Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/556

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532 SAINT-HELIER SAINT HYACINTHE running nearly E. and W. with a bend to the S. at each extremity, intersects the island, and in this range are Diana's peak, 2,700 ft. high, Cuckold's point, 2,672 ft., and Halley's mount, 2,467 ft. The Flagstaff, 2,272 ft., and Barns- cliff, 2,015 ft., are prominent cliffs on the coast. Along the S. coast are many remark- able columns or basaltic rocks, two of which, Lot and Lot's Wife, are respectively 197 and 160 ft. high, and the Chimney, a noted hexag- onal column, is 64 ft. Iron, gold, and copper have been found in small quantities. The cli- mate is temperate and salubrious, and not un- healthy to European constitutions. The range of the thermometer is from 57 *to 72, the annual average 66. The flora is interesting, though of more than 700 species but 52 are native. When the island was discovered it was covered with trees, which are now nearly destroyed. The vegetation is almost wholly European. There are several plains, the largest, Longwood, comprising 1,500 acres; but in a total area of about 30,000 acres not more than 500 are cultivated, and less than 8,000 are de- voted to grazing. The soil is good and might be made productive, but almost every article' of food or clothing is imported. Rice is brought from India, and with fish, which is abundant, forms the staple food of the poorer classes. The island never had any internal sources of income, but formerly it imported supplies for ships to and from India, and for whaling vessels ; but the trade to the East is now almost entirely diverted through the Suez canal, and whaling vessels are rarely seen. It was made a crown colony in 1833, with a governor and other officers under the control of the home government. Its revenue from customs and taxes is not more than 15,000, and its total annual cost to the government is about 55,000, including a military expendi- ture of about 23,000. The island was dis- covered on St. Helena's day, May 21, 1502, by Juan de Nova Castella, a Spanish navigator in the service of the Portuguese, from whom it was at a later period taken by the Dutch. From about 1650 to 1672 it was alternately occupied by the Dutch and the English. In 1673 Charles II. granted it to the East India company. It was Napoleon's place of exile from Oct. 16, 1815, till his death, May 5, 1821. In 1840 his remains were removed to France, which in 1838 bought the house at Longwood occupied by him, and the valley where he was buried, and appointed a perpetual guard for them. See "St. Helena," by John Charles Melliss (London, 1875). SAINT-HELIER, a market town, seaport, and the capital of the island of Jersey in the Eng- lish channel, on the S. coast; pop. in 1871, 30,756. It is situated at the base of an amphi- theatre of low hills sloping to St. Aubin's bay. The Victoria and Albert piers enclose a spa- cious harbor defended by Fort Regent and Cas- tle Elizabeth. Near Castle rock is the hermit- age said to have been the retreat of St. Helier, from whom the town takes its name. There are several main thoroughfares intersected by narrow and irregular streets, but well paved and drained and lighted with gas. The prin- cipal buildings are the court house built in 1647, in which is the public library founded in l736, and the college erected in commem- oration of the queen's visit in 1846. There are seven parish churches, St. Helier's dating from 1341, 14 other places of worship for dif- ferent denominations, several schools and be- nevolent institutions, six banks, a theatre, and a market house. Ship building is an impor- tant industry, and there are several founderies and breweries. The coasting trade in oysters and fish is extensive, and the fisheries and Newfoundland trade employ about 10,000 tons of shipping and 1,500 hands. The mild cli- mate and cheap living make the place a fa- vorite resort. SADIT-HILAIRE, Angnste de, a French botanist, born in Orleans, Oct. 4, 1799, died there, Sept. 80, 1853. He was auditor in the council of state in Paris, explored Brazil, and published Flora Brasilia! Meridionalis (3 vols., Paris, 1825-'32), and other works, which procured his admission to the institute. 8AINT-HILAIRE, Geoflroy. See GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE. SALVr-HILAIRE, Jutes. See BARTHELEMY- SAINT-HILAIRE. s tl Yl'-HIL UUE, Marco de, the pseudonyme of EMILE MARO HILAIRE, a French writer, born about 1790. At an early age he became one of the pages of Napoleon I., and afterward en- gaged in book making as a profession. His best known works are : Memoires J'trn page de la cour imperiale (2 vols. 8vo, 1830); Souve- nirs de la vie prinee de Napoleon (1838) ; Ilis- toire populaire de Napoleon et de la grande armee (large 8vo, illustrated, 1842); Histoire de la garde imperiale (large 8vo, illustrated, 1845-'7); Hiatoire de la campagne de Russie (4 vols. 8vo, illustrated, 1846-'8) ; Histoire det conspirationt et executions politigves (4 vols. large 8vo, illustrated, 1849), including France, England, Spain, and Russia ; a continuation to 1850 of Anquetil's Histoire de France (1853); and Histoire de Napoleon III. (8vo, 1853). SAINT IM UlYllir. I. A S. W. county of Quebec, Canada ; area, 263 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 18.310, of whom 18,075 were of French origin or descent. It lies between the Yamas- ka river on the east and the Richelieu on the west, and is traversed by the Grand Trunk railway. II. A city, capital of the county, on the W. bank of the Yamaska river, and on the Grand Trunk railway, 35 in. E. by N. of Mon- treal ; pop. in 1871, 3,746. Steamers run daily in the season of navigation to St. C6saire, a village 20 m. above. The principal public buildings are the court house, city hall and market, Roman Catholic cathedral, bishop's palace, hospital and convent of gray nuns, and St. Hyacinthe college. The college is a fine building of cut stone, 700 ft. long. There are