NEUVILLE, Philippe Buache de la, French geographer, b. in Neuville-en-Pont, 7 Feb., 1700; d. in Paris, 24 Jan., 1773. He was a pupil of Guillaume Delisle, and succeeded him in the Academy of sciences in 1730. He invented a new system of geography, which, although defective in many instances, contributed greatly toward the progress of that science, and popularized it. By a careful study of the map of the earth he became convinced that a connection existed in Bering strait between Asia and America, and he placed on his map the peninsula of Alaska and the Aleutian islands long before their discovery. After reading the narrative of Admiral de Fuente (q. v.) he drew a chart of the western coast of North America, then almost unknown, which was valuable to navigators. He affirmed also that a continent or large islands existed in the vicinity of the south pole. Among his works are “Considérations géographiques et physiques sur les découvertes nouvelles dans la grande mer,” which contains a chart of the western coast of North America (Paris, 1754); “Le parallèle des fleuves des quatre parties du monde pour servir a déterminer la hauteur des montagnes” (1757); “Mémoire sur la traversée de la mer glaciale arctique,” which contains his hypothesis of an Alaskan peninsula (1759); and “Considérations géographiques sur les terres australes et antarctiques” (1761). — His nephew, Jean Nicolas, b. in Neuville-en-Pont, 15 Feb., 1741; d. in Paris, 21 Nov., 1825, taught geography to Louis XVI., Louis XVIII., and Charles X., was afterward keeper of the marine charts and log-books in the navy department, and, being elected to the Academy of sciences in 1782, prepared the charts for the unfortunate expedition of La Pérouse (q. v.) to the South sea. Among his works are “Mémoire sur la terre des Arsacides,” in which he claims that Surville discovered the Salomon islands before Mendana de Neyra (Paris, 1781); and “Considérations sur les limites méridionales de la Guiane Française” (1797), in which he urged the government to claim a tract of land 150 miles large, which he affirmed belonged to Guiana. This work contained also a map of Guiana which provoked complications with Portugal, and the “Directory” was at one time on the eve of declaring war with the latter country. The difficulties that were raised by Buache de la Neuville's work were brought to an end only under the reign of Louis Philippe. He also wrote “Mémoire sur les découvertes faites par la Pérouse” (1798); “Recherches sur l'ile Juan de Lisboa” (1801); “Recherches sur l'ile Antilla et sur l'époque de la découverte de l'Amérique” (1806); and “Observations sur quelques iles situées entre le Japon et la Californie” (1809).
NEUVILLE, Chevalier de la, soldier, b. about
1740; d. about 1800. In 1777 he and his younger
brother Normiont arrived in this country and
offered their services to congress. He had been
for more than twenty years an officer, brought letters
that recommended him for his zeal, activity,
and knowledge in the French service, and also
bore high testimonials to Gen. Washington. On
14 May, 1778, he was appointed an inspector of
the army under Gen. Horatio Gates, with the
promise of rank according to his merit at the end
of three months. He was a good officer but a
strict disciplinarian, and was not popular with the
army. Failing to receive promotion to the rank
he expected after six months' service, he applied
for permission to retire, which was granted, and on
4 Dec., 1778, congress passed an order that a
certificate be given him by the president in these
words: “M. de la Neuville, having served with
fidelity and reputation in the army of the United
States, in testimony of his merit, a brevet commission
of brigadier has been granted him by
congress, and, on his request, he is permitted to leave
the service of the States and return to France.”
He formed a strong attachment for Gen. Gates
while under his command, and corresponded with
him after leaving the country. In one of his
letters he says that he had applied for permission to
return to America in vain, and announced his
intention of doing so, “not as a general but as a
philosopher,” and of purchasing a residence near
that of Gen. Gates. He did not revisit this country,
and his subsequent history is lost. — His brother,
Normiont, served in two campaigns with credit,
was appointed a major, and afterward lieutenant-colonel
by brevet, and returned to France in 1779.
NEU-WIED, Alexander Maximilian
(noy-veet), Prince of, b. in Neu-Wied, Germany, 23
Sept., 1782; d. there, 3 Feb., 1867. He served in the
Prussian army until 1806, when he was retired as a
major-general, and gave himself to the study of
natural science. In 1815 he made a voyage to Rio
Janeiro for the purpose of exploring the interior of
Brazil. In 1816 he reached the Morro d'Arrara,
and found the tribe of the Botocudos, about which
he gave exact details for the first time. On account
of the war among the different tribes of the country
he was obliged to abandon his original route,
and retired to Villaviçosa, remaining for some time
near the ruins that he had discovered in Jonassoma.
North of the river Belmonte he made his way
through the woods, and after many difficulties
arrived in the province of Minas-Geraes. His delicate
health forced him to abandon his expedition, but
on arriving at Nazareth he was detained by
unfounded suspicions for three days, and robbed of a
large part of his collection of insects and plants.
After this he resolved to leave the country, and
embarked for Germany on 10 May, 1817. In 1833
he travelled through the western part of North
America to the Rocky mountains, collecting a large
quantity of specimens in natural history, and having
views taken by the artists that accompanied him.
His zoölogical collection, embracing rare specimens
of the South American fauna, is now in the American
museum of natural history, New York. He
wrote “Reise nach Brasilien in den Jahren 1815-1817”
(Frankfort, 1819-'20); “Abbildungen zur
Naturgeschichte Brasiliens” (Weimar, 1823);
“Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte Brasiliens” (1824); and
“Reise durch Nordamerika” (Coblentz, 1838;
English translation, London, 1843).
NEVADA, Emma Wixom, singer, b. in Nevada
City, Cal., in 1861. Her name is Wixom, but she
has adopted that of her native city for her stage
name. She was educated at Austin, Texas, and in
San Francisco, and, after studying in Vienna under
Mme. Marchesi, first appeared at Her Majesty's
theatre, London, in 1880, and subsequently with
success in the principal European cities. She has
an extensive repertoire, including principally Italian
operas, but she has also appeared in oratorio
in England. She sang in “La Sonnambula” at her
first appearance in New York in 1884.
NEVES, Jose Joaqnim de Andrade (nay-ves), Baron do Triumpho, Brazilian soldier, b. in Rio Pardo, 22 Jan., 1807 ; d. in Asuncion, Paraguay, 6 Jan., 1869. At the beginning of the revolution in 1835 he took up arms on the side of the government, and before 1843 participated in fourteen battles, finally accomplishing the pacification of his province. During the war with Juan Manuel de Rosas he served as commander of the 7th brigade of cavalry in Uruguay in 1851-'2, and was pro-
