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ANTIGUA , an See also:island in the See also:British See also:West Indies, forming, with See also:Barbuda and See also:Redonda, one of the five presidencies in the See also:colony of the Leeward Islands. It lies 50 M. E. of St Kitts, in 170 6' N. and 61° 45' W., and is 54 M. in circumference, with an See also:area of See also:roS sq. m. The See also:surface is comparatively See also:flat, and there is no central range of mountains as in most other West See also:Indian islands, but among the hills in the See also:south-west an See also:elevation of 1328 ft. is attained. Owing to the See also:absence of See also:rivers, the paucity of springs, and the almost See also:complete deforestation, Antigua is subject to frequent droughts, and although the See also:average rainfall is 45.6 in., the See also:variations from See also:year to year are See also:great. The dryness of the See also:air proves very beneficial to persons suffering from pulmonary complaints. The high rocky See also:coast is much indented by bays and arms of the See also:sea, several of which See also:form excellent harbours, that of St See also:John being safe and commodious, but inferior to See also:English See also:Harbour, which, although little frequented, is capable of receiving vessels of the largest See also:size. The See also:soil, especially in the interior, is very fertile. See also:Sugar and pineapples are the See also:chief products for export, but sweet potatoes, yams, See also:maize and See also:guinea See also:corn are grown for See also:local See also:consumption. Antigua is the See also:residence of the See also:governor of the Leeward, Islands, and the See also:- MEETING (from " to meet," to come together, assemble, 0. Eng. metals ; cf. Du. moeten, Swed. mota, Goth. gamotjan, &c., derivatives of the Teut. word for a meeting, seen in O. Eng. Wit, moot, an assembly of the people; cf. witanagemot)
meeting See also:place of the See also:general legislative See also:council, but there is also a local legislative council of 16 members, See also:half See also:official and half unofficial. Until 1898, when the See also:Crown Colony See also:system was adopted, the legislative council was partly elected, partly nominated. Elementary See also:education is compulsory. Agricultural training is given under -See also:government See also:control, and the See also:Cambridge local See also:examinations and those of the University of See also:London are held annually. Antigua is the see of a See also:bishop of the See also:- CHURCH
- CHURCH (according to most authorities derived from the Gr. Kvpcaxov [&wµa], " the Lord's [house]," and common to many Teutonic, Slavonic and other languages under various forms—Scottish kirk, Ger. Kirche, Swed. kirka, Dan. kirke, Russ. tserkov, Buig. cerk
- CHURCH, FREDERICK EDWIN (1826-1900)
- CHURCH, GEORGE EARL (1835–1910)
- CHURCH, RICHARD WILLIAM (1815–189o)
- CHURCH, SIR RICHARD (1784–1873)
Church of See also:England, the members of which predominate here, but Moravians and Wesleyans are numerous. There is a small volunteer See also:defence force. The island has See also:direct See also:steam communication with Great See also:Britain, the See also:United States and See also:Canada, and is also served by the submarine See also:cable. The three chief towns are St John, See also:Falmouth and Parham. St John (pop. about ro,000), the See also:capital, situated on the See also:north-west, is an exceedingly picturesque See also:town, built on an See also:eminence overlooking one of the most beautiful harbours in the West Indies. Although both Falmouth and Parham have See also:good harbours, most of the produce of the island finds its way to St John for shipment. The See also:trade is chiefly with the United States, and the See also:main exports are sugar, See also:molasses, See also:logwood, tamarinds, turtles, and pineapples. The cultivation of See also:cotton has been introduced with success, and this also is exported. The dependent islands of Barbuda and Redonda have an area of 62 sq. m. Pop. of Antigua (19o1), 34,178; of the See also:presidency, 35,073.
Antigua was discovered in 1493 by See also:Columbus, who is said to have named it after a church in See also:Seville, called See also:Santa Maria la Antigua. It remained, however, uninhabited until 1632, when a See also:body of English settlers took See also:possession of it, and in 1663 another See also:settlement of the same nation was effected under the direction of See also:Lord See also:Willoughby, to whom the entire island was granted by See also:Charles II. It was ravaged by the See also:French in 1666, but was soon after reconquered by the British and formally restored to them by the treaty of See also:Breda. Since then it has been a British possession.
End of Article: ANTIGUA
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