FISH

fish, hamilton (1808-1893), american statesman, was born in new york city on the 3rd of august 1808. his father, nicholas fish (1758-1833), served in the american army during the war of american independence, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. the son graduated at columbia college in 1827, and in 1830 was admitted to the bar, but practised only a short time. in 1843-1845 he was a whig representative in congress. he was the whig candidate for lieutenant-governor of new york in 1846, and was defeated by addison gardner (democrat); but when in 1847 gardner was appointed a judge of the state court of appeals, fish was elected (november 1847) to complete the term (to january 1849). he was governor of new york state from 1849 to 1851, and was united states senator in 1851-1857, acting with the republicans during the last part of his term. in 1861-1862 he was associated with john a. dix, william m. evarts, william e. dodge, a.t. stewart, john jacob astor, and other new york men, on the union defence committee, which (from april 22, 1861, to april 30, 1862) co-operated with the municipal government in the raising and equipping of troops, and disbursed more than a million dollars for the relief of new york volunteers and their families. fish was secretary of state during president grant's two administrations (1869-1877). he conducted the negotiations with great britain which resulted in the treaty of the 8th of may 1871, under which (article 1) the "alabama claims" were referred to arbitration, and the same disposition (article 34) was made of the "san juan boundary dispute," concerning the oregon boundary line. in 1871 fish presided at the peace conference at washington between spain and the allied republics of peru, chile, ecuador and bolivia, which resulted in the formulation (april 12) of a general truce between those countries, to last indefinitely and not to be broken by any one of them without three years' notice given through the united states; and it was chiefly due to his restraint and moderation that a satisfactory settlement of the "virginius affair" was reached by the united states and spain (1873). fish was vice-president-general of the society of the cincinnati from 1848 to 1854, and president-general from 1854 until his death. he died in garrison, new york, on the 7th of september 1893. his son, nicholas fish (1846-1902), was appointed second secretary of legation at berlin in 1871, became secretary in 1874, and was _charge d'affaires_ at berne in 1877-1881, and minister to belgium in 1882-1886, after which he engaged in banking in new york city. fish (o. eng. _fisc_, a word common to teutonic languages, cf. dutch _visch_, ger. _fisch_, goth. _fisks_, cognate with the lat. _piscis_), the common name of that class of vertebrate animals which lives exclusively in water, breathes through gills, and whose limbs take the form of fins (see ichthyology). the article fisheries deals with the subject from the economic and commercial point of view, and angling with the catching of fish as a sport. the constellation and sign of the zodiac known as "the fishes" is treated under pisces. the fish was an early symbol of christ in primitive and medieval christian art. the origin is to be found in the initial letters of the names and titles of jesus in greek, viz. [greek: iesous christos, theou huios, soter], jesus christ, son of god, saviour, which together spell the greek word for "fish," [greek: ichthys]. the fish is also said to be represented in the oval-shaped figure, pointed at both ends, and formed by the intersection of two circles. this figure, also known as the _vesica piscis_, is common in ecclesiastical seals and as a glory or aureole in paintings of sculpture, surrounding figures of the trinity, saints, &c. the figure is, however, sometimes referred to the almond, as typifying virginity; the french name for the symbol is _amande mystique_. the word "fish" is used in many technical senses. thus it is used of the purchase used in raising the flukes of an anchor to the bill-board; of a piece of wood or metal used to strengthen a sprung mast or yard; and of a plate of metal used, as in railway construction, for the strengthening of the meeting-place of two rails. this word is of doubtful origin, but it is probably an adaptation of the fr. _fiche_, that which "fixes," a peg. this word also appears in the english form "fish," in the metal, pearl or bone counters, sometimes made in the form of fish, used for scoring points, &c., in many games.