Summaries.

"Guthlac A".

"Guthlac A" begins by reflecting on the transience of the goodness of creation, dwelling on the idea that humans are getting weaker in piety by the generation, and that those who uphold the laws of God are lessening in number. Furthermore, it is recognized as the tendency of the young man to forsake spirituality for earthly pursuits, while as an older man, he would be more aware of his mortality and turn to God. Those who serve their own earthly interests will mock those who strive towards higher heavenly grace, but those who forsake themselves for that grace are sacrificing worldly pleasures in anticipation of the divine satisfaction to come.  Guthlac started out as a more worldly man who focused on material pursuits instead of pleasing the Lord. One night, an angel and a devil have a fight over his soul, with the angel trying to pull Guthlac toward serving God, and the devil trying to assure Guthlac of the promises of material pleasure and violence. After a long fight, God declares the angel to have won Guthlac's soul.  Guthlac is now living alone in a mountain dwelling, a place that is infested with demons who seek still to win Guthlac over. It is here that Guthlac is tempted and threatened by these demons, but he has the protection of an angel on hand. This angel comforts him and helps him stand up to the demons, while he commits to an ascetic lifestyle, denying himself of all bodily pleasures.  Guthlac is given a glimpse of the world by the demons, which include the wayward lifestyles of those who are building up treasures and material comforts in the monasteries when they are supposed to be serving God.  Even though the demons drag him into hell, Guthlac continues to sing his worship to God. When the demons tell him that he is not good enough for heaven, Guthlac assures them that he will accept the torment of hell and still sing God's praises, if that is God's wish. Guthlac assures the demons that they will always be the wretched way that they are, and suffer misery for eternity, because they will never know God.  Finally, a messenger from God, the Apostle Bartholomew, orders the demons to free Guthlac and return him to his wilderness dwelling unharmed. The demons have no choice but to obey, and Guthlac once again praises God. Guthlac is eventually given a place in heaven with God as his protector, and in moral-tale fashion, the same is assured to those who revere the truth and please God. The poem has made the conflict between good and evil its main purpose, assuring that the events are for all times.

"Guthlac B".

"Guthlac B" is more of a conversational exchange piece. Although the first poem's dialogue is mostly between Guthlac and a set of demons, the second is between Guthlac and another person. It has less action and more discourse. Death is portrayed, not as the eternal doom of humanity, but as the ultimate freedom for Guthlac from the hardships that have been endured in his life.  The focus is on Guthlac's death, on the destiny that was meant for him and the rest of humankind since Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. The poem first reflects upon this ultimate human tragedy, where the onslaught of Original Sin made it so that nobody descended from humanity would be free from sin and death.  Guthlac, after having spent several years in the wilderness, is now afflicted with a disease that came to him in the night and will only get worse. Guthlac sickens for days in care of his servant Beccel, and he knows his time of earthly departure will be near.  Despite being sick, Guthlac finds the strength to preach movingly, as if being angelic, from the Gospel on Easter. However, he only grows more ill, and is heard arguing in the night. When asked about it, Guthlac tells his servant that he has been speaking to an angel in the final days of his sickness, and that the servant is to tell Guthlac's sister Pega that he will see her in heaven later, and to claim and bury his body. Then Guthlac opens his mouth to release a sweet, honey-like odor that gives comfort to his servant to breathe. Guthlac tells the servant that it is now time to carry the message of his passing to his sister. Then Guthlac dies, with angels carrying his soul to heaven.  The servant travels quickly to Pega by ship, dutifully and broken-heartedly obeying his master's last wish. The poem ends there, with the servant conveying the extent of his suffering at the loss.

Sources.

Early editors posited that one or both of the poems could have been composed by the poet Cynewulf, but neither poem is numbered among that writer's compositions today.  "Guthlac B" is certainly based primarily on Felix's Latin life of St. Guthlac, the "Vita Sancti Guthlaci", written sometime between 730 and 740. The relationship between "Guthlac A" and the "Vita Sancti Guthlaci" is, however, less clear. Some recent scholarship concludes that the Old English poem is based directly on the Latin, but other work finds a more complex relationship. An Old English version of the life can be found among the Vercelli Homilies, and a text like this may have been the source for at least some of "Guthlac A".

Guthlac A and Guthlac B are a pair of Old English poems written in celebration of the deeds and death of Saint Guthlac of Croyland, a popular Mercian saint. The two poems are presented consecutively in the important Exeter Book miscellany of Old English poetry, the fourth and fifth items in the manuscript. They are clearly intended to be considered two items, judging from the scribe's use of large initials at the start of each poem.

Guthlac A et Guthlac B sont des poèmes vieil-anglais conservés dans le Livre d'Exeter, à la suite de trois poèmes consacrés au Christ. Ils sont longs respectivement de 818 et 561 vers.


History.

The parish name originated from the local adoration of Saint Anthony, and the name usually shortened to "Santo da Serra" in conversation.  Settlement of this region happened late, owing to most settlers' preference for coastal lands rather than the rugged interior. It is likely to have occurred during the 16th century, beginning in the area of the parochial church, and progressed to a point where Gil de Carvalho ordered the construction of two chapels for the resident population. During this century, a primitive temple located on the site of the main church existed, under the jurisdiction of the vicar of Machico. After the 17th century, a dispute arose between the vicars of Machico, Santa Cruz and Água de Pena over their jurisdictions: consequently the Bishop of Funchal, Lourenço de Távora, in order to resolve the dispute, took the chapel (and its associated lands) under his protection, and therefore, episcopal jurisdiction (which it continues to fall, under the "Mitra do Funchal").  The bishopric governor, António Alfredo de Santa Catarina, in 1836, annexed the parish of Água de Pena to Santo da Serra, transferring the ecclesiastical seat to the latter, under the parish of "Santo da Serra e de Água de Pena". But, Santo da Serra was eventually restored by regal charter in 1848, taking with it the locality of Achada do Barro, and making it an autonomous parish of Machico.  In 1852, certain areas of the municipality Machico, specifically lands in Santo da Serra, were annexed to the municipality of Santa Cruz, provoking protests. Under the initiative of the Sectary General of the District, António Lopes Barbosa de Albuquerque, who reunited the respective representatives of the "warring" groups at "Casa dos Romeiros" in Santo da Serra, where an accord was brokered that divided Santo da Serra between the two municipalities of Machico and Santa Cruz.  During the reign of Queen Maria I, the monarch established lands to be used for the inhabitants of Porto Santo: these tracts were to be distributed freely to those who wanted to leave the island. This followed an economic crisis on the island in the 18th century, putting many in a state of poverty and malnutrition. By regal decree, dated 18 December 1768, the lands were referred to as the "Aldeia da Rainha" (), and many tried to adapt to the new environment. But, the climate (both humid and cold) forced many to abandon the colony, resulting in it being reverted to the jurisdiction of Machico.  In the 19th century, Santo da Serra was a ferment of religious agitation, instigated by the Scottish physician Robert Kalley, who opened a medical practice in the parish, providing counselling free of charge to the residents. At the same time that he treated his patients, the doctor proselytized his Protestant Calvinist ideals and religion, creating conflict within the community, reaching as far as the municipalities of Machico and Santa Cruz. Consequently, this tumult caused the authorities to establish processes against individuals preaching new doctrines or religious ideals in the community, sending many to prison and forcing Dr. Kalley to leave the island.

Geography.

The parish of Santo António da Serra, located in the interior of the southern coast of Madeira, pertains to the municipality of Machico, confronted in the north and east by the parish of Porto da Cruz, west by the municipality of Santa Cruz, and by extent 20 kilometres from Funchal, the regional capital. It is situated in rough plateau, around 700 metres altitude, overlooking Machico, characterized by forest vistas of chestnut, acacia and elderberry trees that were acquired by many English to construct farms during settlement.  The principal places () in the parish are: Ribeira de Machico, Igreja, Fajã dos Rolos, Fajã das Vacas, Margaça, Lombo das Faias, Lamaceiros and Achada do Barro.

Economy.

