Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/327

Rh Juan de Sangara, and after an obstinate action captured five vessels and destroyed tvvo. After relieving Gibraltar and Minorca, he sailed again for this country, and met the French fleet, under Count de Guichen, near Martinique, 15 and IT April. Although no general battle was fought, he broke through the enemy's line and was re- warded by parliament with a vote of thanks and a pension of 2,000. He was elected to parliament for Westminster, created a K. B.. and in December, 1780, made an unsuccessful attack on St. Vincent, but in 1781 captured the Dutch colonies of St. Bustatius, Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice. Re- turning to England in the autumn of 1781, he was appointed vii-i-admiral "I' Kii^l.'ind. ami a^M^ned to command in the West Indies. In April. 1782, he met, in the channel of Dominica, with Count de Grasse, who was escorting a convoy of 150 sail that carried an invading army to Jamaica, On 9 April a partial engagement was fought, and on 12 April, Rodney, having the advantage of the wind, attacked the French. The battle lasted nearly twelve hours, and was one of the most obstinate that was ever fought in those waters. As Vau- dreuil's division was unable, on account of the wind, to co-operate in the action, and Ue Grasse's flag-ship was sinking, the latter was compelled to lower his flag, the French losing seven ships and two frigates, and the English three vessels. Yau- dreuil abandoned the expedition to Jamaica, owing to subsequent orders, and a truce was signed, which led to the peace of 1783. The Whigs, who had meanwhile come into office, had despatched, before the victory was known, an officer to supersede Rodney, who arrived in England, 21 Sept., 1782. He was greeted with enthusiasm, elevated to the peerage as Baron Rodney, and received an addi- tional pension of 2,000, made revertible to his heirs. Owing to infirmities, he retired from a> live service. Jamaica, which he saved, voted 1,000 for the erection of a monument over his grave, and his portrait, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, is at Green- wich. Rodney's son-in-law, Gen. Godfrey Basil Mundy, published " Life and Correspondence of Lord Rodney " (2 vols., London, 1830).

RODRIGUEZ, Cayetano José (ro-dre-geth '), Argentine clergyman, b. in Rincon de San Pedro in 1761 ; d. in Buenos Ayres, 21 Jan., 1823. He entered the Franciscan order in 1777, and was or- dained priest in 1783. During twenty years he was director of the convents of Santa Catalina and Santa Clara, and he also taught philosophy and theology in the convent of Buenos Ayres and the. University of Cordova. From the beginning of his career as a teacher he foresaw the future inde- pendence of his country, and when the Spanish yoke was thrown off in 1810 he was one of the most ardent followers of the patriotic cause. As a representative of his native province he was a member of the congress of Tucuman in 1816, and as secretary of that body signed the act of inde- pendence oil 25 July of that year. When, in 1822. the ecclesiastic reform was initiated, Rodriguez defended the rights of the church in the paper " Oficial del Dia " with great force, and he is considered one of the most "powerful writers of that period. He was also a poet of great merit, and many of his compositions appeared in maga- zines, but no collection has been issued.

RODRIGUEZ, Diego, Mexican mathematician, b. in Atitatl in 1597 : d. in Mexico in 1668. He entered the military order of Merced, in Mexico, on 8 April, 1613, and rose to be commander of that order and professor of theology in its college. In 1637 he was appointed professor of mathematics in the Literary academy. He wrote " Tratado etheorologico sobre el C'ometa aparecido en Mexico en 1652" (Mexico, 1652); "Tractatus Procemia- lium disciplinarian Matnematicarum. et de Com- mendatione Elementorum Euclidis " ; " Geometria especulativa" ; " De Aritmetica": "Tratado de Ecuaciones, con Tabla Algebraicadiscursiva ": and " Arte de fabricar Relojes horizontals, verticales, etc., con declinaciones y sin ellas." All but the first are in manuscript. They were taken from the convent of Merced to the National library, and they are to be published soon to show the early development of mathematics in Mexico.

'''RODRIGUEZ. Manuel.''' Chilian patriot, b. in Santiago in 1786; d. in Tiltil. 26 May. 1818. In 1811 he began to take part in the struggle for in- dependence, and during the government of Gen. Carrera in 1814 he served as secretary of the lat- ter. After the disaster of Rancagua he emigrated to the Argentine, and was secretly sent to Chili to foment the revolution there. The province of Col- chagua was the centre of his operations, and the Spanish government vainly tried to surprise him. offering large rewards for his capture. After the triumph of San Martin in Chacabuco. Rodriguez continued to serve the cause of the republic till the defeat of Cancha Rayada. when he proclaimed himself chief of Santiago. The reorganized forces obtained the victory of Maypu. in which Rodriguez took part as chief of the Husares de la Muerte. The- other chiefs, especially O'Higgins, began to be jealous of the popularity of Rodriguez. and. in order to remove him, he was offered t In- mission to the United States. On his refusal his death was decreed by the Lautaro secret society, and soon afterward he was imprisoned and sent to Quillota. to be tried by a court-martial. He was delivered to an officer, Navarro, who on the road ordered him to be shot without any trial. On the place of his execution a granite column has been erected, which was dedicated on 26 May, 1863.

RODRIGUEZ, Manuel del Socorro, Cuban scientist, b. in Bayamo, Cuba, in 1758; d. in Bogo- ta, Colombia, in 1818. Being of poor parentage, he was obliged to work for a living from early life, and received only a scanty education ; but he sup- plied this deficiency by his energy and love for study, and without -any teacher obtained a pro- found knowledge of science, history, and literature. He followed Jose de Ezpeleta in 1789 to New Granada, and, being appointed director of the pub- lic library of Bogota, began at once to aid the in- tellectual development of the country, associating his name with many literary and scientific enter- prises for that purpose. At his suggestion the viceroy founded the " Papel periodico de Santa Fe de Bogota," the first newspaper in the colony, the editorship of which was assigned to Rodriguez in January, 1791. He suggested also the idea of creating an astronomical and meteorological ob- servatory, and was appointed one of its directors. He founded several scientific and literary newspa- pers and reviews. When the country revolted against the Spanish rule in 1810, Rodriguez sided with the patriots and shared their fortunes. Al- though he wrote much, especially on scientific sub- jects, many of his works are lost. The principal manuscript that is preserved is " Historia de la Fundaeion de la Ensenanza." Humboldt praises him in several parts of his numerous writings.

RODRIGUEZ, Manuel Domingo, Argentine statesman, b. in Buenos Ayres in 1780; d. there in 1840. He served in the war of independence, and was a colonel at the time of the establishment of the republic by the congress of Tucuman, 9 July,