NICOLAIEV, or NICOLAIEF, a city of Russia, in the province of Cherson. It stands on the river Bug, at about eight leagues from the entrance of that river into the Black Sea, and at the point where the river Ingoul falls into it. From the entrance of the Bug at Oczakow, up to this city, its depth in the mid-channel is from four to six fathoms, and the navigation is consequently safe for the largest ships. This place is one of the chief naval arsenals on the Black Sea, and, besides ships of war, many gun-boats, with sails and oars fit for navigation, are built and equipped. The timber for ship-building comes chiefly by the Dnieper to Cherson. The admiral commanding in chief in the Black Sea, and a number of inferior officers, have their permanent residence at this place. The town is much scattered; its streets are wide and regular, and many of them are planted with trees on both sides, but scarcely any of them are paved. Almost all the houses are built of stone, and separated from each other by trees and gardens; but scarcely any of them are of a large size, and few have any pretensions to magnificence. The climate is healthy, the air is pure, rents are moderate, provisions are cheap, and the society is good; but fuel is scarce, and water is conveyed from a very copious fountain near the gates of the city. The principal public buildings are a new church in the great square, the guild-hall, the admiralty, the docks, the custom-house, the marine barracks, and the hospital. There is a school for naval instruction and for the education of the artillery, and a fine astronomical observatory. The number of inhabitants is now about 15,000, the greater part of whom are connected with the marine service. The observatory is situated in longitude 32. 0. 15. E. and latitude 46. 59. N.