The main activity is predominantly agricultural, and specifically the raising of dairy or beef cattle. The traditional routines are preserved in the parish and the cultivation of fields, have been restricted by the geography, resulting in the use of techniques employed by older generations. The use of natural fertilizers and resources found in the local area and local dependency has prevailed. Along with the incept commercial activity, commonly used to support the local market, the parish has also expanded into hostelry to expand local revenues, while the "Campo de Golfe da Madeira" (the oldest golf course on Madeira, has already attracted many of the important athletes of the sport.

Santo António da Serra ( "of the mountain") is a civil parish in the interior of the municipality of Machico, on the island of Madeira. The parish is adjacent to another parish in the neighbouring municipality of Santa Cruz to the south, which is also named Santo António da Serra. The population in 2011 was 1,617, in an area of 8.62 km2.

Santo António da Serra est une freguesia portugaise située dans la ville de Machico, dans la région autonome de Madère.


History.

Initially, during its early settlement access to the valley of Curral was difficult, and was only attempted by semi-nomadic shepherds and slaves who gained their emancipation or escaped from servitude. These people built small homes, and a small hamlet developed towards the end of the 15th century. More permanent residents began to dwell in the valley shortly after, although the area remained little developed.  The settlement was part of the dominion of João Gonçalves Zarco, who granted its use for cultivation around 1462 to João Ferreira and his wife Branca Dias. These settlers later donated their lands to their grandchild Branca Teixeira, on 22 August 1474. On 11 September 1480, the lands were, once again, sold to the second Captain-Donatório, João Gonçalves da Câmara (Zarco ́s son), who in turn donated it the Convento of Santa Clara in the name of his daughter Elvira and Joana who lived in the convent.  During early colonization, the settlement was simply known as "Curral" or "Curral da Serra" ( or ), because it was known for its extensive pasture-lands, used for grazing cattle and small herds (sheep and goats). The name was subsequently altered, when these lands became the property of the nuns of the Convent of Santa Clara (between 1492 and 1497). There is also some discrepancy; others credit the name change after 1566, when the nuns of the Convent took refuge on these properties, during the French privateer attacks on Funchal.  The lands of Curral das Freiras were part of the parish of Santo António, but, owing to its extreme isolation from this ecclesiastical seat, the religious parish of Curral das Freiras was instituted in 1780. Later, on 17 March 1790, by regal charter (from Queen Maria I, Curral das Freiras became an independent parish, separating from Santo António.

Geography.

Situated in a deep valley and encircled by steep mountain slopes, the parish of Curral das Freiras is located 29 kilometres from the municipal seat of Câmara de Lobos. Most of the buildings in the parish overlook the main valley, with the steep hillsides encircling the parish used for the cultivation of cherries and grapes used in the production of Madeira wine.

Architecture.

Although rich in architectural heritage, the national architectural registry in Portugal is currently reviewing the status of the following as a national monument:

Culture.

The parish's patron seat is Nossa Senhora do Livramento (), and annually the parish celebrates a festival in Her honor on the last Sunday of August.

Curral das Freiras ("Valley of the Nuns") is a civil parish in the municipality of Câmara de Lobos in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 2,001, in an area of 25.03 km2. It is situated in the mountainous interior of the island. Being one of the more distant locations from the municipal seat of Câmara de Lobos, it is geographically isolated from other communities by the cliffs and peaks surrounding its central valley. A tunnel southwards in the direction of Funchal now offers safe access to the valley.

Curral das Freiras est une freguesia portugaise située dans la ville de Câmara de Lobos, dans la région autonome de Madère.


Playing career.

As a youth, Sarault played in the 1985 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.  Sarault was drafted 61st overall by the Canadiens in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. From July 18, 2008, he played for German team ERC Ingolstadt in DEL after previous spells with EHC Basel, SC Bern, Genève-Servette HC and HC Davos in the Swiss NLA league from 2002 to 2008. Sarault has also participated for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup.  After initially starting the 2009–10 season with lower professional league team Rivière-du-Loup CIMT in the LNAH, Sarault left for Europe on December 16, 2009, signing for the remainder of the season with Vienna Capitals of the Austrian Erste Bank Hockey League. After returning to Rivière-du-Loup for a further two seasons, Sarault was traded at the draft to fellow club the Cornwall River Kings for the 2012–13 season on June 17, 2012.  In the off-season Sarault lives in Moncton, New Brunswick and plays occasionally with the Moncton Puck Wackers hockey club in the city's summer men's league, with his son Chris.

Coaching career.

He joined the staff of Swiss club Lausanne HC as an assistant in 2014 and was promoted to the head coaching position during the 2017-18 season after the sacking of Dan Ratushny. On February 8, 2018, Sarault was relieved of his duties after five straight losses.

Personal life.

His daughter Courtney Sarault is a short track speed skater who made her World Cup debut in 2018, earning a silver medal in her first race final.

Yves Victor Sarault (born December 23, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Sarault ended his career playing with the Cornwall River Kings of the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey. He previously played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers and the Nashville Predators.

Yves Sarault, né le à Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (Québec, Canada) est un joueur professionnel canadien de hockey sur glace devenu entraîneur. En tant que joueur, il évoluait à la position d'ailier gauche, mais il pouvait aussi jouer comme défenseur.


Clubs.

The following 18 clubs are competing in the II liga during the 2019–20 season.

History.

The history of "II Liga", or the third level of Polish football system, dates back to the Second Polish Republic. In 1927, the Ekstraklasa, also called "State League" ("Liga Panstwowa") was established. Below the "Ekstraklasa", there were several regional "A Classes", which in most cases covered the territory of one Voivodeship (see Lower Level Football Leagues in Interwar Poland). Further below, there were "B Classes" (usually covering two-three counties), and, in the regions with enough football teams, "C Classes" (covering one county).  On June 29, 1945 in Krakow, officials of the Polish Football Association ("PZPN") established three-tier system of regional championships in Poland. The first level was, following the pre-1939 pattern, "A Classes", followed by "B Classes", and "C Classes". This system remained in use until 1951, when in March 1952, it was replaced by four classes, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Meanwhile, the number of teams in the second level of Polish tier was reduced from 40 to 14 (March 1953), which meant that as many as 26 teams were automatically relegated to the third level. As a result, there were 93 teams in the third level, divided into 8 groups. Six of these groups covered more than one voivodeship, while two groups (Katowice and Krakow) covered only their provinces, due to the football potential in those regions. After the regular season, 8 winners played each other in two-level playoffs, with two winners winning promotion to the second level.  On February 13, 1955, in Warsaw, "Third League" was officially formed, with four groups. This idea was abandoned after a month, due to financial reasons. Instead, in 1956, the "Regional Leagues" were established, with 15 groups. In 1960, Polish football switched from spring-autumn to autumn-spring system. First games of the new system took place on August 19, 1960. 26 February 1966, "PZPN" decided to reduce the number of groups to 4, with 16 teams in each. The "Macroregional League", as it was called at that time, existed in that form until 1973, when Polish football officials decided to reintroduce the "Regional Leagues", with 20 groups (since 1974 - 24 groups). In 1976, 8 groups were established, with 112 teams. In 1980, the number of groups was reduced to 4, but in 1982, again 8 groups were established. The system of 8 groups of the third level remained unchanged until 1998, with the exception of 1989/1990, when there were four groups.

II liga (Druga Liga, ) is a Polish football league that sits at the third tier of the Polish football league system. Until the end of the 2007–08 season "II Liga" referred to a league at the 2nd tier,<ref name="Poland 2007/08"> although this changed with the formation of the Ekstraklasa as the top level league in Poland. Currently, II liga is below I liga and above III liga.

Le championnat de Pologne de football de troisième division, couramment appelé II Liga depuis 2008, est la troisième division de football en Pologne. Il a été créé le, et remporté pour la toute première fois par le KS Rzeszów.


Background.

