De Wet, Christian Rudolf, Boer general, born 1854 in the Orange Free State. His father removing into the Transvaal, he fought as a field-cornet at Majuba. As member of the Volksraad (1889-97) he helped to draw the two Dutch republics together, and in the South African War commanded first in Natal, and then in the west under Cronje, whose rescue at Paardeberg he attempted, but unsuccessfully. After March, 1900, he distinguished himself by his attacks on the British lines of communication, and by his skill in evading capture. He became commander-in-chief of the Free State forces, and was the only undefeated Boer general at the end of the war, after which he, with Louis Botha and Delarey, came to Europe to collect funds for his countrymen. A member of the Legislative Assembly and Minister of Agriculture, Orange Free State, from 1907 to 1914, he joined the rebellion at the outbreak of the European War. Captured at Waterburg on 1st Dec., he was sentenced to a fine of £2000 and six years' imprisonment, but was soon released. He published The Three Years' War in 1902.
Dewey, George, American naval officer, born at Montpellier, Vermont, 26th Dec., 1837, died 16th Jan., 1917. He began active service in the Mediterranean squadron, and in 1862, under Farragut, he was present at the passage of Forts Jackson and St. Philip. Lieutenant-commander in 1865, commander in 1872, he was in command of the Asiatic squadron in 1898, when he destroyed the Spanish fleet at Manila on 1st May. He was made Admiral of the Navy and was thanked by Congress. From 1900 till his death he was President of the General Board of the Navy.
Dewey, John, American philosopher and psychologist, born at Burlington, Vermont, 20th Oct., 1859. Educated at the University of Vermont, he received his Ph.D. degree from Johns Hopkins University. Professor of philosophy at the Universities of Minnesota, Michigan, and Chicago, where he was also director of the School of Education, he became professor of philosophy at Columbia University in 1904. He is one of the two (William James being the other) American leaders of pragmatism, a philosophical conception according to which questions that have no bearing on experience and on life have no significance whatever, and are meaningless. (See Pragmatism.) His works include: Outlines of a Critical Theory of Ethics (1881), Study of Ethics (1894), My Pedagogical Creed (1897), The School and Society (1900), Studies in Logical Theory (1903), How we Think (1909), Interest and Effort in Education (1913), Democracy and Education (1916), Letters from China and Japan (1920).
De Wint, Peter, English landscape painter in water-colours, born 1784, died 1849. He studied in the schools of the Royal Academy, where he occasionally exhibited; but most of his pictures were shown in the exhibitions of the Water-colour Society. English scenery was his favourite subject. He occasionally painted in oil with marked success. Several of his pictures are in the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
De Witt, Jan, Grand-Pensionary of Holland, celebrated as a statesman and for his tragical end, was the son of Jacob de Witt, burgomaster of Dort, and was born in 1625. He became the leader of the political party opposed to the Prince of Orange, and in 1652, two years after the death of William II, was made Grand-Pensionary. In 1665 the war with England was renewed, and conducted by De Witt with great ability till its termination in 1665. In 1672 Louis XIV invaded the Spanish Netherlands and involved Holland in war. De Witt's popularity, already on the decline, suffered still further in the troubles thus occasioned, and he felt it necessary to resign his office of Grand-Pensionary. At this time his brother Cornelius, who had been tried and put to torture for conspiring against the life of the young Prince of Orange, lay in prison. Jan de Witt went to visit him, when a tumult suddenly arose amongst the people, and both brothers were murdered, 20th Aug., 1672. De Witt was a man of high character, simple and modest in all his relations.—Cf. Motley, History of the United Netherlands.
Dew-point, the temperature at which the air is saturated with the water-vapour which it contains. If the temperature of the air falls to the dew-point, dew is deposited. The dew-point is determined by means of an instrument called a hygrometer. When the air is 'dry', the dew-point is low, and evaporation proceeds rapidly, whilst a 'moist' atmosphere is one whose temperature is near the dew-point, and in which evaporation takes place slowly.
Dewsbury, a town, England, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and 30 miles south-west of the town of York, chiefly engaged in the manufacture of heavy woollen cloths, including blankets, carpets, rugs, flannels, and baizes. In 1862 it was made a municipal borough; in 1867 a parliamentary borough, returning one member. Pop. of municipal borough, 53,351.
A, Dexter chief point.