while the United States remained almost unhurt. Decatur bore away for a while, and his antagonist, supposing his vessel, badly crippled, was withdrawing, set up an exulting shout. To their astonishment the United States tacked and brought up in a position of greater advantage than before. The British commander, perceiving that longer resistance would be useless, struck his colors and surrendered. York, where she was greeted as "Then quickly met our nation's eyes, The captured vessel was the British frigate Macedonian, thirty-eight guns, Capt. J. S. Carden. She had received no less than 100 round-shot in her hull, many of them between wind and water, and she had nothing standing but her fore and main masts and fore-yard. All her boats Jones, and Decatur (Jan. 7, 1813), gave were rendered useless but one. Of her the latter the freedom of the city and re Legislatures of States gave Decatur thanks, and two of them each gave him a sword. So, also, did the city of Philadelphia. The authorities of New York, in addition to a splendid banquet to Hull, PLURIBUS DECATUR'S MEDAL United States Bank. See BANKS OF United States Christian Commission. See officers and men-300 in number-thirty- quested his portrait for the City Hall. six were killed and sixty-eight were The national Congress thanked him and wounded. The loss of the United States gave him a gold medal. was five killed and six wounded. The Macedonian was a new ship, and though rated at thirty-eight, carried forty-four guns. The action occurred not far from the island of Madeira. After the contest Decatur returned to the United States, ar- United States Engineer Corps, a riving off New London Dec. 4, 1812. The technical body under command of the Macedonian, in charge of Lieutenant chief of engineers and attached to the Allen, arrived at Newport Harbor at about the same time. At the close of the month both vessels passed through Long Island Sound, and, on Jan. 1, 1813, the Macedonian was anchored in the harbor of New War Department. The corps is charged with all duties relating to construction and repair of fortifications, whether permanent or temporary; with torpedoes for coast defence; with all works of defence; with all military roads and bridges, and this committee is generally accepted in with such surveys as may be required for the light of a compromise by both Houses. these objects, or the movement of armies The membership of the House is based on in the field. It is also charged with the the population of the country as ascerriver and harbor improvements, with mili- tained decennially by the census, and tary and geographical explorations and therefore changes every ten years. In surveys, with the survey of the lakes, and the Fifty-seventh Congress (March 4, with any other engineer work specially as- 1901–March 4, 1903) there are 357 Represigned to the corps by acts of Congress sentatives, of whom 198 are Republicans, or orders of the Secretary of War. 151 Democrats, and eight Populists and Silver men. See CONGRESS, NATIONAL (The Fifty-seventh Congress); SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. United States Homestead Legislation. See EXEMPTIONS FROM TAXATION; HOMESTEAD LAWS. United States Military Academy See MILITARY ACADEMY, UNITED STATES. United States House of Representatives, one of the branches of the Congress known as the Lower House and the Popu- United States Mints. A mint of the lar House. The members of this branch United States was established in Philaare elected directly by popular vote. In delphia, Pa., by act of Congress in April, it is vested by the national Constitution 1792, and began to coin money the next the sole right to originate laws concern- year, but it was not until January, 1795, ing the finances of the country. The that it was put into full operation. It committee on ways and means of the was the only mint until 1835, when other House is the original source of all tariff mints were established at Charlotte, legislation, and all bills providing for N. C., Dahlonega, Ga., and New Orleans, the raising or expenditure of public La. In 1854 another was located at San moneys have their origin in the House. Francisco, Cal., and in 1870 at Carson In each of these two forms of legislation City, Nev., and shortly after at Denver, the House has the limited co-operation of Col., although no minting has ever been the Senate-viz.: the Senate may amend done at the latter place, only assaya tariff bill or resolution appropriating ing. The mints at Charlotte, N. C., and public moneys in the line either of increasing or decreasing specific amounts. The House has the privilege of passing upon these Senate amendments, and if it declines to accept any part of such changes, it is customary to appoint a con. ference committee consisting of an equal number of members from the House and Senate, to whom the disputed subject of legislation is referred, and the report of NATIONAL. Dahlonega, Ga., were discontinued in United States Naval Academy. See United States Nominating Conventions. See NOMINATING CONVENTIONS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA United States of America. The name given to the thirteen English-American colonies in the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. In 1901 their number had increased to forty-five States (see table on opposite page) and seven Territories (Alaska, Arizona, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Indian Territory, New Mexico, and Oklahoma) with the Philippine Islands, Porto Rico, Guam, Wake, Samoa, and Isle of Pines, etc. For details of population in 1900 see CENSUS. miles. In longitude it extends from the most easterly point of Maine, 66° 48′ W., to 125° 20′ W., and if Atoo, the most westerly of the Aleutian Islands, be taken for its western limits, it extends to the 174th meridian. The population of the United States in 1890 was 63,069,756, and in 1900 had increased to 76,295,220. This On Sept. 9, 1776, the Continental Congress resolved "that in all continental commissions where heretofore the words 'United Colonies' have been used, the style be altered for the future to the United States." This domain now numbers fortyfive States, six Territories, and one District, and various "possessions," Hawaii, Porto Rico, Philippine Islands, Guam, is exclusive of the Philippine Islands, Wake, and Samoan Islands, etc. The area Hawaii, Porto Rico, Guam, Wake, and of the States is 2,718,780 square miles; of Samoan Islands. The government is a the Territories, 883,490; and of the Dis- representative democracy. Each State has trict, seventy; in all, 3,602,340 square an independent legislature for its local miles. In latitude it extends from Key affairs, but all are legislated for, in naWest, its most southerly point, 24° 33′ N., tional matters, by two Houses of Congress; to the forty-ninth parallel of north lati- the Senate, whose members are elected for tude. From this latitude, on the Pacific six years by the State legislatures, and coast, the territory belongs to Canada the House of Representatives, elected for to 54° 40', where Alaska begins, ex- two years by the people of the different tending to the Arctic Ocean and em- States. Representation in the Senate is by bracing an area of over 577,000 square States, without regard to population; in the House of Representatives the representation is in proportion to population. The President of the United States is elected every fourth year by electors chosen by the people, each State having as many elec toral votes as it has Senators and Repre sentatives in Congress. For the general history, administration, etc., of the colonies and States see under their proper heads. PRE-COLUMBIAN HISTORY Buddhist priests visit Fu Sang, sup- and 160 persons (five of them young marposed to be America... 458 ried women) from Greenland to establish a colony... ....1007 [Landing in Rhode Island, he remains in Vinland three years, where he has a son, Snorri, ancestor of Albert Thorwaldsen, the Danish sculptor.] rover.... Hui Shen's account of the Buddhist mission referred to in the Chinese annals for..... 499 Iceland discovered by Nadodd, a Norse 861 First settlement by Norsemen.... 875 Grumbiorn sights a western land.. 876 Land discovered by Eric the Red, and named Greenland... 982 Second voyage from Iceland to Greenland by Eric.... 985 Bjarni sails from Iceland for Greenland, but is driven south by a storm and sights land at Cape Cod or Nantucket, also at Newfoundland, and returns to Greenland... 985 Voyage of Lief, son of Eric the Red. He sails in one ship with thirty-five men in search of the land seen by Bjarni..1000 Touching the Labrador coast, stops near Boston, Mass., or farther south, for the winter. He loads his vessel with timber; he returns to Greenland in the spring of 1001 [He calls the land Vinland, from its grapes.] Thorwald, Lief's brother, visits Vinland in 1002, and winters near Mount Hope Bay, R. I. In the spring of 1003 he sent a party of his men to explore the coast, perhaps as far south as Cape May. Thorwald explores the coast eastward, and is killed in a skirmish with the natives (skraelings) somewhere near Boston, 1004 His companions return to Greenland 1005 Thorfinn Karlsefne sails with three ships Icelandic manuscripts mention a bishop in Vinland in 1121, and other voyages there in 1125, 1135 and......... ..1147 Madoc, Prince of Wales, according to tradition, sails westward, and reports the discovery of a "pleasant country."..1170 [The tradition is further that he returns to this western country with ten ships, but is never heard of again.] [The fullest relation of these discoveries is the Coder Flatöiensis, written 1387-95, now preserved in the royal library at Copenhagen, found in a monastery on the island of Flato, on the western coast of Iceland.] Eskimos appear in Greenland.....1349 Pizigani's map of the Atlantic..1367-73 Nicolo Zeno with three ships belonging to Sir Henry Sinclair, Earl of the Orkney Islands, visits Greenland and possibly Vinland ...1394 Communication with Greenland ceases ...1400 Berthancourt settles the Canary islands 1402 Madeira Islands rediscovered by the Portuguese .1418-20 about These islands previously discovered by Machan, an Englishman... .1327-78 The "Claudius Clavus " map, giving the earliest delineation of any part of America (Greenland) .1427 ERA OF PERMANENT DISCOVERY Columbus born.......1435-36 (?) 1445 Visits England and Iceland prior to Columbus in Portugal..... 1470 .1470-84 Marco Polo's travels first printed..1477 Columbus in Spain. Announces his views to Ferdinand and Isabella..1485-86 The views of Columbus referred to a |