The First Canadian Army had been allocated the left of the 21st Army Group line of advance and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery had directed them to clear the Channel Ports before continuing into the Netherlands. Most of the channel Ports had been fortified and despite the generally poor quality of the garrisons, it was necessary to capture them with set-piece attacks.  The ports were needed to supply the Allied armies and the lack of such facilities had halted or slowed much offensive activity. Montgomery had estimated that the Channel Ports would be sufficient for his needs and this view persisted until mid-September. Under orders from Dwight Eisenhower, the Allied Supreme Commander, Montgomery modified his instructions to the Canadian commander, Henry Crerar, on 13–14 September, "Early use of Antwerp so urgent that I am prepared to give up operations against Calais and Dunkirk" and "Dunkirk will be left to be dealt with later; for the present it will be merely masked".  Action against Calais continued in Operation Undergo, at least partly due to the need to silence the heavy artillery sited nearby. The forces that might have been used to capture Dunkirk were released for the Battle of the Scheldt and thus open access to the largely undamaged port of Antwerp. Instead, smaller Allied forces held a perimeter around the city.

Prelude.

In the first weeks of the siege, while Allied forces were being deployed on the Scheldt, several formations took short turns at containing Dunkirk. The 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, part of 2nd Canadian Division, was relieved by the 4th Special Service Brigade (4th SSB, a Royal Marines Commando formation), which was in turn relieved by the 154th Infantry Brigade. The bulk of the siege was performed by the 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade from early October until the final surrender. The German garrison consisted of a wide variety of men, including Navy and Air Force personnel, as well as Army and Fortress units. There was also a 2,000 strong Waffen-SS detachment. The total strength was in excess of 10,000 men. Many of these were remnants of five Army divisions which had been mauled during the Normandy campaign and had retreated to Dunkirk. The town itself was heavily fortified, and well-supplied for a lengthy siege.  The Canadians approached Dunkirk from the south west. On 7–8 September, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade captured Bourbourg, about from the city itself. The German outer perimeter ran through the villages of Mardyck, Loon-Plage, Spycker, Bergues and Bray-Dunes, from Dunkirk. The Calgary Highlanders attacked Loon-Plage on 7 September against very heavy opposition and suffered enough casualties that each of its companies was reduced to less than 30 men. The village was gained on the 9th only when the Germans withdrew. During the next ten days, Canadian units nibbled away at the German perimeter, taking Coppenaxfort on the 9th, Mardyck on the 17th, both west of the city, Bergues on the 15th and Veurne, Nieuwpoort (greatly aided by precise intelligence received from the Belgian White Brigade, the national resistance movement) and De Panne, east of Dunkirk, in Belgium. Bray Dunes and nearby Ghyvelde, both just within France, were taken on 15 September, with air support after initial attacks had failed.  It had become clear that the German defenders were not about to be expelled without a major assault. Given the need to open up the Scheldt estuary to Antwerp and the likelihood that Dunkirk would be of limited use as a supply port as a result of its demolition, the major Canadian units were redeployed. Nearby Oostende had fallen easily to the Canadians when the Germans withdrew, and its port was partially opened on 28 September, easing the Allies' supply problems. Dunkirk was no longer worth the effort of its capture.

Siege.

The Allied forces around Dunkirk were to contain the German garrison and minimise their inclination to fight on by reconnaissance, artillery and air bombardment and propaganda. Coastal supply routes used by German E-Boats and air supply drops were to be cut off. Of all of the German fortress garrisons on the Channel coast, Dunkirk appears to have been the most resilient. The garrison thwarted early probes by the Canadians with sufficient aggression to dissuade them from a full assault. By this stage, other priorities compelled the Canadians to persist in patrolling and local counter-attacks. On 16 September, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was relieved by the 4th SSB. On the night of 26/27 September, the 4th SSB was replaced by the 154th Infantry Brigade, 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. The Germans attempted to take advantage of the change with sorties against the 7th Black Watch in Ghyvelde and against 7th Argylls at nearby Bray-Dunes Plage. Both attacks were repulsed but only after the Argyll headquarters had been partially occupied and houses in Ghyvelde had been destroyed. A truce was negotiated from 3 to 6 October, at the initiative of the French Red Cross, to allow the evacuation of 17,500 French civilians and Allied and German wounded. The truce extended to allow the Germans to restore defences that had been removed to allow the evacuation.  On 9 October, the 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade (Major-General Alois Liška) took over the siege. The Czechoslovaks executed frequent raids into the eastern suburbs for nuisance effect and to take prisoners; an attack on 28 October (Czechoslovak independence day) lifted 300 prisoners. There was a flurry of attacks and retaliatory counter-attacks, mostly on the eastern perimeter in November 1944. Conditions on both sides were difficult in the winter. The low-lying ground outside the city had been flooded to form part of the defences and adjacent land easily became water-logged, hampering movement and making life unpleasant. Canadian gunners reported that gun-pits needed to be bailed out, the sides of dugouts collapsed and transport became mired. Czechoslovak morale was maintained by leave in nearby towns and in Lille. The defenders were stuck with poor food, deficient health care and harsh discipline.  On 28 April and 2 May 1945 the Germans were able to deliver a limited amount of supplies to the garrison with some of their 28 "Seehunde" two-man midget submarines. These craft were normally armed with two torpedoes mounted on the outside. For the supply missions, the torpedoes were replaced with special food containers ("butter torpedoes"). On the return voyages they used the containers to carry mail from the Dunkirk garrison.

Surrender.

The garrison surrendered unconditionally to Alois Liška on 9 May 1945, two days after the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Orders of battle.

Allied forces  German garrison

The Siege of Dunkirk, also known as the Second Battle of Dunkirk, during the Second World War, occurred from September 1944, when units of the Second Canadian Division surrounded the fortified city and port of Dunkirk. The siege by Allied forces lasted until after the official end of the war in Europe. German units within the fortress withstood probing attacks and as the opening of the port of Antwerp was more important, the 21st Army Group commander, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, decided to mask Dunkirk with the 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade. The fortress, commanded by Admiral Friedrich Frisius, eventually surrendered unconditionally to (Brigade General) Alois Liška, the commander of the Czechoslovak brigade group, on 9 May 1945, two days after the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Le siège de Dunkerque commence en, au cours de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, lorsque des unités de la d'infanterie canadienne encerclent la place forte de Dunkerque et son port, pour durer près de huit mois.


Geography.

The Anderson River's northwestern sloping drainage basin is a part of the Anderson Plain High Subarctic (HS) Ecoregion, itself a subsection of the Taiga Plains Ecozone and the Anderson Upland Low Arctic north (LAn) Ecoregion, which is part of the Southern Arctic Ecozone. The river encompasses wildly varied landscape. Canyons are common in the upper and middle sections, the largest of which is Falcon Canyon, at long and approximately deep. The upper sections of the river are in taiga, with black spruce being the dominant tree. White spruce and shrublands grow on the river's floodplain and valley slopes. There are large deposits of alluvial terraces, along with cretaceous shales, Devonian limestone, and Devonian dolomite. Closer to the ocean, the river pulls above tree line, and continues through rolling tundra east of Inuvik.  Whitewater is most intense in the middle section of the river (around Falcon Canyon and upstream). A couple of class III rapids, lots of class I and II, and no major falls make the Anderson a fun, but not overly demanding whitewater run for experienced paddlers.

Wildlife.

Wildlife is abundant on the Anderson. The Bluenose barren-ground caribou herd, which calves further east near Bluenose Lake, Nunavut, migrates south down parts of the Anderson River valley in July. Muskox, moose, and grizzly bears are also common along the river.  Bird life is also abundant and varied. However, the Canadian Wildlife Service's 1999 to 2008 Field Project at the Anderson River Delta entitled "Impact of Increased Harvest on the Western Arctic Snow Goose Population" shows a decline in snow geese.  The last of the river is listed as an Important Bird Area with an area of. There is a larger area,, known as the Anderson River Delta Migratory Bird Sanctuary.  On the delta and on the Arctic Ocean, ringed seals and bearded seals may be seen. On the ocean itself, pods of beluga whales are not uncommon.

History.

