Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/524

* ■WTESTPHALIA. 444 WEST POINT. in 1624, and in the Palatinate, Baden, and Wiirttemberg as it was in 1618. The power of putting under the ban of the Empire was only to be exercised with the consent of the Diet. The Eeformed or Calvinist Protestants were put on a footing of equality as to privileges with the Lutherans. In every "State the religion of the Prince might be nnide incumbent on his subjects, but the right of emigration for dissenters was guaranteed. The territorial changes were as follows: The Lower Palatinate was restored to the eldest son of Frederick V., Elector Palatine, and an eighth electorate was created in his favor, but the L'pper Palatinate was confirmed to Ba- varia, on condition that, should the two States become united, one electorate was to be abolished. France was confirmed in the possession of the bishoprics of Jletz, Toul, and Verdun, and ob- tained possession of the Austrian territories in Alsace with the suzerainty over the ten Impe- rial cities of that region ; Breisach, on the right bank of the Rhine, remained in French hands. Sweden obtained Hither Pomerania. with Stettin, the island of Riigen. Wismar, and the secularized sees of Bremen and Verden, with minor terri- tories. These remained fiefs of the Empire, and Sweden was given three deliberative voices in the Diet. Brandenburg obtained, as compensation for its cessions in Pomerania, the secularized bishoprics of Halberstadt, Minden, and Cammin, together with the succession to the see of Magde- burg. Mecklenburg was enlarged by the secu- larized sees of Schwerin and Ratzeburg. Hesse- Cassell obtained the rich abbacy of Hirschfeld. The Elector of Saxony was allowed to retain Lusatia. The see of Osnabriick was to be alter- nately in the hands of a Catholic bishop and a prince of the House of Brunswick-Liineburg. The independence of the United Provinces was recog- nized by Spain, and they, together with Switzer- land, were declared independent of the Holy Ro- man Empire. France and Sweden became gxiar- antors for the execution of the provisions of the treaty. The Peace of Westphalia, by weakening the central authority of the Empire, destroyed its unity, and aiTorded France, as one of the guarantors, a pretext for continual interference Avith its internal affairs. France now became the chief power of the Continent, taking the place formerly occupied by Spain. The Peace of Westphalia marks the close of the period of re- ligious wars. Henceforth European contests were mainly for political ends. Consult: Von Meiern, Ada Pads Wrsfphalicw Puhlica (6 vols., Giittingen, 17.34-30) ; Wnlt- mann. Gesdiidite des icestphalisdien Friedcirs (Leipzig. 1808) ; Ogier, Journal du confjris de Uilnster (Paris, 1893) : Philippi, Der tvext- phalische Frie.de (Miinster, 18(18). See also ref- erences under Tiiikty Ye.rs' War. WEST PITTSTON. A borough in Luzerne County, I'a„ on the Susquehanna River, opposite Pittston (q.v.), with which it is connected by two bridges (Map: Pennsylvania, F 2). It has wide streets and attractive residences, many of the Pittston business men having their homes in this borough. Population, in 1890, 3900: in 1000, .'5846. WEST POINT. The county-seat of Clay County, Miss., 97 miles north of Meridian, on the Southern, the Illinois Central, and the Mo- bile and Ohio railroads (Map: Mississippi, H 3). It is the commercial centre of a district en- gaged in cotton-growing and farming, and also has industrial interests of importance. There are a large cotton factory, carriage and wagon factories, lumber mills, electrical apparatus works, and manufactories of brick, tiling, foun- dry and machine-shop products, axe handles, etc. The water-works and the electric light plant are the propertv of the muncipality. Population, in 1890. L'7ri2;' in 1900, 3193. WEST POINT. A military post on the right bank of the Hudson River, on the eastern edge of Orange County, N. Y., 50 miles from the city of New York, with which it is connected by the West Shore and New York Central and Hudson River railroads and daily steamboats. Its site is one of remarkable picturesqueness, the Hudson here breaking through the Highlands in a wind- ing gap. It is the seat of the I'nited States Militarv Academy. The reservation comprises 2300 acres, to 2100 of which the United States Government acquired title in 1790 and to the remainder in 1826 and 1875. It was an im- portant military position during the American Revolution, and at various times (1775-80) the surrounding heights, at an elevation of 500 ta 1500 feet, were fortified at a total cost of $3,000,- 000. The Polish patriot Koseiuszko was en- gaged here as chief engineer in charge of the- works. The defenses comprised a curious and mas- sive iron chain stretched across the channel from the Point to Constitution Island. In 1779 West Point was for a time headquarters of the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. One year later (August, 1780) it was com- manded by Major-General Benedict Arnold, a trusted and distinguished officer of the American Army, who, under the influence of pique at his treatment by Congress, conspired with the enemy to betray his trust and surrender his post, an act only averted l>y the arrest of the British agent. Major Andre, and the exposure of the plot. At the disbandment of tlie army at the close of the Revolution, West Point was desig- nated as one of the depots for the storage of mili- tary property; in 1794 it was garrisoned by the new 'Corps of Artillerists and Engineers;' in 1802 the 'Corps of Engineers' was created to be stationed at West Point and to constitute a military academy. Until 1800 the inunediate supervision and command of West Point were vested in the Corps of Engineers, but since that time olTicers of the army at large have been eligible to this detail. In addition to the professors and tactical instructors, an excellent military band and detachments from the engi- neers, artillerv, and cavalry are stationeil at the post for duty in connection with its police and security. The liuildings are grouped upon a plateau of some 200 acres, at an elevation of 175 feet above the river. They comprise olTicers' quarters, cadet barracks, academic buildings, li- brary. siperintendcnt's office, mess hall, ho-ipital, and riding hall. I'.y bequest of a former super- intendent a handsome and spacious building- — known as the Culhnn Memorial Hall — was erected in 1897. It contains relics and trophies- of the wars in which the United States has been engaged and portraits and busts of distinguished graduates. At certain jioints in the grounds are placed statues — equestrian and otherwise — of fa- mous American generals, while towering above