later (1838) at the theatre of Modena a bass clarinet by P. Maino of Milan,
differing in construction from the Sax model, was independently introduced
into the orchestra.[7] Wagner employed the bass clarinet in Bb and C in
_Tristan und Isolde_,[8] where at the end of Act II. it is used with great
effect to characterize the reproachful utterance of King Mark, thus:

[Illustration]

etc.

(K. S.)

[1] See Captain C. R. Day, _Descriptive Catalogue_ (London, 1891), No. 266,
p. 125.

[2] See Victor Mahillon, _Catalogue descriptif_, vol. ii. (1896), pp.
224-226, No. 940.

[3] See Captain C. R. Day, _op. cit_. p. 123, pl. v. B. and p. 123, No.
262.

[4] See Dr Schafhaeutl's report on the Munich exhibition, _Bericht der
Beurtheilungscommission fuer Musikinstrumente_ (Munich, 1855), P. 153.

[5] See _Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung_ (Leipzig, 1834), Bd. xxxvi.
March, p. 193.

[6] See Wilhelm Altenburg, _Die Klarinette_ (Heilbronn, 1904-1905), p. 33.

[7] See W. Altenburg, _op. cit._ p. 34.

[8] Orchestral score, p. 284.

BASSEIN, a district and town in the Irrawaddy division of Lower Burma, in
the delta of the Irrawaddy. The district has been reduced to 4127 sq. m.,
from 8954 sq. m. in 1871, having given up a large tract to the district of
Myaungmya formed in 1896.

A mountain range called the Anauk-pet Taungmyin stretches through the
district from N. to S. along the coast. The principal river of the district
is the Irrawaddy, which debouches on the sea at its eastern extremity
through a delta intersected with salt water creeks, among which the
Pyamalaw, Pyinzalu, Kyunton, and Ngawun Shagegyi or Bassein river rank as
important arms of the sea. Irrawaddy and Inyegyi are the only two lakes in
the district. The delta of the Irrawaddy forms, wherever cultivable, a vast
sheet of rice, with cotton, sesamum, and tobacco as subsidiary crops. In
1901 the population was 391,427.

BASSEIN, the chief town and port, is the capital of the district and
division, and is situated on the eastern bank of the Bassein river, one of
the main arteries by which the waters of the Irrawaddy discharge themselves
into the sea. It forms an important seat of the rice trade with several
steam rice mills, and has great capabilities both from a mercantile and a
military point of view, as it commands the great outlet of the Irrawaddy.
It fell before the British arms, in May 1852, during the second Burmese
war. In 1901 it had a population of 31