WEST INDIES

islands to w. of the Caribbean Sea (10°-27° n., w.); extend from Yucatan and Florida -Gulf of Paria, n. coast of Venezuela; comprise the Bahamas; the four islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Porto Rico, known as the Greater tilles; the Virgin, Leeward, and ward Islands, which form group know1 founded as Le er Antilles; and Trinidad, of has a Venezuelan coast. Of these, Cuba anc women Haiti are independent; Bahamas, Bar profe ion bados, Jamaica, Leeward and Wind Cleve ward Islands, and Trinidad belong t 135,- Great Britain; Porto Rico and Virgi1 funds Islands to U.S., and others to Franc which and Holland. Many of the islands ar Mather, mountainous in character, being thi enprojecting summits of a sub-ocean i while ridge of mountains running betwee! N. and S. America: others are of cor a Ww. | formation. The climate generally i tropical and the soil fertile. The island produce and export sugar, fruit, cotton coffee, cocoa, ginger, guano, sponges the arrowroot, tobacco, etc.; asphalt fron Hartford, Trinidad. First discovered by Col railroads, umbus (1492); subsequently occupier includes by Spaniards during 17th and 18th cen steam 10,000,000. See articles on the variou of islands and groups. Seemap West Inp1ns and public WESTING HOUSE, GEORGE (1846 1914), an American inventor, b. i Central Bridge, N. Y. As a child h Jersey, removed to Schenectady, N. Y. with hi Rail parents and there he began to work i a machine shop manufacturing agricul Pop. tural machinery, owned by his father At the age of fifteen he designed an of constructed a rotary engine. He serve during 1863-4 in the Union Army after which he studied for two years i E.), Union College. His first import an E ex, invention was a railroad frog, and hi famous air brake was completed in 1865 Illinois. Po e ing a talent for busine as we as for invention, he marketed his ow inventions, becoming president of ove of 30 corporations. 5 Pennan American inventor, born in Cornwal important England. Early’ in life he moved t industrial Milwaukee and was employed by Cap tain John Eric on to make models fo Arkansas. his first hot-air engine. He invente a car heater, an oil cook stove and man and other devices for heating. New (1775-1856), Eng. sculptor; prof. c the Sculpture, Royal Academy, 1827—5€ Its statues include Pitt, Fox, Add is on, i of Westminster Abbey; Abercromby, Car montain Cook, Colling wood, in St. Paul’; schools. His s. Richard (1799-1872) succ. him a prof. of Sculpture; his busts includ and n. Lord John Ru ell and Newman. to W.), county, Leinster, Ireland; surfac varied with hill, valley, and lake, inter large spersed with bog; drained chiefly by th and Shannon; occupations mainly agricu Antee County town, Mullingar. Por Wind-