The Anderson River area was the historic home of an Inuvialuit group of Inuit called the Siglit, or Mackenzie Inuit, known as the Anderson River People. Although the Inuvialuktun name of the people is no longer known it is thought that they may have been called the "Kuukugmiut", the "Kuungmiut", as used by Emmanuel Felix, or "Kramalit" by Father Émile Petitot. The first two names are derived from the Inuvialuktun name of the river "Kuuk" (river) and means "people of the river".  In 1857, Roderick MacFarlane, known to the Inuit as "Mitchi Paloum", of the Hudson's Bay Company travelled the area looking to establish trade with the Inuit who, due to conflicts with the Gwich'in and the travel required, did not want to visit the post at Fort McPherson. On this trip he was met by a group of Inuit who proved to be hostile and he returned to Fort Good Hope. He returned again in 1858 and 1859, experiencing no difficulties and was able to begin trading with the Inuit. In 1860 he was again sent to the area, this time to establish a post for permanent trading. Construction of the post was begun in the spring of 1861 and finished before the onset of winter. The post was located on the east bank of the river about south of Liverpool Bay and north of the Anderson River Forks. While there MacFarlane was visited by Robert Kennicott and at Kennicott's urging began collecting for the Smithsonian Institution. He collected over 5,000 objects, including MacFarlane's bear, which are housed in the MacFarlane Collection. The post was successful until 1864–65. In 1864 a number of the dogs used to pull the sled were killed by distemper and then in 1865 a combination of scarlet fever and measles killed the majority of the Inuit and First Nations hunters in the area. MacFarlane remained at the fort until 15 July 1866, at which time the post was closed and he was sent to Fort Simpson.  The Hudson's Bay Company also had a trading post at the river's mouth, later renamed as Stanton after Father Stanton (), which is now abandoned. Sometime after 1925, possibly as late as 1950, a reindeer substation, called Anderson River (), was opened around south of Stanton.

The Anderson River (Inuvialuktun: Kuuk, river) is in the Northwest Territories in northern Canada. It originates in lakes northwest of Great Bear Lake; its headwaters are possibly on the north side of Colville Lake in the vicinity of the hamlet of Colville Lake. It flows north and west in the area between the Mackenzie and Coppermine Rivers. Its mouth is on the Beaufort Sea on the Arctic Ocean near the eastern end of Liverpool Bay at about 70 degrees north latitude. Its main tributary is the Carnwath River. Originally known as the Beghula River it was renamed to the Anderson River in 1857 by Roderick MacFarlane after James Anderson, both of the Hudson's Bay Company. Anderson was the Chief Factor in the Mackenzie District.

La rivière Anderson est un cours d'eau qui coule dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest au Canada. Elle se jette dans la mer de Beaufort à l'est du delta du fleuve Mackenzie. Plusieurs lacs lui servent de source, notamment le lac des Bois. Elle coule sur dans la toundra.


History.

VPLP design is a French-based naval architecture firm founded by Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost. These two French nationals first met at Southampton College of Higher Education both having enrolled to study Yacht and Powercraft Design.  During their years at college Marc and Vincent forged a friendship that was later to be the catalyst for VPLP. The company was formed in 1983 and first opened its doors in Marseilles with a focus on developing racing trimarans, which was a burgeoning niche market in the early 80’s.  VPLP’s initial project was to design a racing trimaran commissioned by skipper Vincent Levy for the 1984 OSTAR, (otherwise known as the English Transat). This foiler baptized Gerard Lambert was the first in a long line of racing trimarans that created a name for the firm and established the young designers as innovators in the field of naval architecture. VPLP designed their first cruising catamaran in 1984 for Lagoon, which was then a division of Jeanneau Techniques Avancées. The Lagoon 55 was the first in more than 240 cruising catamarans designed by VPLP. Lagoon is now part of the CNB division of Groupe Bénéteau and has produced more than 2000 catamarans with worldwide distribution. VPLP are the principal designers for the Lagoon fleet of sailing catamarans.

Evolution.

The offices moved to Paris, Bastille in 1985 to be closer their network of international clients.  In subsequent years, VPLP have structured the organization into three divisions to focus on separate sectors of the yacht market:  In 1996, VPLP opened a Racing Division in Vannes for proximity to many offshore racing teams. In 2008 VPLP opened a Refit and Brokerage Division in La Ciotat, which is a large service center with many shipyards catering for superyachts operating in the western Mediterranean sea.  In 2007 VPLP cooperated with French yacht designer Guillaume Verdier to penetrate the competitive IMOCA racing circuit. The performance of their first interactions "Safran" and "Groupe Bel" earned the VPLP-Verdier consortium a growing orderbook for racing monohulls.

Racing prototypes.

Racing prototypes and results.

Since 1990, All of the VPLP boats are still undefeated at the Route du Rhum.

Cruising.

Production yachts.

VPLP worked on several serial production boats programs, including the Lagoon range from the beginning, The Outremer 5X and the power monohul dayboat Smartboat.

Annexes.

Waterworld.

In 1994 VPLP designed the racing trimaran made famous by the movie Waterworld starring Kevin Costner. Two trimarans were built at Jeanneau’s racing division (Jeanneau Techniques Avancées), one a conventional trimaran capable of speeds in excess of and a second boat with unconventional features that allowed it to transform for certain scenes in the movie and was used for most of the onboard and special effects scenes. This second boat, although used for many of the close up scenes, was able to sail but was not capable of the speeds of the conventional trimaran.

Hydroptère.

In 1994 plans for an experimental Hydrofoil prototype was commissioned for Alain Thebault. The first Hydroptère was a trimaran. In the following years four additional evolutions were built. In 2006 "HYDROPTÈRE 5" was launched. This was the first boat to cross the barrier (51 knots speed record set in 2009).

Groupama 3.

Groupama 3 and Franck Cammas<br> The prime design consideration for Groupama 3 was for a multihull which can be manipulated by a crew of ten people and not to make then LOA a defining characteristic thus Groupama 3 is not a maxi multihull!. It's a trimaran, which is also heavily inspired by Groupama 2, the ORMA : with the adoption of foils and the installation of three rudders, with a wide, open cockpit and a proportionally moderate sail plan. As a result, we opted for a relatively small boat which is rather light, progressive and very reactive. The deck plan enables the crew to manoeuvre faster in order to adjust the sail area to changes in condition and hence permanently exploit the trimaran's potential.  As the record programme included above all the Jules Verne Trophy, it was necessary to take into account the `Southern ocean' parameter: the foils are far forward so that the boat is nose up, the freeboard is high to prevent the bow from burying, the height of the mast limits the trim changes. The balance when sailing is considerably safer than on a Orma."  Groupama 3 was reconfigured for Franck Cammas to enter the 9th edition of the single handed Route du Rhum 2010 which started 31 October 2010. Groupama 3 was the first to finish in 9 days, 3 hours, 14 minutes and 47 seconds. The Route du Rhum takes place once every four years, is a single-handed race across the Atlantic starting in Saint-Malo, France and finishing in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.

Maxi Banque Populaire V.

Banque Populaire V, the largest ocean racing trimaran in the world, was launched in August 2008 in Lorient (Brittany – France). Built at sites in Cherbourg, La Rochelle and Lorient, the construction of the maxi trimaran took 250 000 man hours of work, utilising a total workforce of some 170 people. Under the leadership Pascal Bidégorry, skipper of the Banque Populaire trimarans since 2004, the crew of the Maxi Banque Populaire V has embarked on a campaign to beat some of the most prestigious ocean racing records.  For VPLP, the challenge consisted of designing a fully crewed, no compromise multihull, which is totally versatile but very high-performing, suitable for a mixed programme, which is always seaworthy but cutting edge and progressive, but which always preserves the safety of the crew on board. At 40-metre (131 ft) trimaran, Maxi Banque Populaire V is, to date the largest ocean racing trimaran ever designed and built.  Pascal Bidégorry and his associate Ronan Lucas, the Director of the Team Banque Populaire, sought a design centred on a very specific idea:  “We wanted a big boat which would be able to sail fast safely but with a range of speeds, all that we knew we could master from a technological point of view”. Pascal Bidégorry skipper of Maxi Banque Populaire V.

BMW Oracle BOR 90.

