717 for about $675,000. It came originally from India (the Parteal mines, on the Kistna), was one of the crown jewels of France, and was set in the handle of the first Napoleon's sword. It weighs about 137 carats. Also known as the Regent Diamond. Pitti Palace. See Palazzo Pitti . Pittsburg Pittsburg, or Pittsburgh (pits'berg). The capital of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, situated at the junction of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers (which unite here to form the Ohio), in lat. 40° 27′ N., long. 80° W. It is the second city in the State, and one of the chief manufacturing cities of the country, being the leading place in the - country for manufactures of iron, steel, copper, and gla . There are also manufactures of bra , flour, machinery, petroleum, cotton, etc. It is an important railway center and the headquarters of a river trade, and exports coal, coke, etc. It is called "the Iron City" and "the Smoky City." The English began a fort on its site in 1754; this was seized by the French and called Fort Duquesne, and an attempt to recover it by Braddock resulted in his defeat in the battle of the Monongahela, July 9, 1755. An unsucce ful attempt to capture it was made by Grant in 1758, but it was finally taken by Forbes the same year. Fort Pitt (named from the elder Pitt) was built in 1759, and Pittsburg was settled in 1764. Population (1900), 321,616.