Port

3792

Porter

Port au Prince, the capital and largest city
of Haiti, W. L, is situated on the Gulf of Gon-
aives on the western coast of the island. The
buildings, mostly of wood, present a unique
appearance interspersed with handsome trees.
The chief features of interest arc the cathedral,
and the central market where produce from
all parts of Haiti is displayed. The city has a
good fortified harbor, the greater part of the
island's foreign trade being carried on through
Port au Prince. The chief exports are coffee,
cacao, logwood, and cotton. Port au Prince
was founded in 1749. It was almost entirely
destroyed by earthquake in 1770; p. between
80,000 and 90,000.

Port Chester, village, Wcstchester co.r New
York, on Long Island Sound; 26 miles n.e. of
New York City. It contains a public library,
hospital, and a park. Industrial establishments
include iron foundries and manufactures of
bolts and nuts, shirts, and stoves; p. -5,3,073-

Port Clinton, village, Ohio, county seat of
Ottawa co., on Lake Erie, at the mouth of
the Portage River; 14 m. n.w. of San-
dusky, with which it is connected by trolley.
It has a good harbor and a considerable lake
trade. Grapes and peaches are raised in the
surrounding country; p.4,505.

Portcullis, a barrier formed of large pieces
of wood joined across one another like a har-
row, and each pointed with iron at the bot-
tom. It was generally hung vertically over
the gateways of old fortified towns and castles,
ready to be let down in case of a surprise be-
fore the gates could be shut.

Portcullis

Port Darwin, a large inlet, Australia, on
the n.w, coast of the Northern Territory. On
it stands the town of Pahnerston.

Port de Paix, town, Haiti, on the strait be-
tween Haiti and Tortuga, and at the mouth oj
the Trofc JUv&res. Coffee is its principal

product. Columbus visited this port in 1402;
p. 10,000.

Porte, Sublime. See Constantinople;
Turkey.

Port Elizabeth, seaport town, Cape of
Good Hope, South Africa, on Algoa Bay. The
harbor is commodious, and the city is an im-
portant port, being known as the Liverpool of
South Africa; p.45,927, of which number
19,987 are colored.

Porter, Benjamin Curtis (1843-1908),
American painter, was born in Melrose, Mass.
At first a figure painter, he gradually turned
his attention to portrait painting. His por-
traits of leading society women of Boston
and New York are characterized by grace
and distinction.

Porter, David (1780-1843), American
naval officer, was born in Boston. In April,

1798, he was appointed a midshipman in the
American navy, and saw his first active service
on board the Constellation in her battle with
the French frigate /' Insurgrnte in February

1799. At the outbreak of war with Great
Britain, in 1812, Porter was promoted to
captain, and was given command of the frigate
Essex of 32 guns. In January, 1813, proceeded
to the Pacific Ocean for the purpose of pro-
tecting American shipping and inflicting as
much damage as possible upon that of the
enemy. After the close of the war, Porter was
for eight years a member of the board of navy
commissioners. In 1824, having attained the
rank of commodore, he was sent to the West
Indies in command of an expedition against
the pirates. David G, Farragut wjis his son by
adoption.

Porter, David Dixon (1813-91), Ameri-
can admiral, son of Commodore David Porter,
was born in Chester, Pa, He accompanied his
father in 1824 in his expedition against the
West Indian pirates. When the Civil War
broke out, Porter had attained only the rank
of lieutenant, but his rise thenceforth was ex-
tremely rapid. He commanded the Powhatan
in the relief of Fort Pickens, and assisted in
operations against Vicksburg and other places
above New Orleans. In September, 1862, how-
ever, he was ordered to command the Missis-
sippi squadron as acting rear-admiral. He es-
tablished a navy yard at Mound City, and by
converting ordinary river steamers into gun-
boats soon had a fleet of more than 120 vessels.
With these, in January 1863, he assisted the
army in the capture of Arkansas Post, and not
long after successfully run past the guns of
Vicksburg and captured Grand Gulf. In Octo-
ber 1864, Porter was assigned to command