BERMUDA HUNDRED. A peninsula in Chesterfield County, Va.. formed by the con fluence of the James and the Appomattox rivers. The population of the district of this name was 2044 in 1890 and 2105 in 1900. Bermuda Hun dred was the scene of much sharp fighting during the Civil War. General Butler landed here with a Federal force of about 35,000 (the 'Army of the James') early in May. 1S64, in order to co operate with Grant against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Lee. Be was confronted by General Beauregard, how ever, with an almost equal force, and on Slay 16 fought with him the battle of Drury's Bluff, in which the Federal loss was about 4000 and the Confederate about 3000. Though no other en gagement of any consequence occurred in this vicinity, there was almost continual skirmishing until the 30th. Meanwhile, Butler sent part of his troops to reinforce Grant, and was himself kept closely confined at Bermuda Hundred. For an account of the battle of Drury's Bluff, con sult Johnson and Buel (ed.). Battles and Lead ers of the Civil 1l'ar, Vol. IV. (New York, 1887).
BERN. Ger. pron. Bern (according to local tradition, many bears, Ger. thiren, were killed on the day of the foundation of the city). The capital of the canton of the same name and Federal capital of Switzerland since 1848, situated on a lofty sandstone promontory more than 1700 feet above the sea, formed by the winding Aar, SO miles northeast of Geneva (Map: Switzerland. B 2). The river surrounds it on three sides, and is crossed by two stone bridges, one of which is a magnificent structure, upward of 900 feet long, with a central arch 150 feet wide and 93 feet high. The fourth side was defended by fortifications, but these have been converted into public walks. Bern has an imposing appearance from a distance, and a nearer view discloses one of the best and most regularly built towns in Europe, and the finest city in Switzerland. The houses are massive structures of freestone, resting upon shop-lined arcades, which furnish covered walks on both sides of the street. Rills of water flow through the streets, which are also adorned with numerous fountains. There are many fine pub lic promenades in the environs, and the view of the Alpine peaks from the city is magnificent. The cathedral terrace, supported by walls 100 feet high, is planted with trees, and has a statue of the city's founder, Berthold von Ziihringen. Among the principal public buildings are a Gothic cathedral, founded in 1421, with some in teresting tablets and relics, fine stained windows, and a tower over 300 feet high, completed in 1894; the theatre; the natural history and art museums; the city library of over 100,000 vol umes; the Bundeshauser. or Federal Buildings, two palatial edifices in Florentine architecture, recently connected by the Swiss National Li brary, a magnificent domed structure. designed to accommodate the archives of the SWi,. Diet. and administration; the mint: the hospital. and the university. (For details as to the latter, see BERN, UNIVERSITY OF.) There are various seientilic,
musical, and social societies. hospitals. and benev olent institutions. The problem of dwellings for the laboring class also receives attention, and the city is in the van of this movement. The city gets water for its drinking supply. and for the motive power of its electric plants, by means of a dam 1000 feet long across the Aar. Its chief manufacture, are woolens, silks, and cotton goods, scientific instruments, machinery, choco late, etc. It has two great annual fairs and a large cattle and horse market. There are street railroads with compressed air and electricity as motive power. Steam roads run to the suburbs. The streets are lighted by electricity. Popula tion, in 1900, 65,300.
The Franks subdued the present Canton of Bern in the early part of the Sixth Century. The region became part of the kingdom of Trans Jurane Burgundy in 8'38. afterwards formed part of the kingdom of Arles, and about 10:34 was united with the German Empire. In 1191 Ber thold V., Duke of Ziih•in,?en. founded the town of Bern, and upon his demise without issue in 1218, it attained the position of a free imperial city. From the beginning the inhabitants of the city showed themselves bold in the defense of their rights and the extension of their power. They fought against the Hapsburgs and the Bur gundians, and in 1339 succeeded in finally estab lishing their ascendency by defeating the rival town of By conquest and purchase the burghers of Bern increased their posses sions until, at the height of its power. toward the end of the Sixteenth Century, Bern ruled over one-third of the present territory of Switzerland and held the leading place in the Swiss Confed eracy, which it had joined in 1353. The govern ment of the town from early times was demo cratic in character, with the legislative and exec utive authority vested in councils elected by the burghers: but about the middle of the Sixteenth Century a decided tendency toward aristocratic domination set in: the right of citizenship was restricted, and the power of the State finally came to rest with a small number of wealthy families and the privileged guilds. Toward the rural districts which it ruled the town adopted a policy of consistent selfishness. It refused them all political rights and repressed insurrections among its disaffected subjects with great cruelty. The invasion of Switzerland by the French in 1798 overthrew the aristocratic regime and freed Vaud and Aargau from the domination of Bern. The struggle that went on throughout the Nine teenth Century between the Liberals and Con servatives resulted in the substantial victory of the former party. The power of the Church was limited, the State Constitution was repeatedly revised in a democratic sense. and after 1870 the principle of the referendum was developed with great completeness. Consult: Alfilinen, Bern's Geschiehte, 1191-1S91 (Bern, 1891) Haendeke and Mueller. Dos Munster in Bern (Bern, 1ti94).