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NEW CALABAR NEW CALEDONIA 281 are published. The " Newburyport Herald" was established in 1792. A free library, found- ed in 1856 by a donation of Josiah Little, contains upward of 15,000 volumes, and is constantly increasing. There are 16 church- es, viz. : Baptist, Christian, Congregational (5), Episcopal, Methodist (2), Presbyterian (2), Roman Catholic, Second Advent, Unitarian, and Universalist. Newburyport was settled about 1635, but until 1764 formed a part of Newbury. It was distinguished for its patri- otic spirit during the revolution. The first tea destroyed was in this town, having been taken from a powder house, where it had been deposited for safe keeping, and burned by the citizens in the public square. The first priva- teer fitted out in the United States was from this port, and the first volunteer company to join the continental army was here formed in response to an appeal of the clergy. On May 31, 1811, a great fire destroyed a large portion of the town and over $1,000,000 worth of prop- erty. In the war of 1812 Newburyport was particularly distinguished for the bravery and success of its privateers. In 1851 a portion of Newbury was annexed to the town, and on May 14 of the same year a city charter was ob- tained. For the recent discovery of silver in the vicinity, see MASSACHUSETTS, vol. xi., p. 247. NEW CALABAR. See CALABAR. NEW CALEDONIA (called Balade by the na- tives), an island of Australasia belonging to France, in the S. Pacific, between lat. 20 and 22 30' S., and Ion. 164 and 167 E.; length from N. W. to S. E. 240 m., average breadth 28 m. ; area, 6,769 sq. m. ; pop. estimated at from 45,000 to 75,000. It is surrounded by danger- ous rocks, sand banks, and coral reefs, and is accessible by only a few channels. It has sev- eral bays where ships may anchor near the shore, besides which there are secure harbors at Port Balade on the N. E. part of the island and Port St. Vincent on the S. W. The interior is occupied principally by barren mountains, rising in some places to a height of about 6,000 ft., and abounding in granite, quartz, mica, stea- tite, and green amphibole. Coal, nickel, and iron are found ; copper is plentiful at Balade ; and in 1871 a gold mine was discovered, which soon attracted a number of Australian and Cali- fornian diggers. A few fertile valleys are in- terspersed, in which grow the cocoanut, banana, taro, mango, breadfruit, and yam. The sugar cane is of excellent quality and is much culti- vated. There are many large and well watered plains which afford excellent pasturage. San- dal wood was formerly plentiful, but the supply is now nearly exhausted. Tripang is found in the surrounding waters. The natives resemble the Papuan or negrito race, and speak a lan- guage kindred with the Australian tongues. They belong to different tribes, most of which are described as hospitable and honest. Can- nibalism, which formerly existed, has entirely ceased. They are well formed, tall, and ro- bust, but indolent. Their skin is deep black, and their hair coarse and bushy. They are fond of painting their faces, and even in set- tlements they wear but few garments. Their huts, built of spars and reeds, thatched with bark, and entered by a very small opening, bear some resemblance to beehives. The chief articles of food are yams and fish. New Caledonia was discovered by Capt. Cook in 1774, and visited by D v Entrecasteaux in 1792. A settlement of Europeans at Balade was at- tacked by the natives in 1849, and several of the settlers were killed. The same year the captain and cook of the ship Mary were killed and eaten. The French took possession of the island in September, 1853, and established on it a station for their Pacific squadron and a Numea, New Caledonia. penal colony. In 1870 the number of colonists in the territory subject to the governor of New Caledonia, which also comprises the Loy- alty islands and the island of Kunie or Isle des Pins, was 1,562; public functionaries, 289; troops, 754 ; immigrants, 1,176 ; non-politi- cal convicts, 2,302 ; political convicts, about 4,000. Numea, on Numea bay, near the S. W. extremity of the island, is the seat of the governor. The French have been repeatedly at war with the islanders, but hostilities were closed in 1857, when the most troublesome chief was made prisoner. French missionaries have made several prosperous settlements, and