Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/400

Rh 382 N E W N E W NEWCOMEN, THOMAS, one of the inventors of the steam-engine, was a native of Devonshire, and was born about the middle of the 17th century. While employed as an ironmonger in Dartmouth he corresponded with Kobert Hooke about the previous investigations of Papin and the marquis of Worcester as to the applicability of steam- power for the purpose of driving machinery, and in conjunc tion with Cawley, a glazier in Dartmouth, and Savary, the manager of a Cornish mine, he [obtained in 1705 a patent for a &quot; fire-engine,&quot; now known as the &quot; atmospheric steam-engine,&quot; which was the first piece of mechanism in which steam was used with practical success. He died about 1713. See STEAM-ENGIIST:. NEW ENGLAND is the north-eastern portion of the United States, comprising the six States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. It formed part of the territory of &quot;North Virginia &quot; granted by James I. to the Plymouth Company in 1606 ; and in 1614 the name of New England was be stowed upon it by Captain John Smith (1579-1631), whose Description of New England appeared at London in 1616. Plate V. NEWFOUNDLAND. This island, which is a British colony, lies off the eastern coast of North America, directly across the Gulf of St Lawrence. Its south-western ex tremity approaches within 50 miles of Cape Breton, while its most easterly projection is only 1640 miles from Valentia, on the coast of Ireland. It is situated between 46 36 50&quot; and 51 39 N. lat., and between 52 37 and 59 24 50&quot; W. long. Its greatest length, from Cape Ray to Cape Norman, is 317 miles; its greatest breadth, from Cape Spear to Cape Anguille, 316 miles; and the total area about 42,000 square miles. Its figure roughly approaches an equilateral triangle. Two large peninsulas project from the main body of the island. One of these (Petit Nord) points northwards, and is long and narrow. The other is the peninsula of Avalon, pointing south-east, and almost severed from the principal portion of the island, the connexion being a narrow isthmus, in one place but 3 miles in width. On the eastern side of the Avalon peninsula is situated St John s, the capital. Owing to its extensive frontage on the Atlantic, its numer ous good harbours, and its proximity to the Banks 1 and the smaller fishing grounds, Avalon is the most thickly populated and commercially important part of the island. Physical Features. The shores of Newfoundland present generally a rock-bound aspect when seen from the ocean, but the line of cliffs (200 to 300 feet in height) is broken by numerous magnificent bays, running in some instances 80 to 90 miles inland, and throwing out smaller arms in all directions, so that, though the circumference of the island, measuring from headland to headland, is about 1000 miles, the actual length of coast-line is more than 1 These Banks, which have played such an important part in the history of the colony, and are the chief source of its wealth, stretch for about 300 miles in a south-east direction towards the centre of the North Atlantic, and probably at one time formed a part of the North American continent. The depths range from 15 to 80 or 90 fathoms. The deposits consist of sand and gravel composed of ancient rocks, and fragments of quartz, mica, hornblende, felspars, and magnetite; along with these are many calcareous fragments of echinoderms, polyzoa, and many foraminifera. In the deeper parts there is sometimes a fine mud contaiuing the above-mentioned minerals and calcareous fragments, and in addition numerous frustules of diatoms. The Banks are swept by the cold Labrador current, and icebergs are frequently stranded upon them. The Gulf Stream passes over their southern portions. These two currents bear along many species of pelagic algte and animals, which supply abundant food to the myriads of echinoderms, molluscs, annelids, ccelenterates, and other invertebrates which live at alljdepths on the Banks. These invertebrates in turn supply food to the cod and other fishes which are sought for by the fishermen. Sea birds frequent the Banks in great numbers ; and, as diving birds are not met with at any great distance from them, the presence of these in the sea gives seamen an indication of the shallower water. twice as great. The bays frequently present scenes of much beauty, being studded with islands, and having their shores clad in dark green forests to the water s edge. The part of the island nearest the sea consists of a hilly country with eminences of no great elevation. The interior proper consists of an elevated undulating plateau, traversed here and there by ranges of low hills, the surface being diversified with valleys, woods, lakes, ponds, and marshes. Much of this is a savanna country, sustain ing vast herds of reindeer. All the great hill ranges take a north-easterly and south-westerly direction, the highest land occurring along the western and southern shores. The principal mountain chain, the Long Range, extends along the western side of the island for nearly its entire length, and has peaks more than 2000 feet high, and parallel to this, but nearer the coast, is the Cape Anguille range. The peninsula of Avalon is very hilly ; but the highest summits do not exceed 1500 feet. The country is remarkable for a number of isolated sharply-peaked summits which rise abruptly here and there from the level plain, and bear the local name of &quot; tolts.&quot; The largest river is the Exploits, 200 miles in length, and having a drainage area of between 3000 and 4000 square miles. It rises in the extreme south-western angle of the island, and flows in a north-easterly direction through Red Indian Lake, terminating in the Bay of Exploits, Notre Dame Bay. The valley through which it flows contains large areas of fertile land, capable of yield ing crops of all kinds, and in many places is covered with pine forests containing timber of large growth. The next largest river is the Humber, which rises 20 miles inland from Bonne Bay, and after a circuitous course empties itself into Deer Lake, thence flowing into the Bay of Islands. It drains an area of 2000 square miles. The Gander, which rises near the southern coast, and, flowing through Gander Lake, falls into Gander Bay on the east, has a drainage area of 2500 square miles. One of the most remarkable of the physical features of the island is the immense number of lakes and ponds, which occupy nearly a third of the whole surface. The largest is Grand Lake, 56 miles in length, and covering an area of 192 square miles. It contains an island 22 miles in length and 5 in breadth. Red Indian Lake is 37 miles long and 64 square miles in area ; Gander Lake and Deer Lake occupy 33 and 24 square miles respec tively ; Sandy Lake, Victoria, Hind s, Terra Nova, and George IV. Lakes range next in size. The shores of these great lakes, and the fertile valleys through which their rivers flow, are as yet absolute solitudes, the very existence of which was until recently all but unknown. Of the bays already alluded to, special mention may be made of St Mary s Bay (25 miles wide at the mouth and 35 miles long, with two arms Salmonier and Colinet which stretch still farther into the interior), Placentia Bay (55 milec wide at the entrance and 90 miles long), Fortune Bay (25 miles wide and 70 in length, with numerous arms, the chief of which are Bay D Espoir, Hermitage Bay, and Connaigre Bay). At the entrance of Fortune Bay are the two islands of St Pierre and Miquelon, ceded by treaty to France for the shelter of its fishermen, and now all that remains to France of the vast possessions it once held in North America. Around Bay St George, on the western coast (40 miles wide at the mouth and with a good harbour at its head), are some of the most fertile valleys in the island, with fine forests of timber, and a coal-field of large extent. Bay of Islands has three fine arms running 20 miles inland. It is the seat of a valuable herring fishery. Notre Dame Bay is 50 miles wide at its mouth, and runs inland 70 or 80 miles. On its shores are the now famous copper mines, which are worked with great success.