Saint Johns River River, northeastern Florida, U.S. It rises in the east-central part of the state and flows north parallel to the coast until it turns at Jacksonville to empty into the Atlantic Ocean, after a course of 285 mi (459 km). It is important for both shipping and recreation.
Saint-John's-wort Common name for plants in the family Hyperi- caceae, which contains 350 species of herbs or low shrubs in eight gen¬ era. The family is sometimes considered part of the family Guttiferae. The majority of species (about 300) belong to the genus Hypericum. Their leaves are opposite or whorled, dotted with glands, and usually have smooth margins. Several species are cultivated in temperate regions for their handsome flowers. H. perforatum, a showy golden flower grown in both the Old and New Worlds whose buds contain a red oil, has long been credited with magical and medicinal powers; today it is being widely used and studied for its possible efficacy against depression.
Saint-Just \sa n -'zhmst\, Louis (-Antoine-Leon) de (b. Aug. 25, 1767, Decize, France—d. July 28,
1794, Paris) French Revolutionary leader. In support of the French Revolution, he wrote the radical Esprit de la revolution et de la con¬ stitution de France (1791) and was elected to the National Convention in 1792. A close associate of Maxi- milien Robespierre and a member of the Committee of Public Safety, he was elected president of the Convention in 1793 and sponsored the Ventose (March) Decrees, which confiscated property of the Revolution’s enemies and redistributed it to the poor. He led the victorious attack against the Austrians at Fleurus (in modern Bel¬ gium). A fanatical leader of the Reign of Terror, he was arrested in the Ther- midorian Reaction and guillotined.
Saint Kitts and Nevis officially Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Island country, Leeward Islands, in the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Area: 104 sq mi (269 sq km). Popu¬ lation (2005 est.): 46,600. Capitaclass="underline" Basseterre (on Saint Kitts). Most of the population is of African descent. Language: English (official). Religions:
volcanic origin, with mountain ranges ris¬ ing to 3,792 ft (1,156 m). The climate is tropical, and heavy vegetation covers most of the mountainous interior. The economy is based on agri¬ culture; sugar has long been the mainstay, and tourism is also important. Saint Kitts and Nevis is a constitutional monarchy with one legislative house; its chief of state is the British monarch represented by the governor-general, and the head of government is the prime minister. Saint Kitts became the first British colony in the West Indies in 1623. Anglo- French rivalry grew in the 17th century and lasted more than a century. In 1783, by the Treaty of Versailles, the islands became wholly British possessions. They were united with Anguilla from 1882 to 1980 but became an independent federation within the British Commonwealth in
Saint Laurent Vsa n -l6-'ra n \, Louis (Stephen) (b. Feb. 1, 1882, Compton, Que., Can.—d. July 25, 1973, Quebec, Que.) Prime minister of Canada (1948-57). One of Canada’s most prominent lawyers, he served in the Canadian House of Commons (1942-58) and in W.L. Mac¬ kenzie King’s cabinet as minister of justice and attorney general (1942-46) and minister of external affairs (1945—48). As leader of the Liberal Party (1948), he succeeded King as prime minister. He promoted Canadian unity by equalizing provincial revenues and expanded social security and university education. He supported Canadian membership in NATO and helped establish the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Saint Laurent \sa n -l6-'ra n \, Yves (-Henri-Donat-Mathieu) (b.
Aug. 1, 1936, Oran, Alg.) Algerian-born French fashion designer. He left for Paris after secondary school to pursue a fashion career and at 17 was hired as Christian Dior’s assistant. When Dior died four years later, he was named head of the House of Dior. In 1962 he opened his own fash¬ ion house and quickly emerged as one of the world’s most influential designers. He popularized trousers for women for both city and country wear. Metallic and transparent fabrics were prominent in his late ’60s col¬ lections; in the 1970s, inspired by ethnic costume, he introduced the haute peasant look. During the 1960s and ’70s his enterprises expanded to include ready-to-wear licenses, accessories, household linens, fragrances, and men’s clothes in addition to his couture business. He retired in 2002.