BMW Oracle winner America's Cup 33 - Deed of Gift<br> The 33rd America's Cup was held under a strict Deed of Gift rules: The first team to win two out of three races is the winner of the 33rd America’s Cup. It was specified by the cup holder SNG that the match be sailed in yachts by, and so the Golden Gate Yacht Club developed their trimaran "BMW Oracle Racing 90", whilst the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) have opted for a giant catamaran, "Alinghi 5". When it was proposed that the 33rd edition of the America's Cup would be contested with multihulls, BMW Oracle team immediately signed VPLP to their core design team  "BMW Oracle Racing 'BOR 90", sailed as "USA 17"' the American challenger, representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club, won the 33rd America’s Cup Match in Valencia, sweeping past the Swiss defender, Alinghi, to a 2-0 victory.  Race one, a windward - leeward course with legs, saw BMW Oracle Racing's trimaran winning by 15.28 minutes. In race two, a triangle, with legs, the Challenger crossed the finishing line ahead by 5.26 minutes.

Multi One Design MOD 70.

An one-design multihull designed to create a new class of oceangoing racer. When compared to its predecessor the ORMA 60. the is longer, narrower, carries less sailarea with a shorter rig and higher crossbeam clearance. The design concept was to sacrifice some of the ORMA 60's extreme performance for reduced cost, reliability and safety.

VPLP design (Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost) is a French-based naval architectural firm founded by Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost, responsible for designing some of the world's most innovative racing boats. Their designs presently hold many of the World Speed Sailing records.

Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost (VPLP) est un cabinet d'architecture navale français créé en 1983 par Marc Van Peteghem et Vincent Lauriot-Prévost, parmi les plus réputés de la course au large comme du monde de la Coupe de l'America.


List of The Belgariad and The Malloreon characters

Personnages de la Belgariade et de la Mallorée

Protagonists.

Note: These characters are the main protagonists to the story. There are many other minor and supporting protagonists, including some royalty.

Antagonists.

Note: This section includes the three disciples of Torak, along with other major antagonists in the story.

Deities.

Gods.

Aldur.

Aldur is the eldest of the seven gods. He is worshipped by no race of people, but has a number of disciples: Belgarath, Beldin, the twins Belkira and Beltira, Belzedar (formerly), Polgara, Belmakor (deceased), Belsambar (deceased), Belgarion, Beldurnik (formerly Durnik, admitted in the Malloreon), and Poledra, as mentioned in "Polgara the Sorceress". His totem animal is the owl; this is never mentioned in the primary story (though the owl is commonly associated with his disciples), but appears in the Rivan Codex.  After Aldur and his brothers create the world in which the stories are set, Aldur refuses to take a seventh part of mankind to worship him, leaving the ancestors of the Ulgos, Dals, Morindim, Karands, and Melcenes Godless. Instead, he takes disciples, prepending "Bel-" to their names. Polgara and Poledra are also counted among the Disciples, as is shown by the prefix "Pol-" being the feminine of "Bel-". At one stage, Aldur also names Polgara as his "Beloved daughter", although this may be connected to the title "Ancient and Beloved", given to her father Belgarath. The Disciples all at some time take residence at the Vale of Aldur, where each disciple has its own tower, apart from Poledra and Polgara who inhabit a cottage at the far edge of the Vale. Aldur also possesses a tower, wherein furniture may appear or disappear as he wishes.  The "Belgariad"'s MacGuffin is the Orb of Aldur: a sentient stone polished into a roughly spherical shape by Aldur, and seized by Torak.

Belar.

Belar is the youngest of the seven gods. He is the god of the Alorns, and his totem animal is the bear. Belar is closely allied with Aldur in the War of Destinies, and is also described as being close to Mara. When he maintains a physical presence in the world, he appears as a young man, and is known for drinking and feasting with Alorn warriors, and for lavishing his attentions on young women. In "Guardians of the West", he is identified as an incessant speaker.

Chaldan.

Chaldan is the god of the Arends, and his totem animal is the bull. Chaldan emphasises pride and militaristic tradition as virtues; therefore sermons at funerals are not concerned with the comforting of the bereaved, but with vengeance. Chaldan does not play a significant role in the stories.

Issa.

Issa is the god of the Nyissans. His totem animal is the serpent. Though physically present in the world, Issa spends long periods sleeping, disguised as a large statue behind the royal throne of Nyssa. When all the gods save Torak left the world, he gave the governance of his people to his high priestess, Salmissra, but neglected to prolong her life. A long line of subsequent Salmissras ruled in her stead, each chosen by their resemblance to the original, and also given the ability to summon a physical incarnation of Issa. The last Salmissra is eventually changed into a snake and made immortal by Polgara.

Mara.

Mara is the god of the Marags. His totem animal, never mentioned except in the Rivan Codex, is the bat. Known as the "weeping god" for his long mourning after the Tolnedran massacre of the Marags, Mara is surrounded by the ghosts of his dead people, so that few could enter his domain without being driven mad. The exception is the monastery at Mar Terrin, where Tolnedran monks attempt to comfort the spirits of the Marags. He is found always howling in the ruins of Mar Amon, his capital, until the restoration of the Marags.

Nedra.

Nedra is the second-oldest of the seven gods. He is the god of the Tolnedrans, and his totem animal is the lion. Nedra instills the values of thrift and wealth into his people: as a result, Tolnedrans are often associated with avarice, materialism, and deceit. Their culture thrives on enterprise and commerce.

Torak.

Torak is the third of the seven Gods. His people are the Angaraks, and his is the only totem animal counted among the monstrous races (perhaps due to Torak's vain attempts to enhance the creature): the dragon. The left side of his body, most notably his face and hand, are maimed by the Orb of Aldur; and his left eye (called 'the Eye that Was Not') perpetually burns with the Orb's blue fire. Beldin therefore referred to Torak as "Old burnt-face"; this reference hints at Beldin's true identity when he is in disguise, as he is the only one to use it.  Alone among his brothers, Torak served the Dark in the War of the Gods, caused by himself; and when almost defeated, he forced the Orb to create a new ocean, with his worshippers on one side and their enemies on the other. As the head of a theocratic military culture, Torak drove the Angaraks to dominate their neighbors the Dals, Karands, and Melcenes, and conquered much of the western continent. Like many fantasy villains, Torak almost achieves domination of the world, only to be vanquished in a great battle, and re-appears, after a long absence, in the central story, wherein he is slain by Belgarion.  After Belgarion slays Torak, the Orb restores his face.

Eriond.

Eriond, originally called Errand, was a spirit originally meant to be the God of the Angaraks until a 'Great Accident' (the misplaced explosion of a star) caused Torak to exist. Eriond thereafter persisted in spirit until Zedar began his search for the Orb of Aldur. Errand then appeared as a child to Zedar, who used him to seize the Orb. The name "Errand" is not derived from "Eriond", but is simply the only word that he, in his child form, was able to remember for many years. In this form, Errand was raised as Polgara's ward; and in his adulthood, accompanied Belgarion to the 'High Places of Korim', to achieve his own apotheosis. It is stated, though not seen in the stories, that upon apotheosis, he would eventually replace all the other Gods. He takes no totem animal, but is frequently accompanied by an unusual stallion (a stillborn colt revived by Belgarion), simply named Horse.

UL.

UL is the mysterious god of the Ulgos, who originally were a tribe of people without a god of their own. He is not counted among the traditional seven, and theologians of their religions are ambivalent in their treatment of him. At the end of The Belgariad, it is revealed that he is the father of the seven gods, and omnipresent as well. He is also god of the monstrous beasts rejected by his sons. UL is served by a High Priest, who is always called Gorim. The successive Gorims, although not immortal, live as long as UL requires them to serve. The successor of the Gorim is identified as having violet eyes. Poledra also served UL for many years, and so may be considered his disciple as much as Aldur's. In the War of Destinies, he is generally seen on the side of Light, often working closely with Aldur. Due to his appearance as one in "The Seeress of Kell", his totem may be an albatross. David Eddings mentions, in the Rivan Codex, that the spelling of UL in capital letters was a typographical error permitted to stand.

Other characters.

These are characters in the Belgariad and the Malloreon that influence the story, but do not fit into any of the other categories.

The Prophecy of Light.

The Prophecy of Light is the positive main driving force of the protagonists, six of gods, and Eriond. Often called the "dry voice" in Garion's mind, to whom (and occasionally through whom to others) it offered guidance.

Cyradis.

