Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 06.djvu/517

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
429
NEW HAMPSHIRE

on the N. E. coast, and by the London Missionary Society at various points on the S. E. coast. Germany and the Australian colonies also began to take an interest in New Guinea, and the latter urged the home government to annex the E. port of the island, the W. portion having long been recognized as Dutch. At length the delimitation and division of the island between Great Britain, Germany and Holland was settled in 1885. That part of the island lying W. of the 141st meridian was assigned to Holland, and comprises 151,789 square miles; the N. part of the rest of the island was assigned to Germany, and the S. to Great Britain. The former German territory, called Kaiser Wilhelm's Land, contains about 70,000 square miles, the English territory 90,540 square miles.

The government is in the hands of an administrator appointed by the crown, assisted by an executive and a legislative council. New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland each contribute to the expense of the government. Land cannot be purchased except from the administrator. The deportation of the natives is forbidden, as is also the sale to them of firearms, intoxicating spirits, or opium. The official center is Port Moresby. The islands of Torres Strait, which are the seat of a valuable pearl-shell and trepang fishery, and which practically command the strait, have all been annexed to Queensland. The Dutch have done little or nothing for their portion of the island. The Europeans in the colony give their attention mostly to trading or gold mining. The population of the Dutch portion is estimated at 200,000; of the German, 110,000; of the British, 350,000. The imports of New Guinea in 1917-1918 amounted to $1,384,074, and the exports to $1,073,545. The chief products are pearls, copra, and rubber. The German protectorate was occupied by an Australian force on Sept. 12, 1914, and from that time to the close of the war was under the military power of the British. By the terms of the Treaty of Paris it passed into the hands of the British Empire.

NEW HAMPSHIRE, a State in the North Atlantic Division of the North American Union; bounded by Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Quebec, and the Atlantic Ocean; one of the original 13 States; capital, Concord; number of counties, 10; area, 9,005 square miles; pop. (1890) 376,530; (1900) 411,588; (1910) 430,572; (1920) 443,083.

Topography.—The surface of the State is rugged. The Appalachian range of mountains enters the State from Maine, and as the White Mountains crosses the State diagonally with a maximum elevation in Mount Washington of 6,285 feet. Along the W. part of the State these mountains dwindle down to a range of hills. The White Mountain district is divided by the Saco and Lower Ammonoosuc river valleys, and the “Notch” into the White and Franconia ranges. This region presents magnificent scenery and is known as the “Switzerland of America.” Besides Mount Washington, there are 28 other peaks over 4,000 feet high. The river system is divided into five drainage basins. The Connecticut river, forming the entire Vermont boundary line, and fed by the Upper and Lower Ammonoosuc, Mascona, Sugar, and Ashuelot rivers, drains the entire W. part of the State. The Androscoggin river, rising in Lake Umbagog, drains the N. E. and the E. mountain district is drained by the Saco. The Piscataqua, with its tributaries, the Salmon Falls, and the Cocheco, forms a S. E. basin. The mouth of this river forms the harbor of Portsmouth, the only harbor on the New Hampshire coast. The Merrimac river, formed by the junction of the Pemigewasset and Winnipiseogee, flows through a region of manufacturing cities to which it supplies unlimited water power. There are numerous beautiful lakes and ponds in the State, the largest being Winnipiseogee. Other lakes are the Umbagog, Squam, Sunapee, Great Bay, New Found, Connecticut, and Diamond lakes.

Geology.—The principal geological formations of New Hampshire are of Eozoic origin, this State being one of the first portions of the American continent to appear above the primal ocean. Terminal moraines and boulders illustrate the Glacial period, and deposits of Laurentian, Labradorian, Huronian, and Atlantic periods are also present. Magnetic and specular iron ore are found in places, and some copper is mined in the towns of Lyman and Monroe. New Hampshire is not an important State in the production of minerals and metals. The chief mineral product is granite. The annual output is valued at about $1,500,000. Bricks were produced in considerable quantities. Other mineral products are garnet, mica, mineral waters, and scythe stones. The total value of the mineral products is about $2,000,000 annually.

Soil and Productions.—The soil is light and sandy and with the exception of the Connecticut valley and portions of Coos county is not adaptable to farming. The soil is as a rule worn out from constant tillage and makes much better pastur-