Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/685

* NIU-CHWANG. 585 NIZA. It has greatly increased iu iiiipurtaiioe since the constructiun of the Tran.s-JMbciiau line, ami the recent Russian acquisitions in the southern part of the peninsula, which niaUe Xiu chwang the only port of ilanchuria ojien to foreign trade. The vicinity of Niu-chwang is not veiy productive agriculturally, but ini])ortant coal mines have lately been opened along the rail- way line, and the city acquires additional im- portance from its railway connection with Tientsin and Peking. The chief ex|)orts are beans, bean cake, and oil, which go largely to Japan. The imports consist mostly of cotton goods, which come largely from the United States, petroleum, and opium. The value of the exports in I'JOO was nearly $8,000,000, of which the exports to foreign countries amounted to about .$2,700,000. The imports for the same year were valued at over $7,000,000, of which foreign imports amounted to over $5,000,000. Niu-chwang has a considerable foreign colony, and many consular representatives, including two from'the I'nited States. The population of the city is estimated at 50.000. Xiu-ehwang, or rather the small town of the same name, about 40 miles from the coast, was opened to foreign trade by the treaty of 1S5S. The pres- ent port was taken by the Japanese in 1895, and was originally a part of trie territorial con- cessions of China, but Japan was forced to re- linquish it. Since the uprising of ilanchuria against Russia in 1900 Niu-chwang has been occupied by Riissia, and its administration is still to a large extent in Russian hands, although the date set for its evacuation (April 8, 1903) is passed. NITJE, ne-oo'a. or Savage Island. A small coral island in tlic_Pacific Ocean, situated about 350 miles southeast of the Samoan Islamls.in lati- tude 19° S., longitude 170° W. Area, 30 square miles. It is 200 feet high, consisting of coral limestone, and has a fertile soil. T)ie chief export is copra. Population, in 1901, 4050, all Christians. In 1900 Xiue was taken under British protection as a dependency of New Zea- land. NIVELLES, ni-'vel' (Flem. X.vrrO- A town in the Province of Brabant, Belgium. 18 miles south of Brussels (Jlap: Belgium, C 4). Its most important edifice is the Romanesque Church of Saint Gertrude, dating from 1048 and contain- ing interesting relics. Xivelles has manufactiu'es of linen, cotton, ami lace, and carries on an active trade in grain and live stock. The town grew up around the ancient convent finnideil in the seventh ccntuiy by the daughter of Pepin of Landcn. Popiilation. in 1900, 11.475. NIVEENAIS, ne'var'ni'i'. A former prov- ince in the miildle of France. It was ruled in the Middle Ages by the Counts of Nevers, who were succeeded by the Duke of Nevers. It is at present included almost entirely in the De- partment of Nifvre. NIVOSE, ne'vuz' (Fr.. snow month). The fourth month in the French Republican calen- dar. It ran from December 21st to .Januarv 19th in the years I.. II., III., V.. VI., and VII.'; from December 20th to January 2flth in the years IV.. VIII.. IX., X., XI., .and XIII.: an.l from December 23d to Januarv 21st in the vear XII, NIX (Ger. Xix, OHG. menus, nihhus, Icel. Hi/lcr, AS. Hicor, water-goblin, water-beast, Kng. yiclc, name of the Devil; connected with Cik. fiTTTciv, iiipteiii, Skt. nij, to wash). The com- mon name for all water spirits in the Teutonic mythology. They are represented as of human form, or sometimes as passing into that of a a tisli or of a horse. They love nuisic and dances, and possess the gift of prophecy, like the Greek muses, sirens, and other water-gods. The nix taught, in return for a good gift, the art of playing on a stringed instrument; and in the evening .sunshine the nixes, combing their long hair, were wont to mingle in the dances of mor- tals; but their company was dangerous, for,, though sometimes wearing a mild appearance, they were more frequently cruel and malignant. NIX'OW, JoHX (1733-1808). An American soldier. He was born in Philadelphia, and was the son of a shipping-merchant. Upon the passage of the Stamp Act, in 1765, he became active in opposing the encroachments of the English Government upon American liberties, signed the non-importation agreement, and was a member of the hrst committee of correspond- ence in Pennsylvania. In April, 1775, he became lieutenant-colonel of the 3d battalion of the 'Associators,' and he was also a member of the Committee of Safety. From May to July, 1770, he had charge of the defenses of the Delaware at Fort Island, after which he was placed in command of Philadelphia. On July 8th he made the first public proclamation of the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Phila- delphia Court House. He resigned from the army in 1780, and in the same year became a director of the so-called 'Bank of Pennsylvania.' Afterwards he assisted in organizing the Bank of North America, of which he was president from 1792 till his death in 1808. NIXON, Lewis (1861 — ). An American naval arcliitect, born in Leesburg, Va, He gradu- ated at the United States Naval Academy in 1882, being first in his class; then spent three years in the Royal X'^aval College, (ireenwich, England, where he specialized in ship-building and graduated in 1885; and having been ap- pointed naval constructor in the United States Navy, in 1884, went on several tours of inspec- tion through European navy yards, before his return to America. He was superintending con- structor of the navy at Cramp's shipyard and assistant constriu-tor at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and in 1890 designed the battleships of the Indiana class. When these vessels were con- tracted for by the Cramps of Philadelphia Nixon became their superintending constructor, resign- ing from the navy. Five years afterwards he left the Cramps and leased the Crescent Ship- yard. Elizabetli. N. .J,, where, with only four hundred feet of water front, he built many ves- sels. He became connected with many other manufacturing concerns, and in 1898 w'as ap- pointed president of the New York East River Bridge Commission. In 1901 he was named head of Tammany Hall, but resigned the post in ilay of the next year after five months' ser- vice. He became president of the United States Shi|ibuilding Company of New York City in 1902. NIZA, •Sp. pron. ne'thn. Marco.s, or Marco UE, known as Fray Marcos (c,1495-c.l550). An