Cyradis is the Seer chosen to appoint Light or Dark as the dominant moral force of the story's world in the final meeting between the rival prophesies. She first appears to Errand at the Vale of Aldur; later to the other protagonists at Rheon; and is shown as a slight girl with dark blonde hair and a blindfold over her eyes. She is escorted by the mute Toth. During the final Choice, Polgara removes her blindfold, to assist her decision; and Cyradis chooses Eriond (Light) over Geran (Dark), but loses her second sight. She is married to Zakath at the end of the series.

Senji.

Senji is an Alchemist and Sorcerer whom Beldin, Belgarath, and Garion meet in Melcene during "Sorceress of Darshiva" after they followed Zandramas' trail there. He is identified as 'the Clubfoot' by Cyradis and is around 3900 years old. He leads the sorcerers to a museum where the Sardion once rested and gives Belgarath a copy of the Ashabine Oracles. His power is weaker than theirs because of lack of practice due to his focus on transmutation of metals through alchemy.

Races.

Humans.

Alorns.

Alorns are the people of Belar, that occupy the north-western part of the western continent. Divided into several nations to better protect the Orb of Aldur, but retaining strong military and economic ties.

Angaraks.

Angaraks are the people of Torak. In Mallorea, they are the dominant people in the northwest, and are common throughout the Empire as soldiers and administrators. In the west, they occupy the southern half of the continent, and the lands east of the Escarpment in the north. They are divided into distinct castes, as shown below:

Arends.

Arends are the people of Chaldan, inhabiting Arendia on the western continent and the island of Perivor off Mallorea. The Arendish nobility emphasize pride, honor, and military prowess, while the serfs form the downtrodden masses, with little variation in their conditions across the country. For most of its history, Arendia was embroiled in civil wars among the three major duchies of Asturia, Mimbre, and Wacune.

Marags.

Marags are the people of Mara. They are generally thought to be extinct at the time of The Belgariad, after a genocidal war waged by the Tolnedrans. It is later revealed that Tolnedrans sold Marag survivors to Nyissan slavers who in turn sold them to the Murgos, and that some still lived in the slave pens under Rak Cthol.  Most details about Maragor come from Belgarath the Sorcerer, wherein it is stated girls were born 8 to 9 times more often than boys. As a result, Marag women controlled society. The governing body was a group of nine elder women known as the "Council of Matriarchs". Marriage was relatively unknown, and sexual promiscuity was common. In general, a Marag male's role in society was reduced to athletic contests or military service.

Nyissans.

Nyissans are the people of Issa. The state of Nyissa is situated on the swampy equatorial west coast of the western continent. The head of state is the high priestess Salmissra, who is chosen for physical resemblance to her long-dead namesake. Most Nyissan people shave off their hair, because the insects native to the swamps of Nyissa like to nest in it. The use of drugs and poisons is common in politics.

Sendars.

Sendars are a people of primarily Alorn and Arendish descent, located north of Arendia on the coast of the western continent. The land that is now Sendaria was once the Arendish Duchy of Erat, owned by Polgara the Sorceress. Tolnedran Emperor Ran Horb II worked successfully to establish the independent Kingdom of Sendaria, to prevent Arendia from becoming more influential than Tolnedra. Practicality and a strong work ethic are intrinsic to the Sendarian national identity, and a lot of food eaten in the west is grown in Sendaria. Sendars are unusual in that they elected their first king, Fundor the Magnificent, who was originally a rutabaga (and cabbage) farmer.

Tolnedrans.

Tolnedrans are the people of Nedra, dwelling in the Empire of Tolnedra in the subtropical north of the western continent. Tolnedrans are known for their obsession with trade and money (which they are said to have invented). Tolnedra is ruled by one of the five major families: the, the, the, the, and the. The Belgariad and The Mallorean take place during the reign of Ran Borune XXIII and his successor Varana (later Ran Borune XXIV). The primary military force of Tolnedra are the numerous Legions: a heavy infantry similar to the Roman legionaries. They are also unusual in their complete rejection of, and disbelief in, the concepts of magic and sorcery, on the basis of principles.

Ulgos.

Ulgos originally were Godless, but after years of pleading on the top of a mountain, their leader convinced the god UL to rule and protect them and the animals and beasts that the other gods did not. After UL renamed their leader Gorim, he returned to his people but only a minority of the group believed him. Angered by their flippant disregard for his years of dedication, the Gorim cursed the remaining so they would have no children, and he left with his followers. The Ulgos live in a city in an extensive cave system under the mountains of Ulgoland, where the forementioned beasts live. The Ulgos continually remember their godless state, and thus are ever thankful to UL and are extremely religious. They played a major role in the Battle of Vo Mimbre as they swept from the mountains onto Torak's forces and diminished their size dramatically.

Godless Ones.

Other human races are descended from the Godless Ones: ethnicities chosen by no god (Aldur abstaining from selection) at the beginning of the human race. They are widely spread across both continents and have physical diversity comparable to the other races.

This is a list of "The Belgariad" and "The Malloreon" characters. "The Belgariad" and "The Malloreon" are two parts of a fantasy epic written by David Eddings. Note: All of the statements (deceased, married) are written from the current information by the end of the series.

Cet article regroupe les personnages de "la Belgariade", de "la Mallorée" et des "Préquelles", écrits par David et Leigh Eddings.


Early life.

Kinmochi was born in Kyoto as the son of Udaijin Tokudaiji Kin'ito (1821–1883), head of a "kuge" family of court nobility. He was adopted by another "kuge" family, the Saionji, in 1851. However, he grew up near his biological parents, since both the Tokudaiji and Saionji lived very near the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The young Saionji Kinmochi was frequently ordered to visit the palace as a playmate of the young prince who later became Emperor Meiji. Over time they became close friends. Kinmochi's biological brother Tokudaiji Sanetsune later became the Grand Chamberlain of Japan. Another younger brother was adopted into the very wealthy Sumitomo family and as Sumitomo Kichizaemon became the head of the Sumitomo zaibatsu. Sumitomo money largely financed Saionji's political career. His close relationship to the Imperial Court opened all doors to him. In his later political life, he was an influence on both the Taishō and Shōwa emperors.

Meiji Restoration.

As the heir of a noble family, Saionji participated in politics from an early age and was known for his brilliant talent. He took part in the climactic event of his time, the Boshin War, the revolution in Japan of 1867 and 1868, which overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate and installed the young Emperor Meiji as the (nominal) head of the government. Some noblemen at the Imperial Court considered the war to be a private dispute of the samurai of Satsuma and Chōshū against those of the Tokugawa. Saionji held the strong opinion that the nobles of the Imperial Court should seize the initiative and take part in the war. He participated in various battles as an imperial representative.  One of his first encounters involved taking Kameoka Castle without a fight. The next encounter was at Sasayama Castle. Several hundred Samurai from both sides met on the road nearby, but the defenders immediately surrendered. Then Fukuchiyama surrendered without a fight. By this time he had acquired an Imperial banner made by Iwakura Tomomi, featuring a sun and moon on a red field. Other Samurai did not want to attack the army with the imperial banner, and readily deserted the "shōgun". After two weeks Saionji reached Kitsuki, and following another bloodless encounter, Saionji returned to by ship to Osaka. Matters did eventually come to an end at Nagaoka Castle. However, Saionji was relieved from command in the actual battle and appointed governor of Echigo.

Saionji's first sojourn overseas career.

After the Meiji Restoration, Saionji resigned. With the support of Ōmura Masujirō he studied French in Tokyo. He left Japan on the SS "Costa Rica" with a group of thirty other Japanese students sailing to San Francisco. He traveled on to Washington, D.C. where he met Ulysses Grant, President of the United States of America. He then crossed the Atlantic, spent 13 days in London sightseeing, before finally arriving in Paris on 27 May 1871. Paris was in the turmoil of the Commune, and Paris was not safe for Saionji – indeed his tutor was shot when they stumbled upon a street battle. Saionji went to Switzerland and Nice, before settling in Marseilles where he learned French with the accent of that city. He made his way to Paris following the suppression of the Commune. He studied law at the University of Paris and became involved with Émile Acollas, who had set up the Acollas Law School for foreign students studying law in Paris. These were the early years of the Third Republic, a time of high idealism in France. Saionji arrived in France with highly reactionary views but he was influenced by Acollas (a former member of the League of Peace and Freedom) and became the most liberal of Japanese major political figures of his generation. When the Iwakura Mission visited Paris in 1872, Iwakura was quite worried about the radicalism of Saionji and other Japanese students. He made many acquaintances in France, including Franz Liszt, the Goncourt brothers, and fellow Sorbonne student Georges Clemenceau.  On his return to Japan, he founded the Ritsumeikan University in 1869 and Meiji Law School, which later evolved into Meiji University in 1880.  In 1882, Itō Hirobumi visited Europe in order to research the constitutional systems of each major European country, and he asked Saionji to accompany him, as they knew each other very well. After the trip, he was appointed ambassador to Austria-Hungary, and later to Germany and Belgium.

