Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 06.djvu/270

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MILAZZO 224 laiLFOBD MILAZZO (me-lat's6) (ancient Mylae), a fortified seaport of Sicily, on a promon- tory 21 miles W. of Messina. Off Mylae in 260 B. C. the Romans won a great sea fight over the Carthaginians; and here July 20, 1860, Garibaldij with 2,500 men, defeated 7,000 Neapolitans, and com- pelled the garrison to evacuate the for- tress. Pop. of commune about 17,000. MILDEW, a morbid appearance pro- duced on plants by the ravages of para- sitical fungi or other cause, or the para- sitical fungus itself which produces the morbid appearance. Such fungi are al- ways minute, and sometimes microscopic. Some attack plants internally, and then force their way to the surface. Other mildews are produced by fungi which grow on the surface of plants, as on cab- bages, roses, and hops. These fungi, growing on the surface of leaves, fruits, etc., do not establish themselves till the plant on which they grow has become unhealthy from other causes. MILE, a measure of length or distance in use in the United States and almost all European countries. The English statute mile, in use in the United States, contains 8 furlongs, of 320 poles, or 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; in sui-veying it measures 80 chains. A geographical mile is 6,075 feet (nearly), or 1.15 statute miles, A square mile is 6,400 square chains, or 640 acres. The Eng- lish statute mile = 1,609.3148 French metres. A league is 3 miles. The nau- tical mile is 2,028 yards, or 1,014 fathoms. The Irish mile is=2,240 yards, or 1.273 English mile. The German short mile is =: 3.897 English miles. The German long mile = 5.753 English miles. See Metric System. MILES CITY, county-seat of Custer CO., Mont., 114 miles N. E. of Billings, Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, and Northern Pacific railroads. Center of extensive cattle and farming district, and market for horses. Has manufac- tures of saddleiy, woolen goods. Has fine buildings and park. Pop. (1915) 7,621; (1920) 7,937. MILES, NELSON APPLETON, an American military officer; bom in West- minster, Mass., Aug. 8, 1839 Entered the service as 1st lieutenant of the 22d Massachusetts _ Regiment in October, 1861; and distinguished himself at the battles of Fair Oaks, Charles City Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill. In September, 1862, he was commissioned colonel of the 61st New York Regiment, which he led at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsalle, where he was severely wounded. He commanded the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Army Corps, in the Richmond cam- paign, and was promoted Brigadier-Gen- eral, May 12, 1864; and brevetted Major- General for gallantry at Ream's Station in December, 1864. At the close of the war he was commissioned colonel of the 40th United States Infantry. He was promoted Brigadier-General in Decem- ber, 1880; Major-General in April. 1890; and succeeded Lieut.-Gen. John M. Scho- field as commander of the army in 1895. He took a prominent part in the wars with the Indians in 1874 and thereafter. On July 13, 1898, he assumed personal command of the army around Santiago, Cuba; and after the surrender of the Spanish army commanded the expedi- tion which left Guantanamo Bay, July 21, landed at Guanica. Porto Rico, July 25, and was marching on San Juan, the capital, when the armistice stopped hos- tile operations. On the reorganization of the army in 1901 the grade of Lieu- tenant-General was revived and he was promoted to it. Retired Aug. 8, 1903. Publications "Personal Recollections" (1896); "Military Europe" (1898). MILES O'REILLY. Charles Graham. See Halpine, MILETUS (mi-le'tus), in ancient geog- raphy, a city of Asia Minor on the con- fines of Caria, south of the mouth of the river Meander. Under the lonians it be- came great in commerce, with 75 col- onies. The Lydian Empire attempted its conquest, and it was forced to acknowl- edge the rule of Croesus and pay tributf^. Persian domination caused a revolt 500 B. c. The eity was captured 494 B. c. and the population massacred, or trans- ported. For a time Miletus was under the Athenians, then cast off the yoke. It withstood Alexander the Great 354 B. C, and though prospering under the Romans, never recovered from the Per- sian subjugation, St. Paul visited the city A. D. 56. It finally became a Turk- ish possession. MILFORD, a town of New Haven co.. Conn., 9 miles S. W. of New Haven, on Long Island Sound, on Wepowaug river, New York, New Haven, and Hartford railroad. Summer resort, with Taylor library, great memorial bridge, soldiers' monument. Manufactures straw hats, silvei-ware, electrical supplies. Pop. (1910) 4,366; (1920) 10,193. MILFORD, a town in Worcester co., Mass.; on the Charles river and on the New York, New Haven and Hartford and the Boston and Albany railroads. It has a waterworks system supplied from large wells, National and State banks, public library, Memorial building.