Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/540

NEW ORLEANS.  Jackson fell back behind an old disused millrace that stretched across the strip of solid ground from the river to a cypress swamp, and there threw up a breastwork. This breastwork was composed chiefly of earth, and not of cotton bales, as was once believed; as a matter of fact, 277 bales were originally used in the embrasures of some of the batteries and in building a magazine. On New Year's Day Major-Gen. Sir Edward Pakenham, who had now arrived with reënforcements and taken command of the English, attempted to batter down the American lines by a cannonade; but this attempt failed, and he then decided to try an assault. The plan he adopted was for Lieutenant-Colonel Thornton to cross the river and storm an American battery on the right bank; while on the left bank two columns were to assault the American main position. The assault was made on the morning of January 8, 1815. On the left bank the British attacked with spirit, but were met with such a heavy cannonade and with such a storm of bullets from the rifles of the American troops, mainly backwoodsmen from Tennessee and Kentucky, that in less than half an hour about 2500 men, including Major-Generals Pakenham, Gibbs, and Keane, were shot down, and the assault failed. The American loss in this main engagement was but eight killed and thirteen wounded. On the right bank Thornton was successful, but, owing to the defeat of the main army, was unable to follow up his advantage. Ten days later the British retreated to their ships. Although the battle was fought after the (q.v.) had been signed, it had results of importance. It was, says the historian Schouler, the only battle of the war that made an impression on Europe, and it served also to help quicken the yet feeble sense of American nationality. By giving a sunset glow of success to an otherwise somewhat inglorious war, it greatly strengthened the position of the Administration and hastened the “deathbed scene of the Federalist Party.” Most important of all, it made General Jackson, who had displayed military talents of a high order, the idol of the American people and was an important factor in causing his subsequent elevation to the Presidency. Consult: Latour, Historical Memoir of the War in West Florida and Louisiana in 1814-15 (Philadelphia, 1816); Walker, Jackson and New Orleans (New York, 1856); Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson (ib., 1860); James, Military Occurrences (London, 1818); Cook, Narrative of Events in the South of France and of the Attack on New Orleans in 1814-15 (ib., 1834); and Gleig, Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans (Am. ed., Philadelphia, 1821 and 1833).  NEW PHILADELPHIA. A city and the county-seat of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, 100 miles south of Cleveland; on the Tuscarawas River, the Ohio Canal, and the Cleveland, Lorain and Wheeling and the Pennsylvania railroads (Map:, H 4). There are mining interests, and manufactures of steel, canned goods, roofing tile, woolen goods, carriages, flour, brooms, and pressed, stamped, and enameled goods. The principal attractions of the city are Springer's Park and Shorenbraun Springs. Settled in 1805, New Philadelphia was first incorporated three years later. The government is vested in a mayor, who holds office for two years, and a unicameral council. Town meetings are held when required by matters of general interest. Population, in 1890, 4456; in 1900, 6213.  NEW PHIL′IPPINES. Another name for the (q.v.).  NEW PLYM′OUTH. The capital and seaport of Taranaki County, North Island, New Zealand, on the west coast, 160 miles southwest of Auckland (Map:, D 3). It has an extensive harbor and is a terminal of railway lines to Wellington and Napier. Population, in 1901, 4405. Consult Wells, History of Taranaki (New Plymouth, 1878).  NEW POMERA′NIA (Ger. Neu Pommern), formerly. The largest island of the Bismarck Archipelago, in Melanesia. It lies 50 miles from the northeast coast of New Guinea, and stretches east and northward in a narrow crescent, 300 miles long and 90 miles in greatest breadth, but in several places contracted to a strip only a few miles wide (Map:, H 3). Its area is about 9500 square miles. The interior is still but little known; it is mountainous, with several active or half extinct volcanoes in the northeastern part, one of which has an altitude of 3600 feet, while in the western extremity Hunstein Mountain reaches a height of 6000 feet. The rainfall on the island is abundant, and the vegetation is luxuriant, the interior being covered with immense forests reaching to the summits of the mountains, while the coastal districts are very fertile. The natives, whose numbers are unknown, are Melanesian savages. The European inhabitants number less than 100, and reside in a missionary and a trading station on the northeastern coast. For statistics and history, see .  NEW′PORT. A market-town and river-port in Monmouthshire, England, 20 miles southwest of Monmouth, on the Usk, four miles from the Bristol Channel, and 12 miles northeast of Cardiff (Map:, C 5). It has brass and iron foundries, breweries and pottery works, and manufactures of telegraph and railway supplies and wagons, india-rubber, and gutta percha. Iron ships are also built here. The dock accommodation covers 80 acres, and it has an important shipping trade in coal and iron. The town has fine buildings. Prominent among them are the town hall and Saint Woollos, one of the most curious churches in England. The municipality owns much real estate, the water-works, electric lighting plant, tramways, baths, slaughter houses, markets, cemeteries, provides technical instruction and cottage allotments, and maintains a free library, museum, parks, isolation hospital, and a fire brigade. The town is first mentioned at the beginning of the tenth century, and received its first charter from Edward II. The towers and the central mass remain of the castle, built about 1130 by Robert, Earl of Gloucester. Population, in 1891, 54,707; in 1901, 67,290.  NEWPORT. The chief town of the Isle of Wight, England, situated near the centre of the island, on the Medina (Map:, E 6). It is the commercial centre of supply for the island, has breweries, cement factories, and trade in malt, wheat, and flour. Saint Thomas's Church, founded in 1854, is a handsome edifice, and contains a monument erected by Queen Victoria to