NEVIS  , an

island in the British West Indies, forming with St Kitts one of the five presidencies in the colony of the Leeward Islands . Pop . (1901) 12,774 . It lies in 17° 14' N. and 62° 33' W., and is separated from St Kitts by a shallow channel 2 M. wide at its narrowest point . In form it is almost round, and from the sea has the appearance of a perfect cone, rising gradually to the height of 3200 ft . Its total area is 50 sq. m . Although the island is subject to severe storms, the climate is healthy, the average temperature being 82° F . Sugar, rum and molasses are exported, and corn, yams, coffee and fruit are grown . There are medicinal springs and large deposits of sulphur . The chief town, Charlestown, lies on a wide bay on the S.W . The legislative council of St Kitts-Nevis meets at Basseterre, the capital of St Kitts . Nevis was discovered by Columbus in 1498 and first colonized in 1628 by the English from St Kitts .

During the

period of the slave trade it was a leading mart for slaves in the West Indies .