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* NEWCOMB. 434 NEW ENGLAND. litical economy, and delivered a course of lec- tures at Harvard University on kindred topirs. NEWCOMBE (nu'koni) MEMORIAL COL- LEGE. See Tl L.V.NK Univeksitv. NEWCOMEN, nukuniVn. Thomas (16G3- 17211). .Vu Knglish Ijlacksmith, inventor of the atniosplitric steam engine, a prototype of the modern machine. lie was born at Dartmouth, and, it would seem, had addressed himself to the task of devising a practical engine before 1008, when Savcry took out his patent. Possibly Xew- comen had forged the laiger parts of Savery's engine — they lived only fifteen miles apart. But it is certain that 8avery shared in the p.atent taken out by Xeweomen about 1710. The part played by .John Callcy is uncertain; probably he was only a grazier who advanced Xeweomen money. Xewcomen's engine is described and pictured in a copper engraving dated 1719; it was a combination of preceding machines and an improvement on all of them, in that it was a complete change of type, the various elements of boiler, condenser, and engine pump being di- vided among so many separate parts, which, with the exception of the comlenser (the present form of which is due to Watt ), are essentially the same as those of the modern engine. Xewcomen's was the first practical machine, and it was suc- cessfully mid <!iininnly used for pumping. NEWCOMES, nu'komz. The. A novel by W. M. Thackeray ( 1854-55 ). The character of Colonel Xewcome is one of the finest delineations of a simple-minded, pure-hearted gentleman in fiction, and is said to have been drawn from the author's stepfather. Colonel Sniytli. NEW CONNECTION METHODISTS. See METiiom.sM. NEW CONNECTION OF GENERAL BAP- TISTS. See P.Ai-ri.sTs. NEW CTJM'BERLAND. A town and the county seal of flaiieoek ('(uinty. V. Va., 33 miles north of Wheeling: on the Ohio River, and on the Pittsburg. Cincinnati, Chicago and Saint Louis Railroad (IMap: West Virginia, D 1), It is chiefly engaged in the manufaetvire of pottery (semi-porcelain), fire and paving brick, sewer pipe, and tiling, the adjacent region having valu- able clay deposits. There are also coal mines, a foundry, and mills for the pulverization of fire ctav for use in iron works. Population, in 1890, 23(ir>: in 1900. -2198. NEW DECATUR, de-ka'tur. A city in Alor- gan Cnunty. Ala., 25 miles west by south of Tluntsville: on the Tennessee River, just above Decatur, and on the I.ouisville and Xashville and the Meiii]>his and Charleston railroads (Map: Alaliama. I! 1 ) . It is developing rapidly as an industrial centre, being noteworthy for iron manufactures. According to the census of 1000, capital to the amount of .SI. 349.000 was inAcsted in the variiuis industries, which had a production valued at $2,077,000. Xew Decatur was settled in 18S7, and was incorporated in 1890. T'nder a revised charter of 1809 the government is vested in a mayor, elected ever>- two year^;. and a uni- cameral council. Population, in 1990, 3505: in 1000, 44.57. NEW DONGOLA, dc'.n'ffft-lft. A town of the Egyptian Sudan. See Ei.-ORnEH. NEWELL, nu'il, Peteb i ISOJ— ). An Ameri- can illustrator, born near Uu^hnell, McDonougU County, 111. He worked for a time as photog- rapher and maker of crayon portraits in .Jack- sonville, 111., and later studied at the Art Stu- dents' League in Xew York City. Afterwards he settled at Leonia, X. .1., and contributetl con- stantly to various current publications. His work in flat tones was a later deelopmcnt of his oiiginal talent, and became very popular through the ingenious Topsys and Turici/s (1S93-94); .1 ahudow .Shown (I89G): and )'i mid lihymoi (1899) : volumes for which he furnished the text liimsplf. He also produced the clever and grotesque illustrations for .John Kcndrick Bangs's House-Boat on the Sti/x, I'lir- suit of the Uouse-Boat, and Ur. Munchausen; Lee's Toinmi) Toddles: Stockton's The Great Stone of Sardis; Hark Twain's Innocents Abroad ; and Lewis Carroll's .4/ice in ^yondcl■land and ThroiKih the Looking (Jlass. NEWELL, Robert Henry (1836-1901). An American humorist, born in Xew York, Decem- ber 13, 1836. His reputation was made during the Civil War by newspaper sketches ami letters over the name 'Orpheus C. Kerr' ((~)tlice Seeker). These letters were collected in four volumes (1862-68). X'ewell also wrote romances and sev- eral volumes of verse. His humor lightened the toil of Lincoln, and it was genuine though not excellent. NEW ENGLAND. The collective name of the States of Maine, Xew Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connect iiiit. It has an area of G7.384 square miles, and had a pojailation. in 1900, of 5,592.017. I.eif Erieson is believed by many to have sailed along the coast of Xew England as early as 1000 A.I)., and it is in Xew England that the mythical city, Xorumbcga (q.v.), is generally supposed to liave lieen located. The coast seems to have been visited by Verrazano in 1524. and was to a considerable extent ex])liired by Sir Humphrey (iilbert in 1583. by Gosnold in 1602, bv Sir Martin Pring in 1603. and bv George 'eymouth in 1605. By the charter of" 1606 the Plymoiith Company was empowered to make set- tlements in what was then called 'X'orth Vir- ginia:' but an attempt (1607). by a company under George Po[)ham, to foiuid a settlement on what is now the Maine coast, failed. In 1014 Capt. .Tohn Smith sailed along the coast, and iiNo went for some distance inland up several of the rivers. He prepared a description of his voyage and a rough ma]) of the coa>t. and sug- gested the name 'Xew England" for the region. Beginning with 1620. when the Plymouth colony was established in the present Massachusetts, settlers gradually came into Xew EiiL'buid. and in 1643 the colonies of Connecticut. Xew Haven, Massachusetts Bay, ami Plymouth united to fonn a confederacy known as the United Colonies of Xew England, the first attempt at federation made in .meriea. Each colony was to choose two commissioners, and the eight commissioners thus chosen were to hold annvial sessions at Bos- ton. Hartford. Xew Haven, and Plvmouth. and were to take action Avith reference to various matters of common interest to the four colonies. In 1663 the mcctinffs became triennial. Afeet- ines were held as late as 1684. thout'h in the last years little was accomplished. Of the pres-