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738 to take on its own account nearly all the loans of the government. At one stage of its operations, during the Mexican war, its transactions under this head were so bold that Mr. Riggs thought it more prudent to retire from the partnership. Mr. Cor- coran now found himself with twelve millions of the United States six-per-cent. loan on his hands, in a falling market, which had already sunk one per cent, below the price at which he had taken the whole loan. Nothing daunted, he embarked at once for London, and there succeeded, through the faith inspired by his business judgment and honor, in enlisting its greatest banking-houses in support of a loan that seemed perilous, but that subse- quently rose to a high premium and proved a source of great profit to all interested in it, besides bringing a relief to the exchanges of the United States. This negotiation, so creditable to his sagacity, courage, and integrity, laid the basis of that large wealth which subsequently came to be reckoned by the millions. He retired from the banking business in 1854, and has since given him- self entirely to the management of his own affairs. Plans of benevolence have taken the foremost place in his solicitudes, and in shapes so multiform that they have left no aspect of human life untouched

by his beneficence. The beautiful cemetery of Oak Hill, crowning the slopes of Georgetown, marks his tender respect for the dead ; the Louise Home, his provident care for impoverished gentlewomen ; the Corcoran gallery of art (see illustration), with its magnificent endowment, his patronage of the fine arts ; his rich benefactions to colleges and uni- versities, his love of learning; countless gifts to churches, church homes, and theological seminaries, his reverence for religion ; ceaseless contributions to institutions of public charity, his sympathy for human suffering. It is estimated that his charities, including private ones, exceed the aggregate amount of $5,000,000. Mr. Corcoran has long made his home in Washington the seat of an elegant hospi- tality and a centre of social influence, as being the favorite meeting-place of scholars, artists, states- men, diplomatists, and distinguished strangers.

CORDOVA, Francisco de (cor'-do-vah), clergy- man, b. in Spain ; d. in Cumana, Venezuela, in 1514. He was sent by Peter de Cordova with Juan Garces to convert the natives of Venezuela in 1514. They arrived at Cumana, where the Indians re- ceived them with kindness, and were making numerous conversions when a Spanish vessel visited the coast with the object of carrying off and selling the natives. The captain and crew were well treated for the sake of the missionaries, and the captain invited the cacique and principal Indians on board. As soon as they were on deck they were seized and thrown into chains, and the vessel then sailed for Santo Domingo. The Indians rushed to the house of the two Dominicans and were about to kill them, when the priests obtained a respite by promising that if the cacique and his companions were not restored in four months they would submit to their fate. Meanwhile another Spanish ship arrived, on which Francisco de Cor- dova and his companion could easily have made their escape ; but they contented themselves with begging the captain to return promptly to Santo Domingo and state the facts to the admiral and Peter de Cordova. The captain executed his com- mission, but was too late. The cacique and his chiefs had been sold, and the purchasers refused to surrender them. The king of Spain ordered the pirates to be tried and the cacique and his com- panions restored to freedom. The four months, however, had elapsed without the Indians hearing news of their countrymen, and Francisco de Cor- dova and his companion were slain, these being the first, Dominican martyrs of the New World.

CORDOVA, Francisco Fernández de, discoverer of Mexico ; d. in 1518. On 8 Feb., 1517, this navigator sailed from Cuba with Juan Alaminos, a pilot, who had accompanied Columbus in his fourth voyage, steered for the continent, and in March ranged the coast of Yucatan, where he lost many men in his various encounters with the natives. It appears certain that Cordova left two of his com- panions in this region ; for in 1518, when Grijalva explored the country, he was informed that one of them survived, but was unable to procure his re- lease. After exploring the coast, and remarking the grand monumental structures of Yucatan, he was forced by a tempest to abandon its shores. He visited Florida five years after the expedition of Ponce de Leon, and, on returning to Cuba, died, ten days after his arrival, of wounds received from the natives. He was a rich settler in Cuba before he undertook his expedition.

CORDOVA, Jose M., Colombian general, b. in Antoquia, New Granada, in 1797; killed at San- tuario, 17 Oct., 1829. He was the son of a rich merchant of the Spanish party, but when fifteen years of age joined the Independents. His con- duet at the battle of Boyaca, 8 Aug., 1819, gained him the rank of colonel, and he was charged with the expulsion of the royalists from Antoquia. This duty he successfully performed ; and his first care was to levy on his own father the sum of $10,- 000. His exactions occasioned his recall, but he distinguished himself in many combats on the banks of the Magdalena. By a skilful manreuvre he captured a Spanish fleet of twenty-seven vessels at anchor in the port of Teneriff'e, and, after a bloody battle, took possession of the town. He was made a general, and was in the Colombian division left by Bolivar in Peru. On 9 Dec.', 1824, Cordova participated in the victory of Ayacucho, and he was named general of division on the field. Covering his ambition with the pretext of establishing a federal government, he conspired many times against Bolivar, and openly revolted in August, 1829, but found few partisans. He was hunted at Santuario, 17 Oct., by the united forces of Andrada, Ureta, and O'Leary, and defended him- self \yith vigor, but fell covered with wounds.

CORDOVA, Jose Maria, South American soldier, b. in Cajainarca. Peru. 14 Jan., 1786; d. near the same city, 18 Oct., 1846. He was the son of wealthy parents, who sent him to Spain for his military studies, and, after finishing them, he entered the Spanish army and fought against the French when they invaded the peninsula. But, on hearing of the revolutionary movement in Peru, he deserted his colors, although he was a captain of cavalry, and fled to his own country. There he