Saint-Michel
MONT, a fortified rocky height in the department of La Manche, France, in Cancale Bay, 7 miles S. W. of Avranches. On its summit are a castle, and an interesting church of the 10th century. There is a straggling village on the hill, with a population of about 300. It forms altogether an extremely picturesque mass, and can be approached across the sands at low water. ST. MIHIEL, a town of France, which was the scene of several battles during the World War. It is situated on the Meuse, 11 miles N. N. W. of Commercy, and before the World War had several interesting churches, one of them the church the former Abbey of Saint Mihiel, some quaint dwellings, and a fine stone bridge. There were two forts on the river near the town. There was also considerable commerce and industry, centering largely round the manufacture of lace and embroidery. The population before the war was about 9,000. The region round St. Mihiel and Verdun became hotly contested following the repulse of the Germans from the Marne. In the the center had reached a deadlock, and on the E. the German Crown Prince sent large forces S. of Verdun. The Germans speedily reduced the fort of Troyon, just S. of Verdun, and had reached St. Mihiel, a little farther S. on the Meuse, thus threatening to surround Verdun, when the French re-enforced their line at this point. Thus St. Mihiel continued to be an outer defense for Metz and a possible starting-point for a strong German offensive. From that time forward, St. Mihiel continued the scene of determined attacks and counter-attacks. The Germans captured St. Mihiel on Sept. 23, 1914, and continued to hold it. Early in 1915 attempts were made by the French to carry the opposing German lines in the eastern sector, swinging round the great fortifications of Verdun, bending sharply to the Meuse at St. Mihiel and turning E. again from St. Mihiel to strike the Moselle river at a point near the Lorraine frontier. In the center of this sector the French made a desperate effort to wipe out the St. Mihiel salient; small gains were secured on the northern and southern sides of the wedge, but the main objective was not achieved. The net result was a success for the Germans, culminating on July July 6, 1915. Matters stood in this condition till the arrival of American forces in 1918, and the beginning of the battle of St. Mihiel in September of that year. On September 12, the American forces attacked both flanks of the St. Mihiel salient, and captured Thiaucourt and other important positions with 8,000 pris-
The chief resistence was in the oners.
W., where the German positions were defended by the heights on the edge of the Woëvre. So impetuous was the attack, which followed four hours' bombardment, that on the following day the forces advancing from the S. and W. met at Vigneulles and the St. Mihiel salient was no more. At the end of the American attack, seventy villages had been taken and nearly 175 square miles of territory; 16,000 prisoners were taken and 450 guns; the the great French railway system, running through Verdun, Toul, and Nancy, was freed and a strategically important position was obtained from which subsequently an offensive might be launched against Metz and the iron fields of Briey.
It was the beginning of the end, which came a few weeks later. See WORLD WAR.
ST. NAZAIRE, a seaport of France, department of Loire-Inférieure, on the N. side of the estuary of the Loire, 40 miles W. by N. of Nantes. Between 1831 and 1887 $7,250,000 was spent on harbor improvements, extensive docks (82 acres) having been built in 1845-1857 and 1864- 1 ST. NICHOLAS 1881 to accommodate the larger vessels that were unable to get up the Loire to Nantes. Since these began to be used the shipping of the place has increased at a very rapid rate. The most important of the imports are wine, coal, tar, iron and lead, wheat and flour, timber, and manure; the exports embrace chiefly brandy, wine, coal, wheat and flour these four in transit-eggs and poultry, sardines, butter, bonedust, vegetables, dyes, glass, and toys. The city was one of the most important naval depots of France during the World War. Pop. about 38,000.
ST. NICHOLAS, an early bishop of Myra in Lycia, Asia Minor. He is a popular saint in the Roman and the Greek Churches, being considered the patron of sailors, travelers, merchants, parish clerks, virgins and children. His feast day, falling on Dec. 6, was once elabo rately celebrated in English public schools, the solemnities continuing to Dec. 29.
These curious practices died out after the Protestant Reformation, vestiges of it lingering longest at Eton. The bestknown legend connected with St. Nicholas' name represents him as visiting, on three successive nights, the home of a poor nobleman distressed about the future of his three daughters, and throwing a purse of gold through the window each night. It has long been a custom in certain European countries to keep St. Nicholas' Eve by placing gifts in the shoes or stockings of children. This custom has been transferred to Christmas Eve and the transformed saint is known as Santa Claus (from the Dutch Sant Nicolaus).
ST. NICOLAS, a town of Belgium, in East Flanders, 12 miles W. by S. of Antwerp, in the district of Waes, a denselypeopled and productive agricultural region. It has a large flax market, and manufactures cotton and woolen stuffs, lace, needles, bricks, and pottery. A flourishing trade is carried on in linens, flax, corn, etc. Pop. about 32,000.
ST. OLAF COLLEGE, a coeducational institution in Northfield, Minn.; founded in 1874 under the auspices of the Lutheran Church; reported at the close of 1920: Professors and instructors 48; students, 794; president, Julius Boraas, Ph.D.
ST. OMER, a town of France, and second-class fortress, department of Pasde-Calais, in a marshy site, on the Aa, 26 miles S. E. of Calais. The chief objects of interest are the Gothic cathedral (13th-15th century), with remarkable sculptures, the ruined tower and arches of the Benedictine Abbey Church of St. Bertin, an arsenal, a museum, and SAINT PAUL a library. A college for the education of English and Irish Catholics was opened at St. Omer in 1592. It was closed, however, during the Revolution, but still exists as a seminary. Alban Butler was a president, and O'Connell a student. The people carry on active manufactures of tobacco-pipes, tulle, cambric, cloth, and muslin, and a brisk trade in provisions, sugar, and spirits. Pop. about 21,000.