Read
York (1905); Tom and
(1910)} The New Mr.
Raymond	^	3937
Rear Admiral Schley won a high reputation
for his knowledge of admiralty law. From
1905 until his death he was United States
Senator.
Rayon, a synthetic fibre and the fabric
woven from it. After the curtailment of silk
supplies from Japan (July, 1941), rayon be-
came the textile fibre of tlie day. See p. 4067.
Razorbill (Alca torda), a marine bird of
the auk family, found along the North Atlan-
tic coasts throughout the year.
Razors, sharp instruments used to remove
hair from the face or other parts of the body,
in use since early in the world's history, as is
evidenced by wall paintings of ancient Egypt.
The razors of that time were probably made
of bronze. Today razor blades are made of
fine crucible steel.
Razorshell, or Razorclam (Solen}, a ge-
nus of bivalve mollusks, whose members
burrow in sand, and are widely distributed
throughout the world, being absent only from
Arctic seas.
Rea, Samuel (1855-1929), American rail-
road man, was born in Hollidaysburg, Pa.
He was in charge of the construction of the
New York tunnel extension and station of
the Pennsylvania Railroad in New York City.
In 1913 he became president of the Pennsyl-
vania system.
Read, George (1733-98), American pa-
triot, signer of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, was born in Cecil co., Md. He was
vice-president and for a time acting-president
of Delaware, was one of the commissioners
chosen to settle the boundary dispute be-
tween New York and Massachusetts; was a
United States senator during 1789-93, and
was chief- justice of Delaware from 1793 un-
til his death.
Read, Nathan (1759-1849), American in*
ventor, in 1788 began experiments with steam
engines with a view to adapting them to the
propulsion of boats and carriages. He inven-
ted a successful multitubular boiler in 1789.
Read, Opie Percival (1852-1939), Ameri-
can author, was born in Nashville, Tenn. He
received a public school education and in
1878 became editor of the Arkansas Gazette.
In 1883 he established the Arkansaw Travel-
ler, a humorous sheet that for ten years was
widely quoted. After 1891 he was engaged in
literary work in Chicago. His publications in-
clude: A Kentucky Colonel (1898) ; A Yan-
kee from the West (1899) 5 The Wives of the
Prophet (1900) ; The Starbucks (1902) ; An
National Academy of Sciences, of which Lord
RayMtfh whs ;i member, In* was awarded the
Barnard medal by Columbia College, in 1895,
'for meritorious service to science.^1 In Decem-
ber 1904, he was awarded (he Nobel prize
for physics.
Raymond, Andrew Van Vranken (1854-
1918), American clergyman and educator, was
born in Visscher's Kerry, N. Y., and was
pastor of Reformed and Presbyterian
churches in New Jersey and New York from
1878 until 1X04. He was president of Union
College from 1804 to 10.07, nnd pastor of the
First Presbyterian Churrh, Buffalo, from
1907 to 1918.
Raymond, Henry Jarvis (1820-69), Am-
erican journalist and politician, became an
assistant editor under Greeley when the latter
founded the Tribune. In 1851 he founded the
New York 7Y/WA as a strong anti-slavery or-
gan. In 1854 he served in the Stale assembly
and was elected lieutenant-governor of the
State. He was a member and a leading spirit
in the first national convention of the new
Republican parly, and drafted the note-
worthy Address to the People.
Raymond, John Howard (1814-78), Am-
erican educator, was born in New York City,
became professor of belles-lettres in Roches-
ter University, and in iKs;6 organized the
Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Insti-
tute, He was organizer and president of Vas-
sar College from 1865 until his death.
Raymond, Rossitcr Worthmgton (1840-
tgr8),'American mining engineer, was pres-
ident of the American Institute of Mining
Engineers (1872-.!) and its secretary (1884-
1911), IT. S. commissioner to the interna-
tional exhibition sit Vienna (1^73), and New
York State commissioner of electrical sub-
ways for Brooklyn (1885-8).
RaynaucTs Disease, or Symmetrical
Gangrene, so called from being first describ-
ed by Uaynnud, a French physician, in 1862.
It is generally more or less symmetrical, af-
fecting fingers or toes, or both, on both sides,
and perhaps spreading up the arms or legs,
It swms to h« encouraged in the first instance
by cold, exposure, or shock, acting on an un-
stable nervous system. It is frequently found
associated with oilier diseases of the nervous
system.
Rayner,
Isidor   (i#50*191 a),  American
ing as State representative
State senator (i88«?*7), ««
(1878-80) and
elected to
Congress (x8&6»92). lit* was attorney-general
of Maryland in 1899-1903, and as counsel for
American in New
the Squatter's
legislator, was born in Baltimore. After serv-