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The Agricultural Wages Board was a British body with offices at Pall Mall, London, set up in 1917 to settle the wages of agricultural labourers in England and Wales under the Corn Production Act, which fixed a minimum wage of 25 shillings a week. As appointed by the Board of Agriculture and the Ministry of Labour, the Agricultural Wages Board consisted of equal numbers of employers and employees, with a certain leaven of disinterested persons. Of the 39 members, seven were nominated by the Board of Agriculture. Its duties were to fix wages and hours; to make, if necessary, rates of wages for piecework; and to grant permits for injured and infirm persons to be employed at lower wages. This being done it had to see that the proper wages were being paid.
The Agricultural Wages Board worked through district committees, formed from the same three classes. The country was divided into 39 areas, and each recommended the minimum rate of wages applicable to its area. The first chairman of the Agricultural Wages Board was Sir Ailwyn Fellowes.
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The aroura or arura was an ancient Greek measure of surface, equal to 21,904 English square feet, or 9 poles 106.3 feet.
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An arpent was a measure equal to 100 square perches.
The arpent was formerly a French measure for land, equal to five-sixths of an English acre; but it varied in different parts of France.
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Arroba was a Spanish unit of weight equal to about 25 lbs. It was also used in South and Central America, where it was equivalent to about 32 lbs.
The arroba was also a measure for wine, spirits, and oil, ranging from 2.75 gallons to about 10 gallons.
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The arschin was an old Chinese unit of measurement roughly equal to one metre (in the 18th century four arschin equalled three English yards).
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The As was a Roman weight of 12 ounces, answering to the libra or pound, and equal to 237.5 grains avoirdupois, or 327-1873 grammes, French measure. In the most ancient times of Rome the copper or bronze coin which was called as actually weighed an as, or a pound, but in 264 BC it was reduced to 2 oz., in 217 to 1 oz., and in 191 to 0.5 oz.
In politics, the balance of power is the theory that the strength of one group of powers on the European continent should be equal to the strength of the other group, thus preventing one group from becoming dominant. Britain's foreign policy in Europe before the Great War is often said to have been dictated by the wish to achieve a balance of power between the countries on the continent of Europe, and so prevent aggression and war.
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A barrel is a dry and liquid measurement that varies with substance. A barrel of beef or pork was equal to 200 lbs, a barrel of butter varied from 106 to 256 lbs, a barrel of flour from 196 to 228 lbs, a barrel of gunpowder was 100 lbs, a barrel of raisins was 112 lbs, a barrel of soft soap was 256 lbs, a barrel of candles in 1888 was equivalent to 120 lbs, a barrel of beer is two kilderkins or 36 gallons.
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A bicycle is a two wheeled vehicle driven by the riders feet pushing on cranks or pedals. A common misconception is that the earliest form of bicycle was the dandy-horse, which was pushed along by the rider's feet. However, while both the dandy-horse and the later bicycle are both velocipedes, the dandy-horse is not propelled by cranks.
The first bicycle was introduced to England from France in 1868, and comprised two solid wheels of equal size fitted to a frame, much like a modern bicycle in appearance, with a saddle fitted in the centre and propelled by cranks attached to the front wheel. This vehicle provided such a bumpy ride to the rider that it became popularly known as 'the bone-shaker'. Later came the Penny-Farthing with pedals fixed to the large front wheel which was made large to achieve high speeds. Later still, around 1895, came the safety bicycle with pedals driving the rear wheel by way of a chain, and the rider sitting upon a saddle set back from the front wheel so as to reduce the chances of falling forwards over the handlebars, from this developed the Raleigh bicycle design of 1900 which forms the basis of the modern bicycle. In 1888 the two-person tandem bicycle was invented.
In 1906 it was reported that speeds of 50 mph were attained on a bicycle. Around the same time, slightly earlier, the motorised bicycle (motorcycle or motorbike) was invented.
A typical bicycle is comprised of several parts. The principal and essential being: the frame, front forks, wheels, pedals, saddle, handlebars, chain and brakes. The largest part of the bicycle is the frame, and these vary in design depending upon the specialised intention of the bicycle.
A frame for a BMX bicycle being small, heavily braced and made of aluminium. The frame for BMX xyxling needs to be strong so as to endure the stresses of the bumpy ride, and the saddle low as competitors never sit down during a competition and as such they need space to sprint and jump with ease.
Cross-Country cycle frames are generally made of aluminium and carbon-fibre so as to be light weight. They are relatively small frames to allow quick and easy mounting and dismounting off road, and strong to endure off-road bumpy conditions. The smaller frames are often compensated for by having a longer seat post to allow a normal height saddle position.
The cycle speedway bicycle frame is designed primarily for strength, and as such is typically made from steel or aluminium.
Road racing bicycle frames are designed to be light and stiff. Traditionally they ewre made of steel, but by the start of the 21st century carbon fibre was being used for the more expensive models as this offered the same stiffness at reduced weight. The design of the tubes also developed over time, tubes becoming of a larger diameter, but thinner walls, to allow the same stiffness with reduced weight.
Bicycles are fitted with various types of brake, the most popular being the calliper, cantilever, hydraulic or disc and the V brake. The most common form of brake found on leisure bicycles, is that form used also on road racing bicycles. The calliper brake. Calliper brakes are a very efficient means of rim braking and basically comprise two blocks of rubber or plastic which are squeezed onto the wheel rim when the brake lever is squeezed by the ride.
Cantilever brakes operate on the same principal as calliper brakes, but are of a slightly different design at the wheel end, offering increased clearance between the tyre and the brake pads and as such are frequently employed for cyclo-cross bicycles and mountain bikes.
The most efficient form of rim brake is the V brake. The V brake also offers the most clearance of any rim braking system, and is most often found on mountain bikes.
Hydraulic or disc brakes are the most efficient and powerful form of bicycle brake. They use the wheel hub to brake, rather than the rim. Disc brakes offer the most clearance, and as such are used on mountain bikes, but are also expensive to fit and maintain.
Bicycle wheels are generally of one of three types. The most common and traitional bicycle wheel is the spoked wheel, comprising a rim connected to the central bub by a series of thin metal rods known as spokes. Spoked wheels are light in weight. Less common than spoked wheels, but offering greater strength and durability at the expense of weight are mag wheels which comprise a rim attached to the hub by a few, thick solid plastic bars. Solid wheels, also known as disc wheels, are made from composite material or carbon fibre are very strong, stiff, aerodynamic and very expensive. They are rarely used except as rear wheels in time-trialing and track racing.
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Boll was an old Scottish measure used for corn. A boll of wheat or beans was equal to 4 bushels, a boll of oats, barley or potatoes equal to 6 bushels. It was abolished by an act which came into force on January 1st 1879 replacing the boll and other local weights with imperial weights and measures.
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The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
©1993 - 2009 The Probert Encyclopaedia
Southampton, United Kingdom
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