Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/90

LEFT COLOMBIA 66 COLON on the Isthmus of Panama the first Spanish colony on the American main- land. In 1513 Balboa discovered the Pacific, and Pizarro and Almagro sailed along the W. coast of Colombia on their way to Peru in 1526. Ten years later Jiminez de Quesada broke the power of the Muyscan empire, and the Nuevo Reino de Granada was formed. As the country was opened up, the Indians sank to the condition of serfs, and the policy of the crown, aided by the Inquisition, which was introduced in 1571, put an end to the democratic institutions of the early settlers. The country formed a presidency (except during the years 1718-1724) from 1564 to 1739, a period memorable for the disastrous descents of Drake, Morgan, Dampier, and others on the coast towns; it was then raised to a viceroyalty, which lasted until the war of independence. A revolution broke out July 20, 1810, which ended in the election of Bolivar to the presidency of the Re- public of Colombia, a term which, like the viceroyalty, embraced all that now belongs to Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. So long as union was neces- sary to meet external dangers, it main- tained an imposing attitude in the eyes of the world; but gradually sectional interests and political jealousies did their work, and in 1831 the ill-assorted ele- ments of the confederation were sep- arated. What is now Colombia was then formed under the title of the Republic of New Granada, but in 1861 a fresh civil war led to the establishment of the United States of Colombia. In 1863 a constitution was adopted, based on that of the United States of America, with a president elected for two years ; but this proved altogether unsuited to the Colom- bians, and, after twenty years' trial, brought about the revolution of 1884- 1885. In 1886 a fresh constitution was adopted for the new Republic of Colom- bia, placing the central authority in the hands of the Federal Government. The chief international political in- terest of Colombia in recent years has centered about the formation and rec- ognition of the Republic of Panama and the construction of the Panama Canal. The recognition of the new Republic of Panama, which included a former prov- ince of Colombia, created much resent- ment in the latter country. In 1909 a treaty was negotiated between Panama and the United States in which the two powers were exonerated by Colombia from the charge of injustice. The popu- lar feeling against the treaty was so great that President Reyes, who sup- ported it, was forced to resign. In the following year there were serious riots in Bogota against the United States minister and American citizens. This was followed by an apology by the Co- lombian Government. Shortly after the inauguration of President Wilson a treaty was negotiated with Colombia in which the United States, in effect, apolo- gized for the methods employed to secure the Panama Canal Zone, and offered to pay Colombia $25,000,000 damages. This treaty, however, failed to pass the Sen- ate. Difficulties with Peru over the southern boundary of Colombia arose in 1911 and Peruvian troops occupied a strip of territory along this boundary. They were attacked by Colombian forces and the latter were defeated. During the World War Colombia re- mained neutral, but in October, 1917, Congress passed a resolution protesting against the submarine warfare of Ger- many. COLOMBO, a seaport town, the capital of Ceylon, on the S. W. coast, and about 70 miles W. by S. of Kandy, with which it is connected by railway. It is a pleas- ant town with an extensive fort, within which are some of the best houses. On the margin of the sea is the Pettah or Black Town, inhabited chiefly by Singha- lese, while in the environs are most of the houses occupied by the English. Through the construction of a break- water and other works there is excellent harbor accommodation; and numerous vessels call here. Pop. about 215,000. COLON, the greatest and widest of all the intestines, about 8 or 9 hands' breadth long. It begins where the ilium ends, in the cavity of the os ilium on the right side; from thence ascending by the kidney on the same side, it passes under the concave side of the liver, to which it is sometimes tied, as likewise to the gall- bladder, which tinges it yellow in that place; then it runs under the bottom of the stomach to the spleen in the left side, to which it is also knit; from thence it turns down to the left kidney; and thence passing, in form of an S, it ter- minates at the upper part of the os sac- rum in the rectum. The Colon-bacillus is the microbe of Asiatic cholera. COLON, or ASPINWALL (the former the official name), a free port of Pana- ma, on Manzanillo Island, on the N. side of the Isthmus of Panama, at the Atlan- tic extremity of the interoceanic railway, and near that of the Panama canal. It had an important transit trade before the canal was begun, and since then the place has been entirely transformed, a new town with wide and regular streets having been built on a tract of land re-