exporting country as formerly, had to import about one-third of its coal, and this had increased the price to such an extent that the state railway companies had raised their fare 50 per cent. It was reported that there was scarcely a district in New Zealand that had not its own local project for hydro-electric development. An extensive scheme for the dominion provided for a total horse power of 270,000 of which 160,000 was for North Island and 110,000 for South Island; and work on it had already made considerable progress. In 1921 the total imports were £67,412,829 and total exports, £48,219,672. The budget estimates for 1920-21 were as follows: Revenue, £27,712,700; expenditure, £28,953,399.

COMMUNICATIONS. Railways opened for traffic, March 31, 1920, had a mileage of 3134, of which only 138 miles were private line. In 1919 vessels entered numbered 564 of 1,480,883 tons; vessels cleared, 574 of 1,505,256 tons. Of the vessels entered 505 of 1,399,862 tons were British; and of the vessels cleared, 512 of 1,425,874 tons were British. GOVERNMENT. Executive power is in the governor-general; and legislative power, in the governor-general and general assembly of two chambers, namely, a legislative council of 43 members, appointed by the executive until recently when it was provided that at a date fixed by proclamation the body should be made elective; and a house of representatives of 80 members, elected by popular vote for three years. The distribution by parties after the general election of December, 1919, was as follows: Reform Party, 48; Liberals, 18; Labor Party, 10; Independents, 4; government seats, 50, and the opposition, 30. Governor-general and commander-in-chief at the beginning of 1921, Admiral Jellicoe (Viscount Scapa); Prime Minister, W. F. Massey. See GERMAN SAMOA.

NEY, ELLY. See MUSIC, Artists, Instrumentalists.

NICARAGUA. The largest of the six Central American republics. Capital, Managua.

AREA AND POPULATION. The estimated area is from 49,200 to 49,552 square miles; population, Dec. 31, 1913, estimated at 689,891 and, Dec. 31, 1917, at 746,000. The population is largely mestizo and Indian, though there is a considerable element of pure Spanish extraction. The mixed and Spanish populations are found principally in the western half, while the eastern half is mainly inhabited by Mosquito and Zambo Indians and negroes from the West Indies. About threefourths of the population live in the western half. The chief towns with their estimated populations are as follows: Managua, the capital (1920), 60,342; Leon, 73,520; Granada, 20,133; Matagalpa, 15,749; Jinotega, 13,899; Masaya, 13,023; Boaco, 10,581; Chinandega, 10,542.

EDUCATION. No later figures for education were available than those given in the preceding YEAR BOOK. The elementary schools as there stated numbered about 356 and there were 10 secondary schools. There were 3 universities, namely, the Central University at Managua; the Western and Northern at Leon; and the Eastern and Southern at Granada.

PRODUCTION. The chief sources of national wealth are agriculture, timber, and mining, There is a varied production of agricultural products in the western half, the chief crops being: Coffee, sugar cane, wheat, cacao, and beans; the

average annual crop of coffee is placed at 22,500,000 lbs. In the eastern part the banana is the chief agricultural product. The woods contain mahogany and cedar which are largely exported, and various dye woods and medicinal plants. Cattle numbered about 1,200,000. Gold is worked and exported, and copper and precious stones are found. Cotton-growing has latterly increased owing to the high prices of the past few years. A considerable new acreage has been planted. The greater part of the exports of cotton went to Barcelona, Spain.

COMMERCE. The value of the chief exports in 1919 was as follows: Cotton goods, $2,229,407; iron and steel, $490,442; wheat flour, $451,874; and chemicals, $448,186. The principal sources of the imports were: United States, $6,687,712; United Kingdom, $689,721; Panama, $147,613; France, $146,330. The value of the chief exports was: Coffee, $6,268,096; timber, $1,655,948; sugar, $608,795; bananas, $559,187; hides and skins, $417,741. The chief countries of destination were: United States, $7,663,827; Mexico, $277,197; Panama, $146,848.

COMMUNICATIONS. The ships entered in 1919 numbered 1005 of 320,299 tons; and cleared, 1016 of 320,348 tons. The only railway is the Pacific Railroad, with a length of 171 miles, but a contract was made in 1918 for the construction of a line from Bluefields to a point on the line from Managua to Granada.

GOVERNMENT. Executive power is in a president who acts through a responsible ministry, comprising the following departments: Foreign affairs and public instruction; finance; war and marine; public works; interior, justice, and police. Legislative power is in a congress of two houses: A senate of 13 members, elected for 6 years; and a house of deputies, elected for 4 years by universal suffrage. President, inaugurated, Jan. 1, 1921, Dr. Diego Manuel Chamorro.