Political career.

Returning to Japan, Saionji joined the Privy Council, and served as vice president of the House of Peers. He also served as Minister of Education in the 2nd and 3rd Itō administrations (1894–1896, 1898) and 2nd Matsukata administration. During his tenure, he strove to improve the quality of the educational curriculum towards an international (i.e. western) standard.  In 1900, Itō founded the "Rikken Seiyūkai" political party, and Saionji joined as one of the first members. Due to his experiences in Europe, Saionji had a liberal political point of view and supported parliamentary government. He was one of the few early politicians who claimed that the majority party in parliament had to be the basis for forming a cabinet.  Saionji became president of the Privy Council in August 1900, and president of the "Rikken Seiyūkai" in 1903.

Prime minister.

From 7 January 1906, to 14 July 1908, and again from 30 August 1911, to 21 December 1912, Saionji served as Prime Minister of Japan.  Both his ministries were marked by continuing tension between Saionji and the powerful arch-conservative genrō, Field Marshal Yamagata Aritomo. Saionji and Itō saw political parties as a useful part of the machinery of government; Yamagata looked on political parties and all democratic institutions as quarrelsome, corrupt, and irrational.  Saionji had to struggle with the national budget with many demands and finite resources, Yamagata sought ceaselessly the greatest expansion of the army. Saionji's first cabinet was brought down in 1908 by conservatives led by Yamagata who were alarmed at the growth of socialism, who felt the government's suppression of socialists (after a parade and riots) had been insufficiently forceful.  The fall of Saionji's second cabinet was a major reverse to constitutional government. The Taishō Crisis (so named for the newly enthroned emperor) erupted in late November 1912, out of the continuing bitter dispute over the military budget. The army minister, General Uehara, unable to get the cabinet to agree on the army's demands, resigned. Saionji sought to replace Uehara.  A Japanese law (intended to give added power to the army and navy) required that the army minister must be a lieutenant general or general on active duty. All of the eligible generals, on Yamagata's instruction, refused to serve in Saionji's cabinet. The cabinet was then forced to resign. The precedent had been established that the army could force the resignation of a cabinet.  Saionji's political philosophy was heavily influenced by his background; he believed the Imperial Court should be guarded and that it should not participate directly in politics: the same strategy employed by noblemen and the Court in Kyoto for hundreds of years. This was another point in which he was opposed by nationalists in the Army, who wished for the Emperor to participate in Japanese politics directly and thus weaken both parliament and the cabinet. Nationalists also accused him of being a "globalist".

Elder statesman.

Saionji was appointed a "genrō" in 1913. The role of the "genrō" at this time was diminishing; their main function was to choose the prime ministers – formally, to nominate candidates for Prime Minister to the Emperor for approval, but no Emperor ever rejected their advice. From the death of Matsukata Masayoshi in 1924, Saionji was the sole surviving "genrō". He exercised his prerogative of naming the prime ministers very nearly until his death in 1940 at the age of 91. Saionji, when he could, chose as prime minister the president of the majority party in the Diet, but his power was always constrained by the necessity of at least the tacit consent of the army and navy. He could choose political leaders only when they might be strong enough to form an effective government. He nominated military men and non-party politicians when he felt necessary.  In 1919, Saionji led the Japanese delegation at the Paris Peace Conference, though his role was largely symbolic due to ill health. Nevertheless, he proposed that racial equality should be legally enshrined as one of the basic tenets of the newly formed League of Nations, but both the USA and Great Britain opposed his proposal and prompted its rejection from the delegates, very likely because of the destabilizing effects it would have wreaked upon their respective racially-segregated societies. Saionji, a never-married man of 70, was accompanied to Paris by his son, his favorite daughter, and his current mistress. In 1920, he was given the title "kōshaku" (, Prince) as an honor for a life in public service.  He was detested by the militarists and was on the list of those to be assassinated in the attempted coup of February 26, 1936. Upon receiving news of the mutiny, Saionji fled in his car but was pursued for a great distance by a suspicious vehicle that he and his companions assumed held soldiers bent on his murder. In actuality, it held newspaper reporters.  For much of his career, Saionji tried to diminish the influence of the Imperial Japanese Army in political issues. He was one of the most liberal of Emperor Hirohito's advisors, and favored friendly relations with Great Britain and the United States. However, he was careful to pick his battles, and would concede defeat when he knew he could not win (e.g. his inability to prevent the Tripartite Pact).

Honours.

"From the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia"

Prince was a Japanese politician, statesman and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He was elevated from marquis to prince in 1920. As the last surviving member of Japan's "genrō," he was the nation's most influential statesman from the mid-1920s to the early 1930s.

Saionji Kinmochi (西園寺 公望), né le à Kyōto et mort le, est un homme d'État japonais qui fut notamment deux fois Premier ministre du Japon.


History.

The church was probably founded during the 10th century when the city of Caen began its first significant growth. It is mentioned for the first time in the charters granted by William the Conqueror to the two abbeys of Caen under the name of "sanctus Stephanus Vetus" in around 1067. The qualifier "old" distinguishes it from the church of the Abbey of Saint-Étienne, Caen (the "Abbaye aux Hommes"), under construction from the 11th century.  Because of its exposed position along the ramparts of the city, the church was badly damaged during the Hundred Years' War, particularly during the Siege of Caen in 1417. It was reconstructed during and after the English occupation. The octagonal lantern tower dates from this time.  The parish was part of the deanery of Caen in the former diocese of Bayeux.  The church was decommissioned in 1793, and not reinstated for worship in 1802, when the former abbey church took over the role of parish church. Poorly maintained, the church soon began to fall into ruin. It was registered in 1840 as a "monument historique", but closed to the public in 1844 because of its state of decay. Threatened with demolition, it was saved at the very last minute thanks to the action of Arcisse de Caumont and Antoine Charma. The Society of Antiquaries of Normandy envisaged using the church for the installation of its collections, but the Museum of the Antiquaries of Normandy ("Musée des antiquaires de Normandie") was finally housed in the former Collège du Mont located nearby. The city authorities used the church to store architectural fragments until their transfer to the museum in 1926.  In 1944, it was hit by a shell aimed at a column of German tanks which was parked in the vicinity. The nave was largely destroyed. Since that time the church has not been the object of restoration work and in its state of disrepair is not open to the public.

The Church of Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux ("Old Saint Stephen's") is a former Roman Catholic church, today partly ruined, located in the old city of Caen, Calvados, France. It is not to be confused with the nearby Church of Saint-Étienne, the former church of the Abbaye aux Hommes. This church has been classified as a "monument historique" since August 22, 1903.

L'église Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux est une ancienne église, aujourd'hui en partie ruinée, située dans le centre-ville ancien de Caen. Elle ne doit pas être confondue avec l'église Saint-Étienne (ancienne abbatiale de l'abbaye aux Hommes) située à proximité.


Geography.

There are two separate areas within the ecoregion: the western side of Madagascar from the Ampasindava peninsula in the north to Belo-sur-Tsiribihina and Maromandia in the south (this is most of Mahajanga Province); and the northern tip of the island (apart from the high areas of Amber Mountain). Geological substrate is varied and includes the tsingy limestone massifs.  These dry deciduous forests span the coastal plain with its limestone plateaus emanating virtually at sea level to higher altitudes to roughly. The area includes wetlands and grasslands (mostly created by forest clearance for agriculture) as well as dry forests characterized by a deciduous canopy extending to a height of.  Climate is tropical, with summer daytime temperatures commonly exceeding, and a wet season between October and April. Rainfall, ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 mm, is more abundant than in the spiny thickets and succulent woodlands, but lower than in the eastern lowland rainforests.

