Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/312

* PORT ARTHXTB. 262 PORT ELIZABETH. a naval station which slic could defend for the use of her war-vessels in Eastern waters, and the lease was granted with the distinct understanding that -it shall not prejudice China's soverei<^ity over the territory." It was further agreed that the port should be closed to all vessels except Chinese and Russian men-of-war. The town lies on the slope of the high hills which surround the oval inlet which forms the harbor, in lat. 38° 48' X. and long. 121° 20' E. The inlet on which it stands measures about two miles from east to west and one from north to south, and is well protected from storms by a spit of land which runs diagonally across its northern end. The harbor proper has been much enlarged by blasting and dredging; new docks, barracks, an arsenal, and warehouses have been built, and the place rendered impreg- nable. On the west side of the town is the terminus of the Russian railway to Harbin. See Maxciiuria. Lii-shun K'ow was formerly only a small fish- ing village at the lower end of a long mountain- ous peninsula until it was selected by Li Hung Chang under the advice of German engineers for a strongly fortified naval st^ition for the defense of the Pci-lio and Peking. In 1894, however, it was captured by the Japanese, and the Treaty of Shimonoseki provided for its cession to Japan with the whole southern coast of Manchuria from the Liao to the Yalu; but Russia, France, and Germanv intervened and induced .Japan to relin- quish ail this territory for the sum of 30.000.000 taels, and on Xovember 30, 1895, its evacuation was begun. Con.sult "Some Facts About Port Arthur," in United Sercice Magazine, vol. cxlvi. (London, 1902). See Dalxt; Shixg-kixg; and Ta-liex Wan. POBT-ATJ-PBINCE, por'topraNs', or Poet Rei'I BLiCAix. The capital and principal seaport of Haiti, West Indies, situated on the western coast of the island, opposite the island of Gonaive (Map: West Indies, L 5). It lies in a niarsliy region and, although well laid out, is in a general state of decline and quite unsanitary. It is built largely of wood and is partly in ruins, as a result of the earthquakes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The principal build- ings are the wooden palace, the Senate building, and the cathedral. 'The toTi contains also the mint, the custom house, a lyceum, and a college. The harbor is safe and fortified. The population of the city is estimated at 61,000. Consult Fortunat, Xouvelle geographie de Vile de Haiti (Port-au-Prince, 1888). POBT CHESTEB. A village in Westchester County, X. Y.. 20 miles northeast of Xew York City; on Long Island Sound and on the Xew Y'ork, Xew Haven and Hartford Railroad (Map: Xew Y'ork, G 4). It enjoys considerable popu- larity as a summer resort and is also a resi- dential suburb of Xew Y'ork. There are a free library, besides public school libraries, a public hospital, and three fine bank buildings ; ahso a park (Monument). The village has large nut and bolt works, foundries, and manufactures of shirts, carriages, etc. The government is vested in a president and board of trustees, elected biennially. Port Chester was settled probably as early as 1742. and was known as Saw Pit imtil 1837. when the present name was adopted. It was incorporated as a villaire in 1868. Population, in 1890. 5274; in 1900. 7440. POBT CLINTON. A village and the county seat of Ottawa County, O., 31 miles east by south of Toledo; on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Portage River, and on the Lake Shore and Michi- gan Southern Railroad (Map: Ohio. E 2). It has a fine harbor, and is the commercial centre of a region engaged largely in fruit-growing. There are also large lime, plaster, and stone in- terests. The mining of gj'psum, basket-making,' and fishing are other important industries. Popu- lation, in 1890, 2049; in 1900, 2450. PORTCULLIS (OF. porte coleice, porte cou- lisse, sliding gate, from porte, from Lat. porta, gate, and coleice, coulisse, fem. of cole'is, coulis, sliding, from Lat. colatus, p. p. of colore, to flow, to strain, from colum. sieve). A frame of iron, or wood strengthened with iron, made in the form of grating, designed to slide in vertical grooves built in the jambs of the entrance gate of a fortified place, in order to defend the gate in case of assault. The vertical bars were pointed with iron below, and struck on the ground when the grating was dropped, so as to injure who- ever or whatever they fell upon. (See Castle.) In heraldry (q.v.) the portcullis is represented with rings at its uppermost angles, from which chains depend on either side. It was a badge of the Beaufort family, and borne in virtue of their Beaufort descent by the Tudor sovereigns. Port- cullis is the title of a pursuivant in the English college of arms, whose oflice was instituted by Henry VII. POBT DE PAIX, por de pa. A town and port of Haiti, on the Tortuga Channel, one hun- dred miles north of Port-au-Prince, and on the right bank of the Trois Rivi&res at its mouth (ilap: Antilles. L 5). The agricultural interests of the section are largely devoted to coffee. The population is estimated at 10,000. Cohimbus visited the port in 1492 and named it Valparaiso. It was taken by French filibusters in 1665. POBT DTJBN'FOBD. A seaport in British East Africa at the mouth of the Sheri River (Map: Africa, J 5). POBTE, Sublime Porte, or OrroxrAK Pobte. The name given to the Turkish Government. The origin of this name is to be referred to the ancient Oriental custom of making the gates of cities and of kings' palaces places of assembly in connection with the aflairs of government and of the administration of justice. In the Byzantine Empire this custom was adopted, and the term was transferred from the high gate of the Im- perial palace to the Government whose authority was there exercised. The Ttirks found the term in common use among the Byzantines some time previous to their establishment at Constanti- nople, and adopted it on the organization of tlicir empire. The use. among European nations, of the French term sublime porte ('lofty gate') is ac- counted for by the fact that French is the language of European diplomacy. See Turkey. POBTE CBAYON (Fr., pencil-holder). The pseudonym of 'the American author and illus- trator David H. Strotber (q.v.). POET ELIZ'ABETH. The largest and most important city of Cape Colony next to Cape Town. It is "situated on Algoa Bay 400 miles east of Cape Town, on the barren peninsula of Cape Recife (Map: Cape Colony. K 9). It is a well-built citv. There are fine, substantial pub-