ACRE, ST. JEAN D’--anciently _Ptolemais_. This city was taken by Richard I and other Crusaders in 1192, after a siege of two years, with the loss of 6 archbishops, 12 bishops, 40 earls, 500 barons, and 300,000 soldiers. It was retaken by the Saracens, when 60,000 Christians perished, A.D. 1291. Acre was attacked by Bonaparte, in July, A.D. 1798, and was relieved by Sir Sidney Smith, who gallantly resisted twelve attempts during the memorable siege of the French, between March 1st, and May 27th, 1799, when, baffled by the British squadron on the water, and the Turks on shore, Bonaparte relinquished his object and retreated. St. Jean d’Acre is a pachalic, subject to the Porte, seized upon by Ibrahim Pacha, who had revolted, July 2nd, 1832. It became a point in the Syrian war in 1840. It was stormed by the British fleet under Sir Robert Stopford, and taken after a bombardment of a few hours--the Egyptians losing upwards of 2,000 in killed and wounded, and 3,000 prisoners; while the British had but 12 killed, and 42 wounded, November 3, 1840. ACTIUM.--This battle was fought September 2nd, B.C. 31, between the fleets of Octavianus Cæsar on the one side, and of Marc Antony and Cleopatra on the other. The victory of Octavianus which followed, procured him the name of Augustus, the Venerable, bestowed on him by the Senate, and the commencement of the Roman Empire is commonly dated from this year. ADRIANOPLE.--This battle, by which Constantine the Great procured the Roman Empire, was fought July 3rd, A.D. 323. Adrianople was afterwards taken by the Ottomans from the Greeks, in 1360, and continued to be the seat of the Turkish Empire till the capture of Constantinople in 1453. Mahomet II, one of the most distinguished of the Sultans, and the one who took Constantinople, was born here in 1430. Adrianople was taken by the Russians, who entered it, August 20th, 1829, but was restored to the Sultan at the close of the war, September 14th, the same year. ADJUTANT.--This name is given to the officer, generally a lieutenant, whose business it is to assist the superior officers, by receiving and communicating orders. ADMIRAL.--This, the highest title in the navy, does not appear to have been adopted till about 1300. This title was first given in England to William de Leybourne, by Edward I, in 1297. The first Lord High Admiral of England was created by Richard II in 1388. It is an office which has seldom been trusted to single hands. Prince George of Denmark, consort to Queen Anne, was Lord High Admiral in her reign. Since that time (1708) the duties were uninterruptedly executed by Lords Commissioners until 1827, when the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV, was appointed. He resigned August 12th, 1828, and the office has ever since been vested in the Lords of the Admiralty.