Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/579

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

SAINT TAMMANY terminus of a branch of the New Brunswick and Canada railway, 70 m. S. W. of Frederic- ton ; pop. in 1871, 6,515. It is connected with Calais by bridges, and is lighted with gas from that town. The lumber trade and the fisheries are the chief industries. There are two banks, two weekly newspapers, and six churches. The value of imports for the year ending June 30, 1874, was $261,289 ; of exports, $101,818. SAINT TAMMANY, a S. E. parish of Louisiana, lying on Lake Pontchartrain, bounded E. by Pearl river and drained by its tributaries ; area, about 1,200 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 5,586, of whom 2,175 were colored. The surface is un- even, partly pine barrens, and the soil not very fertile. The New Orleans, Mobile, and Texas railroad touches the S. E. corner. The chief productions in 1870 were 8,795 bushels of In- dian corn, 13,266 of sweet potatoes, 26,225 Ibs. of rice, 3,186 of wool, 34 bales of cotton, 36 hogsheads of sugar, and 660 gallons of molasses. There were 192 horses, 918 milch cows, 2,109 other cattle, 1,499 sheep, and 2,289 swine; 10 manufactories of brick, 8 ship yards, and 6 saw mills. Capital, Covington. SAINT THOMAS, an island of the West Indies, in the Virgin group, 30 m. E. of Porto Kico, belonging to Denmark ; area, about 35 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 14,007, one tenth white, two thirds black, and the remainder mixed. The island is formed by a mountain ridge extending the whole length and attaining an elevation of 1,480 ft. The shores are deeply indented, and the adjacent waters are studded with islets and rocks. The climate is warm, the thermometer ranging from 70 to 90 F. Hurricanes pass over the island about once in 20 years, and do great damage. Earthquakes are very frequent, but serious shocks do not occur oftener than once in 50 years. There is no running stream, and only one small spring ; rain water is col- lected, and droughts are frequent. The soil is not fertile, and the products of the island are insufficient for one twentieth of its inhabitants. In 1873 there were 571 deaths, the chief cause of which, among resident adults, was consump- tion. Charlotte Amalie, the only town, con- tains 11,380 inhabitants, and is built along the shore of an excellent bay on the S. side, in lat. 18 20' N., Ion. 64 56' W. It is a free port. The streets are paved and generally clean ; the houses are supplied with gas, and, although low and poorly built, are comfortable and healthy. The average annual value of imports is $5,000,000, besides coal. Eight regular steam lines touch here, the total steam tonnage averaging 600,000 tons per annum, and the total entries of all classes of vessels 4,300 per annum. Negotiations for the transfer of the island to the United States having been com- menced, a vote was taken in 1867, which re- sulted in 1,244 for and 22 against; but the project fell through in the United States senate. SAINT THOMAS, an island of the gulf of Guinea, belonging to Portugal, in lat. 20' N., Ion. 6 40' E. ; area, 145 sq. m. ; pop. about SAINT VITUS'S DANCE 555 20,000, mostly blacks. In its centre the peak of St. Anna rises to the height of 7,020 ft. The valleys are fertile. The climate of the lowlands is unhealthy, but the southern part is salubrious. Cotton, sugar, indigo, cocoanuts, canella bark, sweet potatoes, manioc, dates, and maize are produced. The principal article of export is coffee. A Portuguese bishop resides at the capital, St. Thomas, which has about 4,000 inhabitants. The island was discovered on St. Thomas's day, 1471, by Vasconcellos. SAINT THOMAS, Christians of. See CHRISTIANS OF ST. THOMAS. SAINT VINCENT, an island of the British West Indies, in the Windward group, about 25 m. S. of St. Lucia ; area, 131 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 35,688, comprising 32,000 colored and 430 aborigines. The surface is divided in the middle by a ridge, culminating in the volcano Morne Garou, about 5,000 ft. high, which con- tains a crater half a mile in diameter and 600 ft. deep ; the most recent eruption was on April 30, 1812. The soil is fertile; the moun- tains are clothed with valuable forests; the valleys are well watered and cultivated, yield- ing sugar cane, arrowroot, cotton, and cacao. The average annual value of exports is $1,206,- 000 ; imports, $760,000. The climate of the low lands is warm but healthful ; the moun- tainous districts are cool. The chief town, Kingston, is on the shore of a fine bay on the S. W. coast. St. Vincent was discovered by Columbus, Jan. 22, 1498, was first settled by African slaves shipwrecked on the island in 1675, and was subsequently taken possession of by the French, who in 1763 ceded it to Great Britain. SAINT VINCENT, Cape. See CAPE ST. VIN- CENT. SAINT VINCENT, Earl of. See JERVIS, Sir JOHN. SAINT VITUS'S DANCE, or Chorea, a disorder of innervation, characterized by an irregular action of the voluntary muscles, occurring usu- ally in young persons from the age of 10 to 20 years, and more frequently in females. Its approach is heralded by languor and lassitude, slight dragging of one of the limbs, a furred tongue, general disorder of the stomach and bowels, occasionally pain in the occipital por- tion of the head, frequently a sense of awk- wardness leading the patient to avoid the pres- ence of strangers, and sudden muscular con- tortions, apparently involuntary. Gradually the muscles cease to be under the full control of the will ; the head shakes upon the occur- rence of the slightest excitement, and the pa- tient cannot control its motion except by a violent and painful exercise of volition. If he attempts to carry food or drink to his mouth, the hand approaches part way and then moves off suddenly in another direction. The hands and feet will not keep still ; the face is dis- torted by the spasmodic action of the mus- cles ; the motions of the body in walking are very uncertain, and one leg and the opposite