30 m. E.
of Liverpool, the centre of the English cotton manufacturing district,
with many other textile and related industries, is an ancient, rich, and
prosperous city; it has many fine buildings, including a Gothic Town Hall
and Assize Court-House by Waterhouse; there is a picture-gallery,
philosophic and other institutions, and technical school; Owens College
is the nucleus of Victoria University; the substitution of steam for hand
power began here about 1750; the industrial struggles in the beginning of
the 19th century were severe, and included the famous "Peterloo
massacre"; the Anti-Corn-Law League originated in Manchester, and
Manchester has given its name to a school of Liberal politicians
identified with the advocacy of peace abroad, free trade, no government
interference with industry, and _laissez-faire_ principles at home; the
Bridgewater Canal 1762, the railway 1830, and the Ship Canal to the mouth
of the Mersey 1894, mark steps in the city's progress; since 1888
Manchester with Salford (198), on the opposite bank of the Irwell, have
formed a county.

MANCHESTER, EDWARD MONTAGU, EARL OF, English statesman and general,
eldest son of the first earl; sided with the Parliament in the Civil War,
and commanded in the army, but was censured by Cromwell for his slackness
at Newbury, which he afterwards resented by opposing the policy of the
Protector; he contributed to the restoration of Charles II., and was in
consequence made Lord Chamberlain (1602-1671).

MANCHURIA (21,000), a Chinese province lying between Mongolia and
Corea, with the Amur River on the N. and the Yellow Sea on the S., is
five times the size of England and Wales; the northern, central, and
eastern parts are mountainous; the Sungari is the largest river; the soil
is fertile, producing large crops of millet, maize, hemp, &c., but the
climate in winter is severe; pine forests abound; the country is rich in
gold, silver, coal, and iron, but they are little wrought; beans, silk,
skins and furs are exported; the imports include textiles, metals, paper,
and opium; the Manchus are the aristocracy of the province; Chinese
settlers are industrious and prosperous; the chief towns are Moukden
(250) in the S., Kirin (75) on the Sungari, and New-Chwang (60) on the
Liao River, a treaty-port since 1858; Russian influence predominates in
the province since 1890.

MANDAEANS, a community found working as skilled artisans in the
Persian province of Khuzi