an island near the coast of China, in the East- ern Seas, thirty miles in circumference, about two miles and a half from the continent. Long. 119. 19. E. Lat. 34. 35. N. Z

ZAM

Z, the twenty-fifth and last letter, and the nineteenth consonant, of our alphabet; the sound of which is formed by a motion of the tongue from the palate downwards and upwards to it again, with a shutting and opening of the teeth at the same time. This letter has been reputed a double-consonant, having the sound ds; but, some think, with very little reason; and, as if we thought otherwise, we often double it, as in puzzle, muzzle, &c. Among the ancients, Z was a numeral letter, signifying 2000; and with a dash over it thus, Z, signified 2000 times 2000, or 4,000,000.

In abbreviations this letter formerly stood as a mark for several sorts of weights: sometimes it signified an ounce and a half, and very frequently it stood for half an ounce; sometimes for the eighth part of an ounce, or a dram troy weight; and it has in earlier times been used to express the third part of an ounce, or eight scruples. ZZ were used by some of the ancient physicians to express myrrh, and at present they are often used to signify zinzibier or ginger.