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LEFT NICABAGUA 458 NICENE CREED signed in Washington, Feb. 5, 1900, by Secretary Hay, representing the United States, and Lord Pauncefote, represent- ing Great Britain, in which that provi- sion of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty pro- viding for a joint control of any canal across the isthmus was annulled. This convention was ratified by the United States Senate, Dec. 20, 1900, but it failed to meet the approval of the British Gov- ernment owing to amendments made by the United States Senate. On Nov. 18, 1901, a second convention was signed in Washington by Secretary Hay and Lord Pauncefote; was submitted to the United States Senate for ratification Dec. 4, and v/as ratified by a vote of 72 to 6 on the 16th following. NICARAGITA, LAKE OF, an extensive sheet of water in the republic of the same name; area, about 3,000 square miles; depth, 10 to 260 feet; length, 110 miles N. W. to S. E.; greatest breadth, 40 miles; mean breadth, 30 miles; 110 feet above the Pacific, from which it is separated by a strip of land 12 miles wide. The San Juan de Nicaragua river flows from its S. E. extremity into the Caribbean Sea, and at its N. W. extrem- ity it is connected with the smaller Lake of Managua or Leon by the Tipitapa river. Steamers ply on it, as it forms a link in the traffic route across the isth- mus of Central America. There are hun- dreds of islands, the largest, Ometepe, having two active volcanoes. NICE, or NIC-ffiA, in ancient geogra- phy, a city of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, 6n the E. shore of Lake Ascania. Antigo- nus rebuilt it 316 B. C, and named it Antigonea; but Lysimachus, having con- quered this part of Asia, changed its name to Nicaea, in honor of his wife. It became a city of great importance. The celebrated Council of Nicaea, the first general council, was convened there A. D. 325, by the Emperor Constantine, in or- der to settle differences that had arisen in respect to the doctrines of Arius. This council was attended by upward of 300 bishops, of whom a great majority came from the East, besides presbyters, deacons, and others from all parts of the Christian world. The chief question was the Arian heresy; and the council decreed the excommunication of Arius (see Arian). The confession of faith adopted by this council is known as the NiCENE Creed (q. v.). The 2d council of Nice, recognized oecumenic council of the Roman Catholics, assembled in 786 under the authority of Pope Adrian I. by the desire of Empress Irene. The bish- ops declared the veneration of images and the cross to be agreeable to sacred Scripture and reason, and to the teach- ings of the Church. NICE (Italian Nizza), capital of the department of Alpes Maritimes, France, on the coast, 140 miles E. by N. of Mar- seilles and 110 S. W. of Genoa. On the N. of the city the hills rise in terraces and shield it from the cold winds. On the S. it faces the sea, which tempers the heat in summer. Owing to the ad- vantages of its situation, Nice has for many long years been celebrated as a winter resort for invalids; the number of visitors is estimated from 15,000 to 40,000. The mean temperature of win- ter is 49° F., of summer 72°. Frost occurs but seldom. The city consists of three parts — the New Town on the W., the Old Town, and the Port on the E. The first of these is the part frequented by foreigners. Beautiful promenades stretch along the seashore, and are over- looked by villas and hotels. The most famous of these is the Promenade des Anglais. Numerous bridges across the little river Faglione (Paillon) connect the New Town with the Old or Upper Town. This part, with narrow streets, clusters at the foot of a rocky height, the Castle Hill; on the other (E.) side of this hill is the harbor, called Lympia. The Castle Hill is an isolated mass of limestone 318 feet high, formerly crowned by a strong castle, now in ruins, and is laid out in public gardens. The chief public buildings are the cathe- dral, the Gothic church of Notre Dame, the natural history museum, art gallery, library, observatory, casino, etc. The people manufacture artistic pottery, per- fumery, and Italian pastes, grow flow- ers and fruits, the last of which they preserve, and produce inlay work in olive wood, in some of which a consider- able export trade is carried on. The an- nual flower carnival attracts pleasure seekers from all parts of the world. The ancient Ligurian town of Nicasa, founded by a colony of Phocaeans from Massalia (Marseilles), became subject to Rome in the 2d century B. C. It was in the hands of the Saracens during the greater part of the 10th century. Then, after existing as an independent city, it acknowledged the supremacy of the Counts of Provence and the House of Savoy (1388). From 1600 onward it was repeatedly taken by the French ; and they kept possession of it from 1792 to 1814. In 1860 it was ceded to France by Sardinia (Savoy). Massena was born near the city, and Garibaldi in it. Pop. about 150,000. NICENE CREED, properly the CoN- STANTINOPOLITAN - NiCENE CREED, the