HISTORY. United States marines were arrested, February 10, for riotous acts at Managua in which a newspaper plant was wrecked. They were sentenced, February 26, to two years' confinement and dishonorable discharge. On April 15 the senate rejected a resolution, demanding the withdrawal of American troops from Managua. On August 23 war was declared against armed forces which had invaded the country from Honduras and captured two villages near the Pacific coast; and troops to the number of about 3000 were sent to the north against them with the result that they were driven to Honduras where they were captured and disarmed, the prisoners numbering, according to press reports, 1208 soldiers, and 103 officers. After the revolutionary movement on the frontier of Honduras the troops were demobilized but the revolution showing itself later on the Pacific coast a small body was again sent to that region under General Masis, who succeeded in capturing a number of them. Their leader, General Tobos, began negotiations for surrender. In November there were further outbreaks on the Honduran frontier, including an attack by the revolutionists on the town of Samotillo, November 11, in which they were repulsed after severe fighting. There was further trouble between American marines and civilians at Managua, December 10, in which four policemen were killed and one wounded, and two of the marines, wounded.

NICHOLAS I. Former king of Montenegro, died, March 1. He was born in 1844, and educated in Montenegro and in Paris. On the assassination of his uncle in August, 1860, he was proclaimed Prince. He was a popular ruler and bore a high reputation for wisdom and patriotism. During his reign the independence of Montenegro was recognized by the Treaty of Berlin, and many reforms in education and in the military and civil administration were introduced. He was a strong supporter of the Balkan alliance in 1912, and favored the policy of going to the extreme against the Turks. At the outbreak of the late war he went promptly to the aid of Serbia, but the Montenegrin forces were completely defeated and were of no further value throughout the war. In the closing years of the war and afterwards he was attacked in the press as lukewarm in the interest of the Allies, and the controversy on that subject was resumed at intervals in 1921. See preceding YEAR BOOKS.

NICKEL. In addition to the industrial depression in 1921 which led to the shutting down before the end of 1921 of all the smelters except one furnace, nearly all mining work and the refineries in the Sudbury district in the Province of Ontario, Canada, which produce about 85 per cent of the world's requirements of nickel. The proposed reduction of naval armaments was a serious blow as much of this metal is employed in making armor plate. The Sudbury mines possess known ore reserves of 150,000,000 tons or more, and they turn out a low-grade matter which for refining purposes is sent to Port Colborne, Ont.; Deschenes Que.; Bayonne, N. J., and Clydach, Wales. The three companies operating the mines are the International Nickel Company of Canada, Ltd., the Mond Nickel Company, Ltd., and the British America Nickel Corporation., Ltd.

The estimated production of nickel in 1921 from the Ontario deposits was approximately 5200 tons, and of copper 4800 tons, as compared with about 28,000 tons of nickel and 15,000 tons of copper in 1920. The maximum production was in 1918, when 45,886 tons of nickel and 23,843 tons of copper were recovered. The Sudbury ores contained also appreciable quantities of gold and silver, and were important sources of platinum and palladium.

Producers of nickel were by no means discouraged at the threatened reduction of armaments for they looked for further development in connection with steels to which nickel was added. It had been demonstrated that increased toughness, tensile strength, and resistance to corrosion were secured by adding 2.5 to 3 per cent of nickel so that for automobile steel, for axles, tires, piston rods, bridge building, railway frogs and switches, resistance wire, nickel-silver, coinage, plating, in cooking and kitchen utensils, electrical instruments, acid-resisting equipment, and numerous other uses nickel would be required in the ordinary development and extension of industry.

NIGERIA, COLONY AND PROTECTORATE OF. A British possession in West Africa, formerly divided into several areas under separate administrations, but after 1914 united into the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Seat of government, Lagos: area, about 332,000 square miles; population, about 17,500,000, including about 2800 Europeans (1919). The Northern Province has an area of 256,000 square miles and 8,870,000

inhabitants; the Southern Province, 76,000, square miles and 8,900,000 inhabitants. Under the programme in respect to slavery which provided that children born after Jan. 1, 1900, should be free, 7091 slaves were liberated in 1919 in the northern provinces. In the northern provinces in 1919 there were 18 government schools with an average attendance of 998; and 98 private schools with an average attendance of 2747; while the Mohammedan schools were placed at over 31,000 with over 205,000 pupils. In the southern provinces in 1919 there were 43 government schools with 4957 pupils; 169 aided schools with 25,187 pupils; and 1099 unaided schools with about 68,909 pupils. The chief products are: Palm oil and kernels, rubber, ivory, peanuts, cotton, cocoa, coffee, kola nuts, ostrich feathers, live stock, etc. Rich deposits of tin have been found in an area extending over 9000 square miles. In the northern provinces other mineral products are: Gold, silver, manganese, ore, lignite, and monazite. No later figures for commerce were available than those given in the preceding YEAR BOOK. The revenue for 1919 was £4,959,428; expenditure, £4,529,176. The shipping, entered and cleared, in 1919 had a tonnage of 1,072,148, of which 986,731 were British, a considerable increase over the preceding year. In 1919 there were 1126 miles of railway open for traffic. The general manager of the Nigerian Railways, in his administration report for 1920, called attention to the fact that the railways are under-equipped in both locomotives and freight cars. Although orders had been placed with an English locomotive builder for forty-two locomotives in May, 1919, in May, 1921, only five had been received. Both the colony and the protectorate have been under an executive council since Jan. 1, 1914. In addition to this there is an advisory council, consisting of the governor, the executive council, and certain other official members. Governor at the beginning of 1921, Sir Hugh Clifford.

