Curtis, Samuel

RYAN, U. S. Military officer, born near Cham plain, N. Y., Feb. 3, 1805, Graduated at West Point in 1831. He was engaged in the Mexican War, and attained the rank of major-general of volunteers during the Civil War. He was appointed U. S. commi ioner for the negotiation of Indian treaties. He had from the beginning been closely identified with the Union Pacific Railway, and in 1865 he was appointed commi ioner to examine its affairs. Died at Council Bluffs, Ia., Dec. 26, 1866. Curtius (koortsi-us), GEORG, a German philologist, born at Lubeck, April 16,1820. Pursued the study of philology at Bonn and Berlin Universities. In 1842 a doctor's degree was conferred upon him. He held a number of profe orships, the last being that of cla ical phil ology in the University of Leipzig. He was the author of a Greek Grammar; Grundzüge der Greecheschen Etymologie, . Died at Hermsdorf, Aug. 12, 1885. Curve Pitching. ( Baseball .) The art and practice of pitching or throwing a ball in such a manner that it will be deflected from its apparently natural course, upward, downward, or sidewise; the object being to deceive the batsman and render it difficult to hit the ball when it pa es over or near the home plate. This practice originated about 1876, and rapidly developed into a science, the principles of which were not at first IMG:content-0503.png:[blocks in formation] well understood, but are now fully established and easily explained. Two main factors govern this art; first, the resistance exerted by the air upon a body pa ing through it, and second, the rotary motion of that body on its own axis. A curve cannot be artificially imparted to the flight of a ball that is not in a state of rapid rotation. The extent of the curve depends on the amount of resistance developed by the speed of propulsion and the rate of rotation; and the direction of the curve depends upon the inclination of the axis of rotation, as will be more fully explained hereafter.-Resistance of the Air . No one need be told that the atmosphere, Fig . 2799.-OUT-CURVE. though an almost invisible fluid, offers great resistance to a body pa ing through it at any considerable speed; and the higher the speed the greater the resistance. In order to demonstrate this resistance, one has but to wave a fan or other object having a large surface through the air and observe the pre ure developed by the motion at different speeds. The same result will be reached by standing still in a high wind, or riding a bicycle rapidly in the face of even a moderate breeze. Resistance occurs just the same, whether the air is at rest and the body in motion, or the reverse. A ball pitched directly IMG:content-0504.png:[ocr errors][merged small] against the wind will encounter a resistance corresponding to the speed of the ball plus the speed of the wind; while one pitched with the wind will meet with the resistance developed by the speed of propulsion le the speed of the wind. These conditions have an important effect upon the width, or extent, of the curve attained, which, with the influences of cro wise winds, will be considered later. Figure 2797 represents a ball leaving the pitcher's hand without a rotary motion. The air pre ure is exerted equally upon the forward side of the Fig . 2801.-DOWN-CURVE. ball, being, of course, greatest where it is most direct i.e., at the extreme front-center of the sphere (C.), and diminishing toward its vertical circumference, where the quarters 1, 2, join the quarters 3, 4. There is no resistance upon the after surface of the ball. Figure 2798 shows the same ball delivered while rotating rapidly upon an imaginary vertical axis (E), the direction of rotation being shown by the arrows. The direct resistance exerted by the air upon the quarter 1 is now supplemented by that resulting from the advancing rotary motion of the ball, while the direct pre ure upon quarter 2 is diminished by its retreating rotary motion. The effect is to drive the ball from its direct course toward the side of least resistance, i.e. , toward the quarters 2, 4; or, to be more explicit, if the ball is being pitched from the south toward the north, with a rotation from right to left, as shown in the engraving, the ball will be swerved toward the west, constituting an "out-curve." If the direction of rotation be reversed, the extra resistance will be exerted upon quarter 2, and the line of flight will trend toward the east, constituting an "in-curve." These terms are applicable to balls Fig . 