A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer / Comprising ancient and modern military technical terms, historical accounts of all North American Indians, as well as ancient warlike tribes; also notices of battles from the earliest period to the present time, with a concise explanation of terms used in heraldry and the offices thereof. The work also gives valuable geographical information. Compiled from the best authorities of all nations. With an appendix containing the Articles of war, etc.

by Thomas Wilhelm

Kutchin. A family of Alaska Indians, which is divided into a number of petty tribes, who occupy the valley of the Yukon River.

Kyanizing. A process for preserving timber from decay,—so named from the inventor Kyan. The process consists in saturating the wood with a solution of corrosive sublimate.

Kythul. A town of India, and the capital of a district of the same name. The district fell into the possession of the British in 1843, from the failure of heirs to the last rajah.

L.

Labarum. A military standard of the Roman empire. It consisted of a long lance crossed at right angles near the top by a staff, from which hung a small flag or streamer of purple cloth inwrought with gold and precious stones, and bearing the effigy of the emperor. Constantine the Great, when he embraced Christianity, substituted for that device a crown, a cross, and the initial letters of the name of Christ, and made it the imperial standard.

Labeates. A warlike people in Dalmatia, whose chief town was Scodra, and in whose territory was the Labeatis Palus (now Lake of Scutari), through which the river Barbana (now Bogana) runs.

Label, Lambel, or File. In heraldry, is the mark of cadency which distinguishes the eldest son in his father’s lifetime. It consists of a horizontal stripe or fillet, with three points depending from it. When the mark of cadency itself is designated a file, its points are called labels.

Labicum, Labici, Lavicum, Lavici (now Colonna). An ancient town in Latium, on one of the hills of the Alban Mountain, 15 miles southeast from Rome. It was an ally of the Æqui; taken and colonized by the Romans, 418 B.C.

Laboratory. A department which is intrusted with the manufacture of combustible and other substances for military purposes, such as blank and ball cartridges for small-arms, cartridges for every description of ordnance, rockets, and all stores of similar character. This department is likewise intrusted with the conservation, packing, restoring, and supply of all gunpowder to the several military and naval departments, and in the British service is under the management of officers of the royal artillery especially appointed to that duty; in the U. S. service it is under the officers of the ordnance department. In the latter service officers of artillery, as well as non-commissioned officers and privates, are instructed at the artillery school, Fort Monroe, Va., in laboratory duties, and carefully taught the manipulation and manufacture of laboratory stores. At the West Point Military Academy, the cadets are thoroughly instructed in the above duties, as are also the naval cadets at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. In the British service officers of artillery, as well as non-commissioned officers and gunners, are instructed in laboratory duties. Officers and non-commissioned officers of artillery in Germany, France, and Austria are required to possess a knowledge of the manufacture and care of laboratory stores.