Flora.

While the absolute number of plant species is lower than in the eastern rainforests of the island, the dry deciduous forests of Madagascar have a higher ratio of endemic species. Trees have adapted to the dry climate by shedding leaves in the dry winter season to limit evapotranspiration. Moreover, some species like baobabs and "Moringa" have adapted by evolving the ability to store copious water in their large bulbous trunks. Four species of baobabs, including three endemics ("Adansonia grandidieri", "A. madagascariensis" and "A. suarezensis") occur in this ecoregion. Other notable tree species include flamboyant tree ("Delonix regia"), "Pachypodium" species, and several Fabaceae and Rubiaceae. Forest understory plants include "Lissochilus" orchids such as Oeceoclades calcarata, a large, cool growing, showy, terrestrial orchid which grows at medium elevation (1000 to 2000 meters) in western Madagascar. Its habitat is semi-arid and it is found growing in sandy or rocky soils in dry moss and lichen forests.

Fauna.

One characteristic in common with other tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests is the presence of relatively high densities of mammalian biomass. Several of Madagascar's characteristic lemur species are found here including the fat-tailed dwarf lemur, five subspecies of "Propithecus", three species of "Lepilemur", and five species of "Microcebus". Endemic mammals include three endangered species, golden-crowned sifaka ("Propithecus tattersalli") and Perrier's sifaka ("Propithecus diadema perrieri") and western forest rat ("Nesomys lambertoni") as well as mongoose lemur ("Eulemur mongoz"), golden-brown mouse lemur ("Microcebus ravelobensis"), northern rufous mouse lemur ("M. tavaratra"), pygmy mouse lemur ("M. myoxinus"), Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur ("Lepilemur edwardsi"), and greater big-footed mouse ("Macrotarsomys ingens"). As well as lemurs the dry forests are home to the island's largest predator, the fossa ("Cryptoprocta ferox") and some smaller carnivorans.  The lakes and rivers of the dry forest region are homes to most of Madagascar's bird species. Among reptiles, many chameleon and gecko species occur here, as well as the Madagascar sideneck turtle and the critically endangered ploughshare tortoise.

Threats and conservation.

Most dry forests have already been destroyed by human action, especially near the Central Highlands. The remaining forest is severely fragmented. Burning, grazing, and logging are the major threats, and siltation, overfishing and invasive species impact the wetlands. Some species such as lemurs suffer from hunting.  Protected areas of dry deciduous forest include:

Particular localities.

Ankarana Special Reserve.

The Ankarana Massif consists of a limestone shelf which imposes a picturesque land-form on the few adventurers who find this remote forest. As the limestone has weathered over geologic time, this karst formation often exhibits spiry pinnacles, called "tsingy" locally. The name derives from the Malagasy word which means "walk on tiptoe", used by the earliest settlers from around 1500 years ago to describe the sharpness of the rugged limestone shelves. There are an abundance of limestone caves and virgin forests that shelter the diverse wildlife of the Ankarana region. In places the cave roofs have collapsed to form isolated forests and the vegetation of the gorges is also protected by the topography. Subterranean rivers provide a natural perennial irrigation system.  The Ankarana Special Reserve is one of the northernmost reaches of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests, and is very hot from December through March with this equatorial proximity. Access to wildlife viewing is through strenuous hiking, given the elevation differences, complex terrain and heat, but four-wheel drive vehicles can reach most of the actual campsites. Below the massif, and to the west, is a grassy savannah-with-palms that leads to the Indian Ocean. Within the massif, Lac Vert is found among tsingy formations.  Mammals found in this forest include the apex predator fossa ("Cryptoprocta ferox"), the fanaloka ("Fossa fossana"), northern ring-tailed mongoose and numerous bat species. Lemurs occurring here include the crowned lemur, northern sportive lemur, gray mouse lemur, Sanford's brown lemur and the aye-aye. Numerous geckos inhabit the reserve including the Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko, big-headed gecko and day gecko. Other local reptiles are the Madagascar ground boa, the white-lipped chameleon ("Furcifer minor") and Oustalet's chameleon, the world's largest chameleon, which can attain 68 centimetres in length.  Some bird species commonly seen are the hook-billed vanga, Madagascar pygmy kingfisher, crested coua, white-breasted mesite and Madagascar ibis. Raptors sighted in the reserve include the Madagascar harrier-hawk and the Madagascar scops owl. Other avafauna occurring here include red-capped coua and Coquerel's coua, and the vangas Van Dam's vanga, rufous vanga and sickle-billed vanga. Vangas are significant in Madagascar, as 15 of the 16 vanga species are endemic to Madagascar. The greater vasa parrot and Madagascar green pigeon are also indigenous. An important endangered species, the Madagascar fish eagle, has a number of breeding pairs located in the Ankarana Reserve.

Anjajavy Forest.

Anjajavy Forest is an example of a purely lowland dry deciduous forest in northwest Madagascar. It is punctuated with numerous tsingy outcroppings and limestone karst caves, and in many locations abuts the Indian Ocean, especially where the dramatic tsingy formations jut out into the ocean. The canopy height is typically 15 to 25 meters high, and is at its lowest at the coastal verge, where growth may be impeded by saline rocky soils. The forest resides on a small peninsula of land poking into the Indian Ocean, that is bounded on the north and part of its eastern extent by the Bay of Narinda and on the south by the Bay of Majajamba. Access to this forest is difficult since there are no roads connecting this peninsula to the Madagascar highway system; however, arrival by sea and by air are accomplished with some effort.  In many places at the ocean edge as well as forest interior, several tree species are capable of taking root directly in the tsingy rocks. Several species of baobab and tamarind are among the tallest species forming the canopy. Considering the lower precipitation rates on the west coast (about 1,300 mm per annum at Anjajavy Forest), the vegetation is surprisingly verdant in the beginning of the dry season, but eventually will become mostly leafless by late winter. The forest understory is moderately dense but not impenetrable. Nor is the understory heavily thorned in most locations.  The Anjajavy Forest is named for a kind of "Salvadora" species, the "jajavy" tree, which might be endemic only to the forest itself. Abundant diurnal lemurs that are found here include the Coquerel's sifaka and the common brown lemur. Three nocturnal species of mouse lemur are seen, but their precise species are yet to be documented. A large variety of birds are present including the endangered Madagascar fish eagle, which has four (of the approximately 99 known) breeding pairs resident in Anjajavy Forest. Other birdlife present are the sacred ibis, crested coua, kingfishers and Madagascar wagtail. Butterflies include the magpie crow. Numerous lizards, chameleons and snakes populate the forest and are easily seen from the sparse trail network.  The dry forest is invaded by fingers of mangrove swamp in the form of riparian zones at several small coastal estuaries at the western verge of the Anjajavy Forest, where small tidal streams flow into the Indian Ocean. The species of the mangrove swamps are, of course, totally different from the dry forest, and the transition zone supports an interesting ecotone, providing unusual niches for several species of animals.

The Madagascar dry deciduous forests represent a tropical dry forest ecoregion situated in the western and northern part of Madagascar. The area has high numbers of endemic plant and animal species but has suffered large-scale clearance for agriculture. They are among the world's richest and most distinctive dry forests and included in the Global 200 ecoregions by the World Wide Fund. The area is also home to distinctive limestone karst formations known as tsingy, including the World Heritage Site of Bemaraha.

Les forêts décidues sèches de Madagascar forment une écorégion terrestre de forêts tropicales sèches situées dans la partie occidentale de Madagascar. Ces biotopes abritent un grand nombre d'espèces de plantes et d'animaux endémiques, mais a subi un déboisement massif à cause de l'agriculture. Ce processus est en cours et c'est pourquoi le WWF a placé ces forêts parmi les écorégions du Global 200, regroupant les régions les plus cruciales au monde pour la conservation de la nature. La zone du lac Manambolomaty en particulier est le foyer de nombreuses espèces de poissons et d'oiseaux. La zone abrite aussi les formations karstiques et de calcaire distinctives appelées "tsingy", dont le site du patrimoine mondial de la réserve naturelle intégrale du Tsingy de Bemaraha.