Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) British North America Act, law passed by the British Parliament in 1867 that provided for the unification of the Canadian provinces into the dominion of Canada. Until 1982 the act also functioned as t...

(Encyclopedia) National Museum of the United States: see Smithsonian Institution. ...

(Encyclopedia) British South Africa Company: see Zimbabwe. ...

(Encyclopedia) British Commonwealth of Nations: see Commonwealth of Nations. ...

(Encyclopedia) British thermal unit, abbr. Btu, unit for measuring heat quantity in the customary system of English units of measurement, equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of...

(Encyclopedia) Stevens, Henry, 1819–86, American bookdealer and bibliographer, b. Barnet, Vt. After attending college and law school, Stevens went to Europe as agent for several important libraries of the United S...

(Encyclopedia) Windsor wĭnˈzər [key], name of the royal house of Great Britain. The name Wettin, family name of Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, consort of Queen Victoria, as well as Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the name of th...

(Encyclopedia) Smirke, Sir Robert, 1781–1867, English architect, one of the most noted exponents of the classic revival. His best-known design is the main facade of the British Museum (1823–47). Other buildings ...

(Encyclopedia) Dwight, John, fl. 1671–98, English potter, reputed founder of the Chelsea porcelain factory. The registration in 1671 of his patent for the “Mistery of transparent earthenware …” is the firs...

(Encyclopedia) Tate Gallery, London, originally the National Gallery of British Art. The original building (in Millbank on the former site of Millbank Prison), with a collection of 65 modern British paintings, was g...