Sr., an island in the S. Atlantic, belonging to Britain; S. Lat. 15° 55' 26"; W. Long. 5° 42' 30". It is about midway between Africa and South America, 1800 miles from the Cape of Good Hope, and 600 miles from the Island of Ascension. Its extreme breadth is 7 miles; and its greatest length 11 miles; its area is 30,300 English acres. The geology of St Helena is interesting. The island may be considered as the highest peak of a range of mountains traversing the S. Atlantic, and is most probably an extinct tertiary volcano. Geologists have been unable to fix with exactness its chronological position. The volcanic forces which have produced the complicated disturbances so conspicuous throughout the island, must have ceased at a very remote period, as it has evidently retained for ages its existing conformation.
The climate of St Helena, though within the tropics, is temperate and healthy, and not unfavourable even to European constitutions. In James' Town (600 feet above sea-level), the thermometer seldom rises above 80°; but in calm weather the heat reflected from the sides of the valley is often oppressive. In the open country the temperature is more uniform and mild, scarcely so hot and never so cold as in England. During some seasons the highest point of the thermometer during the summer has been only 72° in the interior; and the ordinary range during winter from 55° to 56°.
The soil of St Helena is clayey, and in many places of considerable depth. Vegetation is very luxuriant in the island, which is abundantly supplied with water from 160 excellent wells.
In some parts of the island iron ore has been found, but the scarcity of fuel prevents it from being smelted. Gold and copper have been observed in small quantities. Concrete limestone is excellent in quality and abundant. The hills are covered with furze and various indigenous shrubs and trees. Of the latter the most abundant is the gum-wood, of which there are three kinds, the common, the bastard, and the dwarf gum-tree. Other native trees are stringwood, dogwood, redwood or ebony, and the cabbage-tree, of which the last two are very durable as building materials. timber. Oaks, cypress, and pinaster, have been introduced into the plantations and thrive well. The ferns of St Helena are numerous, and the myrtle grows to the height of 30 feet. The cotton plant also thrives very well. Fruits ripen best in the valleys near the coast, but every farm produces in abundance the common fruits and vegetables both of the tropical and temperate zones. The attempts to grow cereals have not succeeded. Of the 756 species of plants now found in the island only 52 are natives. The cattle, sheep, and goats on the island are of English origin.
The greater part of the surface of St Helena is waste-land; but about 160 acres have been reclaimed and brought into cultivation, 7000 improved as pasture ground, and 28,000 are suitable for grazing sheep and goats. Such roads as exist are wretched.
In 1851 the total revenue of the island was £17,177, and total expenditure £16,427.
The supreme authority is vested in a governor, and a council composed of the lieutenant-governor, colonial-secretary, and chief-justice. When the council is not assembled the whole authority of the board centres in the governor.
St Helena was discovered by the Portuguese in 1501. They succeeded in concealing the position of St Helena from other European nations till 1688, when it was deserted and visited by Captain Cavendish on his way home from a voyage round the world. Soon after this it became well known to the Dutch and Spaniards. In course of time it was abandoned by the Portuguese, and taken possession of by the Dutch, who in turn abandoned it at the establishment of their colony at the Cape of Good Hope in 1651. On their departure the East India Company formed a settlement upon St Helena, and about ten years afterwards obtained from Charles II. a charter for its possession. In 1665 the Dutch successfully attacked the island, but in a few months were driven out of it by the English. Again, in 1672, the Dutch recaptured it, through the treachery of the planters; but it was almost immediately recovered by an English squadron, under Captain Munden, and again restored to the East India Company. As the trade of the East India Company increased, the importance of the island became daily more apparent.
But the chief historical interest of St Helena centres in Longwood House, the residence of the exiled Emperor Napoleon from 1815 till his death, May 5, 1821. The house in which the Emperor lived has been allowed to fall gradually into decay ever since his body was removed to France in 1841. (Brooke's History of the Island of St Helena; Johnson's Account of St Helena; Beatson's Tracts relative to the Island of St Helena, &c.)
In 1805, the pop. was 3078; in 1823, 4381 (composed of 1201 whites, 911 in the civil and military establishments, 1074 slaves, 729 free coloured, 442 Chinese, and 24 Lascars); in 1839, 4205; in 1849, the total military force amounted to about 1500 regular troops, besides four volunteer companies of white and black militia. Soldiers are sometimes placed at St Helena to undergo a seasoning previous to being sent to India; and this island and the Cape of Good Hope are the principal stations to which captured slaves are brought, and employed in public works.