[Ba`laam], a Midianitish soothsayer; for the account of him see Num. xxii.-xxiv., and [Carlyle's] , essay on the "Corn-Law Rhymes" for its application to modern State councillors of the same time-serving type, and their probable fate.
[Balacla`va], a small port 6 m. SE. of Sebastopol, with a large land-locked basin; the head-quarters of the British during the Crimean war, and famous in the war, among other events, for the "Charge of the Six Hundred."
[Balance of power], preservation of the equilibrium existing among the States of Europe as a security of peace, for long an important consideration with European statesmen.
[Balance of trade], the difference in value between the exports and the imports of a country, and said to be in favour of the country whose exports exceed in value the imports in that respect.
[Balanoglos`sus], a worm-like marine animal, regarded by the zoologist as a possible connecting link between invertebrates and vertebrates.
[Balata], a vegetable gum used as a substitute for gutta-percha, being at once ductile and elastic; goes under the name of bully.
[Bal`aton, Lake], the largest lake in Hungary, 48 m. long, and 10 m. broad, 56 m. SW. of Pesth; slightly saline, and abounds in fish.
[Balbi, Adriano], a geographer of Italian descent, born at Venice, who composed in French a number of works bearing on geography (1782-1848).
[Balbo, Cæsare], an Italian statesmen and publicist, born at Turin; devoted his later years to literature; wrote a life of Dante; works in advocacy of Italian independence (1789-1853).
[Balbo`a. Vasco Nuñez de], a Castilian noble, established a settlement at Darien; discovered the Pacific; took possession of territory in the name of Spain; put to death by a new governor, from jealousy of the glory he had acquired and the consequent influence in the State (1475-1517).