Saint Lawrence, Gulf of Deep gulf of the Atlantic Ocean off eastern Canada. It has an area of about 60,000 sq mi (155,000 sq km). It touches the shores of half of the provinces of Canada, providing a gateway to the inte¬ rior of the entire North American continent. Its boundaries are the maritime estuary at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River, the Strait of Belle Isle
Louis de Saint-Just, portrait after a red chalk drawing by Christophe Guerin,
COURTESY OF THE BIBUOTHtoUE NATIONALE, PARIS
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
1668 I Saint Lawrence River ► Saint Paul River
between Newfoundland and the mainland, and Cabot Strait. It has many islands, including Prince Edward Isiand and the Magdalen Islands.
Saint Lawrence River River, southern Quebec and southeastern Ontario, Canada. It flows northeast out of Lake Ontario into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and is about 760 mi (1,225 km) long. It passes through the Thousand Islands and for about 120 mi (195 km) forms the boundary between New York and Ontario. Entering Quebec, it widens into Lake St. Francis, then flows past Montreal island. Below Quebec city it widens to 90 mi (145 km) at its mouth in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Major tribu¬ taries include the Ottawa, Saguenay, Richelieu, and Manicouagan rivers, all in Canada. It links the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes through the Saint Lawrence Seaway.
Saint Lawrence Seaway U.S.-Canadian waterway and lock system. Located along the upper St. Lawrence River, it links the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes. Its construction, carried out in 1954-59, involved clearing a 186-mi (299-km) stretch of the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Lake Ontario. It included lakes, rivers, locks, and canals that extended for 2,340 mi (3,766 km) to connect Duluth, Minn., with the head of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. With the Great Lakes, it provides 9,500 mi (15,285 km) of navigable waterways. It allows deep-draft ocean ves¬ sels access to the Great Lakes’ rich industrial and agricultural regions. It is navigable from April to mid-December.
Saint-Leon \sa n -la-'o n \, (Charles-Victor-) Arthur (-Michel) (b.
Sept. 17, 1821, Paris, Fr.—d. Sept. 2, 1870, Paris) French dancer, cho¬ reographer, and violinist. He trained with his ballet-master father and toured extensively throughout Europe (1838-59), often playing the vio¬ lin as he danced. He was ballet master at the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg (1859-69); his The Humpbacked Horse (1864) was the first ballet based on Russian folk themes. In 1870 he became ballet master at the Paris Opera, where he choreographed his most famous ballet, Cop- pelia. He developed an early system of dance notation, which he pub¬ lished in 1852.
Saint Louis City (pop., 2000: 348,189), east-central Missouri, U.S. Located on the Mississippi River below its confluence with the Missouri River, it was founded by Auguste Chouteau in 1764 as a trading post and was named for King Louis IX of France. It became the crossroads of westward expansion for exploring parties, fur-trading expeditions, and pioneers traveling the Santa Fe and Oregon trails. Since the 19th-century steam¬ boat era and the arrival of the railroads in the 1850s, it has been a major transportation hub. Its diversified industries include brewing, food pro¬ cessing, and the manufacture of aircraft. The largest city in the state, it is home to many educational institutions, including Washington University and St. Louis University. The emblem of the city is its Gateway Arch, designed by Eero Saarinen.
Saint Lucia Vlu-sh9\ Island country, Windward Isands, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Area: 238 sq mi (617 sq km). Population (2005 est.): 161,000. Capitaclass="underline" Castries. Most of the population is of African descent. Languages: English (official), French patois. Religions: Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestant); also Rastafarianism. Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar. Saint Lucia is of volcanic origin; within the Qualibou Caldera is Sulphur Springs, which continues to emit steam and gases and is a prime tourist attraction. Wooded mountains run north-south, culmi¬ nating in Mount Gimie (3,145 ft [958.6 mj). The economy is based on agriculture and tourism. Saint Lucia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliament of two legislative houses; its chief of state is the British mon¬ arch represented by the governor-general, and the head of government is the prime minister. Caribs replaced early Arawak inhabitants c. ad 800- 1300. Settled by the French in 1650, Saint Lucia was ceded to Great Brit¬ ain in 1814 and became one of the Windward Islands in 1871. It became fully independent in 1979. See map above.