NILSSON, CHRISTINE. Swedish opera singer, died at Copenhagen, Denmark, November 22. In the United States she was often heard and was exceedingly popular. She was born near Vexio, Sweden, August 20, 1843, the daughter of a small farmer, and at an early age became a skillful player of the violin and also learned the flute. As a girl she sang at country fairs and other public places accompanying herself on the violin. The beauty of her voice was recognized by the mayor of a small town, who sent her to Stockholm, where she studied under Franz Berwald. She appeared at the court and after 1860 studied in Paris, where on Oct., 27, 1864, she appeared at the Lyric Theatre in La Traviata, achieving a success which brought her a three years' engagement. In 1867 she appeared in London where she became a favorite and she sang in opera and oratorios there in 1869 and 1870. In the latter year she came to the United States under the management of Maurice Strakosch and appeared in concerts and opera. In 1872 she married M. Auguste Rouzaud, a merchant of Paris. In 1876 she made her only tour of her own country. After a successful tour in Russia, where she made a great success at St. Petersburg, she returned to the United States with the Strakosch Italian Opera troupe. She was married for a second time to Count Caradi Miranda in 1887 and retired permanently from the stage in 1888.

NIOX, GENERAL. Former Governor of the Invalides in Paris died in Paris, October 26. He began his military career in 1858 and served in the Mexican campaign and during the War of 1870. He was on the staff of the Fourth Division and fought at Resonville and St. Privat. He was afterwards for several years a lecturer at the War School and in 1901 was appointed Commander of the Fortified Camp of Paris. He entered the military school of Saint-Cyr while under age through a special dispensation and was among the best students of the school. He took part in the Mexican campaign where he did excellent service on the staff. During the war of 1870 he participated in all the great battles. After that war when the War School was established he was appointed to the chair of military geography in which subject he was soon regarded as an authority. He was particularly effective as a lecturer and had a profound influence over students. His writings and lectures were both remarkable for their varied learning and for illustrations taken from his own experience in foreign countries.

NITROGEN. See CHEMISTRY, INDUSTRIAL; FERTILIZERS.

NIXON, General Sir JOHN (ECCLES). British soldier, died at St. Raphael, France, December 15. During the late war he was commander of the British forces in Mesopotamia in 1915. He was born, August 16, 1857. He entered the Indian military service, taking part in the Afghan War, 1879-80; the Mahsud Waziri expedition of 1881; and other operations; and commanded a cavalry brigade in South Africa; highly distinguishing himself in both the Indian and South African services. Among his other commands was that of the Southern Army in India from 1912 to 1915. In the latter year he was appointed to command the Northern Army in India, and he was in command of the Expeditionary Force in Mesopotomia, April, 1915, to January, 1916. The investigations that followed the ill-fated campaign and the surrender of General Townsend's forces at Kut-el-Amara, resulted in placing the chief responsibility for the disaster on General Nixon. General Townsend attributed his failure to fight his way out to commands of his superior officer expressly forbidding him to do so. On the other hand, some authorities placed part of the blame on Baron Hardinge, former Viceroy of India, and on others.

NOBEL PRIZE. The Nobel Prize was created by the celebrated Swiss chemist, Dr. Alfred E. Nobel, the discoverer of dynamite, who in his will left a fund of 50,000,000 francs to establish annual prizes for chemistry, medicine, physics, literature, and peace, the amount of each prize being 200,000 francs. The American recipients of the prizes have been as follows; Peace, Theodore Roosevelt (1906); Elihu Root (1912); Woodrow Wilson (1920); Physics, Dr. Albert A. Michelson, Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago (1907); Medicine, Dr. Alexander Carrel of the Rockefeller Institute (1912); Chemistry, Professor T. W. Richards of Harvard (1914). No American writer has received the prize of literature. On November 11, the Nobel Prize of Literature for 1921 was awarded to Anatole France. M. France according to the press reports declared before he left for Stockholm that he would bestow the prize, which amounted to 300,000 francs, on relief organizations working in Russia. The

peace prize of 1921 was divided, September 5, between two candidates: Hjalmar Branting, Prime Minister of Sweden; and Christian L Lange of Norway, Secretary of the Interparliamentary Union. The prize of chemistry for 1920 was awarded, Nov. 12, 1921, to Professor Walther Nernst of the University of Berlin. He was Director of the Institute of Physics and Chemistry at that university and an officer of the Academy of Science of Berlin. Anatole France and Professor Nernst received the Nobel Prize, a diploma, and a gold medal, from the hands of the King of Sweden in December. M. France in the course of his reply, after expressing his appreciation and making a special reference to the awards in the case of Romain Rolland, and Branting, referred to the war and the Treaty in terms that offended the ruling classes in France. He said the most horrible of wars has been followed by a treaty which was not a treaty of peace but a prolongation of the war and that Europe would perish from it if reason did not finally enter into her counsels. A leading Parisian newspaper commented on this to the effect that while these remarks would rejoice the hearts of his revolutionary friends, they would not shine with a particularly brilliant light in his complete works; and it was suggested that the prize was awarded to him in his capacity of novelist and not of Socialist orator.

NON-PARTISAN LEAGUE. See NORTH DA