Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/399

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NELLORE. 349 NELSON. chiefly of Trajan, Adrian, and Faustina, would point to a renioti' origin. Population, in 1891, 29,;i;f(): in 11)01, 32,040. NEL'SON. A municipal borough and manu- facturing town in Lancashire. England, .'SV. miles northeast of Hnrnlcv (Maji: England, 1) .'!). He- sides coal-mining, it has considerable manufac- tures of cotton, worsted, and silli. It contains a handsome marUet-hall, and a technical school. In 18.50 it was a small village named after a roadside inn; its manufactures inaugurated its prosperity, and it was incorporated in 1800. It owns its water, gas, and electric lighting plants, marlcet, free lilirary, cemetery, and provides tecli- nical instruction. Population, in 1871, .5000; in isni, 22,754; in 1901, 32,810. NELSON. The capital of a province of the same name, in New Zealand, situated at the north end of South Island (Map: New Zealand, D 4). The harbor has a depth on bar of from 15 to 19 feet. The railwaj' wharf can be reached only by vessels drawing 18 feet and under. Steamers periodically ply to Sydney and Mel- bourne. The manufactures of the town comprise cloth and leather goods. The centre of the town is a hill rising 40 feet above the surrounding streets, and laid out as a square with an Episco- pal cathedral in its centre. The city was founded in 1S41. Population, in 1901, 7000; of electoral district, 11,100. NEL'SON. A town in the southeastern part of lirilish Columbia, situated on the Kootenay River, 20 miles west of Kootenay Lake (Map: British Columbia, F 5). It is the chief mining centre of the Kootenay silver-mining region, and has a large smelting plant, saw mill, foundry, and machine shops. Population, in 1901, 5273. NELSON, Horatio, Viscount (1758-1805). The most famous of English admirals. He was born at Burnham-Thorpe, Norfolk, England, on September 29, 1758. His father was the rector of his native place, while his mother was a granil-niece of Sir Robert Walpole. Nelson re- ceived only a slender education, and at the age of twelve he entered the navy under the care of his maternal uncle. Captain ilaurice Suckling. To this uncle he owed his early rapid promotion, and the advice which led to his careful training in seamansliip. During his first period of service he made voyages to the Arctic regions and the East Indies, and suffered considerably from ill health, for throughout life Nelson was very weak phys- ically, and often was maintained only by sheer force of will. In 1777 Nelson was made second lieutenant, and again went to the West, Indies. In 1779 he became captain, and henceforth promo- tion came to him only in due order, since the regulations did not allow any promotion other than according to seniority after the rank of cap- tain. In 1783. after the war with France and the American colonies had closed. Nelson was for .1 short time put on half pay, but after a few months, part of which time was spent in France, he was ;i]ipointcd to the Hiirrns, on which he served in the West Indies until 1787. Here he perfonned his first notable service, which, how- ever, brought him into conflict with his com- mander. Sir Richaril Hughes, a well-iueaning, but timid man. Contrary to the latter's orders and in opposition to powerful interests in the West Indies, Nelson insisted upon enforcing the Navi- gation Acts against the United States and other foreign nations. Me was ultimately upheld by the liritish tiovernment, but for the time it in- volved him in vexatious hiw-snits and caused him much an.icty. While on this station Nelson first met at Nevis the widow of Dr. .losiah Nisbet, by birth a Miss Frances Woolward. whom he ulti- mately married on March 11, 1787. Prince William, afterwards William IV., giving the bride away. Soon after his marriage Nelson .started for home, and on November 30, 1787, he was relieved from active service. For some obscure reasons a coolness had sprung up between Nelson and the Admiralty, with the result that lie remained in retirement until the threalened outbreak of the war with France in 1792 caused all ollicers to be recalled into active .service. On >Ianuary 30, 1793, Nelson received command of the si.Kty-four-gun ship Agamemnon, which, together with his last ship, the Victory, is most clo.sely associated with his career. He served on it for over three years. He was assigned to the Mediterranean fleet, serving first under Admiral Hood, then under Hotham, and finally under Sir .Tohn .lervis (later the Earl of Saint Vincent). Several times he was sent on diplomatic missions, and on the occasion of one to Naples in September. 1793, Nelson for the first time met Sir William Hamil- ton and his wife Emma, the Lady Hamilton who was to have later so great an influence over him. Nelson took an active part in Hood's conquest of Corsica, commanding the marines at Bastia and Calvi, where he lost the sight of his right eye. This period of his life Nelson always considered the happiest part of his career, and it prepared him for the great events to come. In 1790 he was made a commodore, and received a new ship. At this time Napoleon was winning his great victories over the Austrians in Italy. The posi- tion of the British fleet in the Jlediterranean was becoming precarious, as Spain was about to join France, in which case the English fleet would be greatl.y outnumbered. The hold of the British on Corsica was loosening, since, under the influence of the gieat French victories, the Rc])ublicans were becoming very active on the island. Taking all these things into consideration, the British Ciov- ernment ordered Sir .John Jervis to abandon t'or- sica, to withdraw from the Mediterranean, and return to England. These orders were received on September 25, 1790. and Nelson had to super- intend the work, though he considered it best for Great Britain to retain everything, since he be- lieved the British fleet sufficiently powerful to cope with the enemy. In December. 1790, Jervis sent Nelson back to the Mediterranean to aid in the removal of the naval stores from the island of Elba, which the British had retained at the time they had aban- doned the other posts in that sea. As he was returning he had to pass throiigh the whole Span- ish fleet, and on February 13. 1797, he had re- joined .Tcrvis. The following day took place the great battle off Ca]ie Saint Vincent (q.v.) . Here by his rapid and independent nianieuvres Nelson did much to carry the d;>y. and .Tervis was magnani- mous enough to give him due credit. The Span- ish fleet of twenty-seven ships was totally de- feated by fifteen vessels, and one of the chief naval resources of France had disappeared. As a reward for his share in this great event Nelson received a knighthood of the Bath, and before this he had become in due order of promotion a