2802.-UP-CURVE. delivered to a right-handed batter, or one who stands with his right hand toward the home plate; in the ca e of a left-handed batter the "out-curve" would become an "in-curve," and vice vers a. To produce the out-curve or the in-curve, the axis of rotation must be vertical: for an up-curve or a down-curve the axis must be horizontal. Intermediate or combination curves can be made by varying the inclination of the axis of rotation between these two positions and applying the "twist" to the side of the ball opposite the direction of the curve desired.-Out-Curve. To throw the out-curve, the ball is firmly grasped by the first two fingers and thumb, the Fig . 2803.-PATH OF THE HIGH DOWN-CURVE. Fig . 2804.-PATH OF THE LOW DOWN-CURVE. Dotted line shows the natural course of the ball; C, pitcher; A and B, batsman's shoulder and knee. remaining fingers being closed upon the palm; the middle finger should pre against the seam of the ball, so as to exert a greater whirling influence. At the instant of delivery (preferably by the underhand throw, more than waist-high), the hand should be palm upward, the ball being released by withdrawing the thumb, allowing the ball to roll around the outside of the forefinger. For a strong, wide curve, a snap of the wrist inward at the instant of delivery will be of service. (See Fig. 2799.) This same procedure by a left-handed IMG:content-0505.png:[blocks in formation] Dotted line shows natural course of the ball; P, pitcher; B, batsman; HP, home plate; C, catcher. (For a left-handed batsman this would be an in-curve, pitcher will, of course, produce an in-curve.- In -Curve. This may be thrown by a motion exactly the reverse of that just described. A favorite method of some pitchers is to use a straight side throw, holding the ball firmly with all the fingers and thumb, the seam of the ball being gripped by the finger tips; at the moment of delivery the hand is in a vertical position, palm to the left; a snap of wrist inward adds to the speed of rotation, and the result is a curve to the right if the pitcher be right-handed, to the left if left-handed. For a high in-curve the ball is usually delivered from a point above The American Dictionary and Cyclopedia IMG:content-0507.jpg:[graphic][subsumed][subsumed] IMG:content-0508.png:[blocks in formation] Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 1895. Member of the House of Commons from Lancashire (South port Division) since 1886. Appointed Privy Councillor, 1895. Married, in 1895, Mary Victoria, daughter of L. Z. Lei- ter, of Washington, D. C. Has travelled extensively and is one of the best living authorities on Eastern topics. Author of: Ru ia in Central Asia ; Persia and the Persian Question; and Problems of the Fur East . Awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical So- ciety in 1895. Curzon, PAUL ALFRED, DE, artist, born at Moulin at, near Poitiers, Sept. 7, 1820. He studied with Drolling and Cabat. From the Paris expositions of 1878 and 1889 he received second-cla medals, and in 1865 he was decorated with the Legion of Honor. His paint- ings have been landscape and genre. Do mini cans Decor- ating their Chapel , and his painting of Ostia , are in the Luxembourg Gallery, Paris. Died in Paris, July 22, 1895. Cush'ing, FRANK HAMILTON, ethnologist, born at North- east, Pa., July 22, 1857. In his boyhood he began the collecting of Indian relics, and when sixteen excavated a number of camp sites in Central New York, and was appointed commi ioner to make surveys and collections for the National Museum. He became a student of natural science in Cornell University, though continu- ing his surveys and explorations. In the service of the Bureau of Ethnology he accompanied an expedition to the pueblos of New Mexico and Arizona, remaining for three years, adopting the Zuñis' habits and mode of life, and making himself acquainted with their language. He was in charge of the Hemin way expedition among the pueblos of the Southwest, and was the discoverer of the ruius of the Seven Cities of Cibolo, the excavating of which he conducted in the summer of 1888. Besides other offices, he was curator of ethnology at the National Museum and a member of the Anthropological Society at Washington. Among his articles written for peri- odicals are: Study of Pueblo Pottery as Illustrative of Zuñi Culture Growth; My Adventures in Zuñi, . Cushing, WILLIAM BARKER, was born at Del a field, Wis., on Nov. 4, 1842; entered the Naval Academy at ing been declared "deficient in his studies; " reëntered the Navy in 1861 as lieutenant, and immediately began a career which for brilliancy and intrepidity may well be compared to that of our older naval hero, Decatur. C. captured the first prize taken by the U. S. Navy during the Civil War, while attached to the Blackwater , cruising in the N. C. sounds; but his most brilliant exploit was the destruction of the Confederate ram Albemarle , at Plymouth, N. C., Oct. 27, 1864. This feat was accom- plished by means of an extemporized torpedo boat, in the face of a heavy fire, the explosion destroying not only the ram, but also the a ailing craft. Of C.'s party only one escaped besides the commander, who swam ashore and regained the Union lines in safety. For this daring act C. was advanced to the rank of lieutenant- commander, and received the official thanks of Congre . Was made commander in 1872, being the youngest officer of that rank in the service. Died Dec. 17, 1874. Cushing, in Oklahoma , a village of Payne co., 45 m. E. of Mulhall. Pop . (1897) about 200. Cush'man, CHARLOTTE SAUNDERS, actre , was born in Boston, Ma ., July 23. 1816; early exhibited musical talent, and aided in the support of her widowed mother's family by singing in church choirs and concerts, hav- ing developed a contralto voice of great excellence. Her operatic debût was made (1835) in The Marriage of Figaro, the effort being succe ful; but an attempt to sing soprano rôles resulted in the partial lo of her voice, and she then turned her attention to the dramatic stage, appearing first as Lady Macbeth After ten years of unbroken succe , chiefly at the Bowery Theater, New York, the Park Theater, Albany, and (1842-44) the Walnut Street Theater, Philadelphia, Mi C. visited England, where she duplicated her American triumph in higher tragedy, being aided by her gifted sister Susan, to whose Juliet Charlotte often played Romeo . She re- turned to the U. S. in 1849, and made a tour of the coun- try; again visited England (1852-57) and then, after a short engagement in the U. S., went to Rome, returning in 1860 to give several performances for the benefit of the Sanitary Commi ion. After several years spent in the "Eternal City," Mi C. came back to her native land (1871), and gave a series of dramatic readings in addition to her stage performances. Her public career ended in Boston, May 15, 1875, when she retired to her handsome villa at Newport, R. I., where she died on Feb. 18, 1876. Cuspa'ria ( küs - par i - ah) Bark, or ANGOSTURA BARK. ( Bot .) The bark of Galipea officinal is , adopted in the pharmacopoeia of the United States for its tonic, stimu- lant and aromatic properties. Its odor is peculiar, taste intensely bitter and slightly aromatic, pieces thin, externally gray and wrinkled, internally yellowish- fawn, fracture short and resinous. Cus'pidor, n. A spittoon. Cus'ter, ELIZABETH BACON, author, shared the cam- paigns of her husband, George Armstrong Custer, when he was engaged on the Western frontier, and since his death has published several volumes of reminiscences: Boots and Saddles; Tenting on the Plains ; and Following Custer, GEORGE ARMSTRONG, soldier, was born at New Rumley, Ohio, Dec. 5, 1839. He graduated at West Point. He became distinguished in the Civil War, and rose to the rank of brigadier-general. It is said that throughout the war he never lost a gun or a flag. At the close of the Civil War he received the appointment of lieutenant-colonel with brevet rank of major-general. The arrows indicate the course of the wind in various portions of the storm area. As the cyclone approaches (A) the wind is moderate, from the E., but gradually increases until the storm center (B) is reached, when there is a comparative calm, succeeded by S. W. to N. W. winds as the cyclone pa es off. clonic condition that we owe the condition of weather known as storms, this word being taken in its broad sense, as indicating great and long continued disturb- ances of the atmospheric conditions. The areas of low pre ure are distinguishing characteristics of the hurri- canes and typhoons of the tropics, and the storms, gener ally le violent, of higher latitudes. The concent rio character of the areas of equal pre ure and the steadily lower temperature toward the center, are significant of the movement of the winds in a C., which are never in direct, but always in curved lines, though these curves are usually so great that they can be detected only by widely-extended observations. The movement