But on Jan. 15, 1923, the Lithuanians, imitating the conduct of Zeligovski at Vilna, seized Memel (q.v.) by a coup de main. On March 15, 1923, the Conference of Ambassadors, in considera tion of the peace treaty of Riga between Soviet Russia and Poland, assigned Vilna definitely to Poland. Lithuania refused to accept the ruling, even though the convention signed in Paris (May 8, 1924) gave her Memel and area—the economically valu able "Lithuania Minor"—and maintained a state of 'latent war" with Poland ever since, neither regular diplomatic relations nor even direct postal communications being resumed by the end of the year 1928. This manner of conducting policy, apart from the danger to Europe arising from frontier incidents has gravely hurt Vilna. As a result, sympathies which were Lithuanian have been lost.
Among the many attempts by the League of Nations to secure an equitable settlement, two struck at the root of the question. The first, in 1921, was the taking of a plebiscite under the pro tection of an international force. It failed because the respec tive governments would not risk being involved in so perilous an experiment, once Soviet Russia threatened to make it a cases belli if an inter-European force was assembled near its frontier. The second, also in 1921, was the Hyman's proposal whereunder Vilna was to come under Lithuanian sovereignty as an autonomous canton with special guarantees. It presupposed a permanent military and economic alliance between the two states—of which Lithuania is afraid lest she be a second time absorbed by the culturally superior Poles.
The underlying idea of both these and all other similar schemes is the settlement on the basis of the sovereignty of the national majority—whichever it might prove to be—with adequate guar antees for the racial minorities. However, whether we consider the Russian census of 1897 (which the movement of population during the war has strongly vitiated), or any subsequent reason ably fair statistics, one thing is clear : within the limits of Vilna City the Poles are in a majority. On the other hand, within the area of the former Russian province, live, according to Polish admission about 8o,000 Lithuanians, according to the Kovno authorities not less than half a million. But the latter includes so-called "denationalized" Lithuanians by which are meant per sons of Lithuanian origin who have long ago abandoned their language for the reason that, until its post-war revival, it was little more than a primitive peasant-tongue. The question is fur ther complicated by the existence of pure Polish "islands" within the admittedly Lithuanian areas, not to mention the very large Russian settlements.
See POLAND ; LITHUANIA ; also League of Nations Official Journal (spec. Suppl. 4) and the Lithuanian Press Bureau's The Lithuanian Polish Dispute (3 vol. 1922). (W. L. B.) VIMEIRO, BATTLE OF, 1808. Advancing upon Lisbon (see PENINSULAR WAR), Wellesley halted to cover the landing of reinforcements at the mouth of the Alcabrichella. Two miles from the sea this river cuts its way through a high ridge, which it divides into a western and an eastern section ; at the southern entrance of the gorge thus formed lies the village of Vimeiro. Wellesley's force, 20,000 strong, was encamped upon the western ridge, with two brigades upon Vimeiro hill, a knoll just south of the village. On the morning of Aug. 21, 1808, Wellesley learned that Junot, with 13,000 men, was advancing to attack him. Junot, ignoring the western ridge, directed the brigades of Thomieres and Charlot to attack Vimeiro hill, while Brennier mounted the eastern ridge and swept along it from the east. Wellesley at once sent five brigades on to the eastern ridge, two to overlook Vimeiro hill and three to stop Brennier's advance along its crest. The attack on Vimeiro hill followed a course that was to be the pattern for many such engagements throughout the war. The French advanced in solid columns on a narrow frontage, having thus little fire power; the British received them in line, wrapping themselves round the head and flanks of the columns, withered them with volleys of musketry, charged with the bayonet and swept them down the hill with heavy loss. A second attack by four battalions of grenadiers met with a similar fate, though two battalions did fight their way into Vimeiro village and were only dislodged after heavy hand-to-hand fighting. Meanwhile Brennier had lost himself among ravines north of the eastern ridge, but Solignac, who had been sent to reinforce him, struck correctly westwards along the ridge and blundered into three British brigades in line. Within a few minutes Solignac's brigade had practically ceased to exist, but as the bulk of the British chased joyfully along the ridge in pursuit of the survivors Brennier's brigade came up from the valley behind them and roughly handled two battalions that had been left to guard Solignac's abandoned guns. Fortunately their comrades returned in time to scatter Brennier's men. The moment was ripe for a general advance and pursuit of Junot's beaten army, but Sir Harry Burrard at this point arrived to take over command from Welles ley and timidly ordered hostilities to cease. Junot had lost half his guns and a quarter of his men, the British loss being only 750.