Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/257

CHAMPLAIN 249 In the 13th year of Queen Elizabeth a trial of battle was fought by champions in Tothilltields, "Westminster, on a writ of right. The custom was suppressed in France by St. Louis in 1270, but remained unrepealed on the English statute book to the time of George III., when a high- wayman escaped from justice by claiming an Appeal to wager of battle. In the ceremonies until recently in use on the coronation of the kings of England, a champion figured con- spicuously. The championship of England is hereditary in the family of Dymocke, whose eldest male representative heir, armed cap-a- pie in the style of the middle ages, should ride into the ring, and throwing down his gauntlet dare any one to dispute the right of the sove- reign to the throne. This portion of the cere- monial last occurred in 1821, at the coronation of George IV. William IV. and Victoria dis- pensed with it. The knight who during a tournament had charge that insult or injury be not offered or done to the ladies assembled was also called a champion. CHAMPLAIN, a N. W. county of the province of Quebec, Canada, on the left bank of the St. Lawrence ; area, 229 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 8,167, of whom 8,015 were French. It is traversed by the rivers St. Maurice, Cham- plain, Batiscan, and Vermilion, and copiously watered by small streams and lakes. The sur- face rises gradually from the St. Lawrence ; the soil is fertile and the timber of excellent quality. To the ordinary agricultural products, this county adds tobacco and a considerable quantity of maple sugar. Chief town, Batiscan. CHAMPLAIN, a township forming the N. E. extremity of Clinton co., New York, on Lake Champlain, and a village 5 m. S. W. of Rouse's Point; pop. of the township in 1871, 5,080; of the village, 1,850. The village is situated on Chazy river, which supplies it with water power, and is connected by the Ogdensburgh and Lake Champlain railroad with Eouse's Point and Ogdensburgh. It is comprised in Champlain collection district, and has some trade, which is carried on by the Chazy river. The village contains several churches, an acad- emy, and manufactories of iron. CHAMPLAIN, Lake, lies between New York and Vermont, and extends from Whitehall in the former state to St. John's in Canada. It is 126 m. long, and varies in breadth from 40 rods to 15m. Its greatest breadth unobstruct- ed by islands is about 10 m., at a point near Burlington, Vt. Its outline is very irregular, -the shores being indented by numerous bays. Its depth varies from 54 to 282 ft., and the largest vessels can navigate its whole extent. The principal islands are North Hero, 11 by 2 m., South Hero, 13 by 4 m., and La Motte, 6 by 2 m. ; these three, with several smaller ones and the peninsula of Alburg, all in the N. part, form the county of Grand Isle in Vermont. There are about 50 smaller islands. The prin- cipal rivers entering the lake are Wood creek, at its head, the outlet of Lake George, the Au Sable, Saranac, and Chazy, from New York ; the Otter, Winooski, Lamoille, and Missisque, from Vermont. The outlet of Lake Cham- plain is the Sorel or Richelieu river, sometimes called the St. John's, which empties into the St. Lawrence, and with the Chambly canal affords a passage for vessels of large size to the ocean. On the south it communicates, by means of the Champlain canal, with the Hud- son river. Navigation is usually closed by ice about the end of November, and opens early in April. The waters abound with bass, pick- erel, salmon trout, and other varieties of fish. This lake, filling a valley enclosed by high mountains, is celebrated for its magnificent scenery, embracing the Green mountains of Vermont on the east and the Adirondack moun- tains of New York on the west. Several pleas- ant villages and watering places, with one or two important towns, are situated on its shores, which comprise the collection districts of Bur- lington and Champlain. Lake Champlain was discovered in 1609 by Samuel Champlain, whose name it received. It was the scene of im- portant events in the early wars of the conti- nent, and in 1814 of a considerable naval battle. At that time an invasion of the northern portion of New York was contemplated by the British, and a force of from 10,000 to 15,000 troops was collected in the vicinity of Montreal for that purpose. In such an expedition the com- mand of Lake Champlain became an object of great moment, as it flanked the march of the invading army for more than 100 m., thus offer- ing facilities for the transportation of reenforce- ments and supplies. The efforts of both na- tions were therefore directed to the creation of naval forces on the lake in the shortest possible time. The Saratoga, the largest American ves- sel, was built at Vergennes, and was launched on the 40th day after the first tree used in her frame was taken from the forest. In August, 1814, the English army, about 12,000 strong, commanded by Sir George Prevost, advanced along the western shore to Plattsburgh, which was held by Gen. Macomb with about 1,500 men. The American naval force, under Capt. Macdonough, was anchored in Plattsburgh bay ; it consisted of 14 vessels of all classes, carrying 86 guns and about 850 men; the largest vessel was the Saratoga, 26 guns and 212 men. The British squadron, under Capt. Downie, consisted of 16 vessels, carrying 95 guns and about 1,000 men; the largest vessel was the Confiance, 37 guns and 300 men. At sunrise on Sept. 11 the British squadron came in sight, and by 8 o'clock approached the American fleet. Fire was opened by the Americans, which was not returned by the enemy until the Confiance had anchored at about 300 yards from the American line. The first broadside from the Confiance killed or wounded 40 men on board the Saratoga, near- ly a fifth of her entire complement, and more than a third of the American loss during the action. The engagement now became general.