of the winds is not in a circle, nor is it directly inward toward the center of the cyclonic area, but it is in a IMG:content-0509.png:[graphic] spiral or vorticose direction, curving inward toward the center; the direction of wind motion, in the northern hemisphere, being opposite to that of the hands of a watch. Where the isobars are closer together the winds are stronger, since in this case the decrease of pre ure is more rapid. It is a conclusion very naturally reached, that an area of low pre ure, indicating a rarefaction of the atmosphere, due probably to an upflow of air, will cause a surface wind, the heavier air from a distance naturally flowing in to restore the equilibrium. And it follows also that in this inflow from all directions interference between the crowding currents takes place, and the winds are deflected from a direct into a curvilinear course. This curved direction of movement is, however, principally due to the rotation of the earth on its axis, by which also its direction is controlled. This may be a little difficult to make clear. The earth rotates from west to east, making a complete rotation in Fig . 2809.-SHOWING THREE POSITIONS IN THE PATH OF A MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CYCLONE TRAVELLING NORTHEAST. 24 hours. But as the circles of latitude aro longest on the equator and diminish toward the poles, it follows that, as we go north or south from the equator, points on the surface move more and more slowly, diminishing from 24,000 miles a day at the equator to le than a mile near the poles, and to nothing at the exact poles. This decrease of speed has an important effect on the winds. Those moving northward, and having the speed of rotation of the place they leave, when they reach regions of le speed are deflected to the east. Those moving southward pa from areas of slow to those of more rapid movement, and consequently lag behind, or are deflected towards the west. The result is that winds blowing from north and south toward the center of a cyclonic area are caused to move in curves; these on the southern edge blowing east and those on the northern west or oppos it to the movement of watch hands. In the southern hemisphere this direction is reversed, and the movement is the same as that of watch hands. from 10 to 45 feet deep, and drowned more than 100,000 human beings. Much more recently a similar wave caused great destruction on the Carolina coast of this country, though, fortunately, without serious lo of life. -Track of United States Cyclones . Of the cyclonic storms which visit the United States, the greater number originate in the region of the great plains west of the Mi i ippi, whence they move northeastward, frequently following the line of the Great Lakes, and making their way to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Le frequent, but much more violent, are those of tropical origin, which enter the States from the Gulf of Mexico or the West India region, sometimes taking an inland course, at others following the coast, and at others having their centers out at sea. Those are far the most violent and destructive storms, and those to which ruinous visitations are occasionally due. Others originate at various points in the Atlantic and make their fury felt on the British Isles, or elsewhere on the European coast. The pa age of a cyclone is often attended with local storms of great severity. Thunder and hail storms are frequent accompaniments, and the terrible Tornado ( q.v. ) is a frequent incident of the cyclone of the West.- Anti Cyclones. The anti-cyclone is opposite in its characteristics to the cyclone. As the latter is due to an upflow of warm humid air, and a consequent surface diminution of pre ure, the former is due to a downflow of dry cold air, and a consequent surface increase of pre ure. The result is that the winds flow outward from the center of the anti-cyclone, while the weather attending it is dry, clear, and cold. The cold wave is one of its frequent resultants, but its winds never attain the destructive violence of those of the cyclone. It is probable that a close connection exists between these opposite species of phenomena. The upflowing air from the center of the cyclone spreads outward through the upper atmosphere, and may cause increased pre ure in some distant region, resulting in a downflow of the upper air, cold and dry from the effect of higher atmospheric conditions, and the subsequent outflow of dry winds from the anti-cyclonic center.