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 342 CORAL CORBAN of feet above the level of the sea. In the ter- tiary and cretaceous formations ranging along our own coast, corals of various species, as per- fect as specimens brought from the East Indies, are occasionally taken from the marl pits, to- gether with multitudes of shells, such as now belong to warmer latitudes. Teeth of sharks and of other fishes are scattered with the shells throughout the rocks of these districts, precise- ly as they are now left by the fishes whose re- mains lie entangled among the reefs which were their pastures. Most fo.ssiliferous groups thus contain in their calcareous strata evidences that corals have contributed more or less to their origin. Even limestones that are now crystalline and without a trace of a fossil (owing to alteration through the action of heat and other metamorphic agencies) are in some cases, largely of coral formation. Thus part of the material of the solid marbles quarried from the midst of granitic rocks, and appa- rently as far removed in their origin as these from the agency of organic bodies, are traced back to the digestive and secretory operations of the coral polyps. By analyses of different varieties of coral, they are found to consist almost solely of carbonate of lime (95 to 98 per cent.). There is a small proportion, usually from 1 to 4 per cent., of animal matter, and according to Sharpies 0'27 to 0-90 per cent, of phosphate of lime. Prof. B. Silliman found fluorine in some corals, and Sharpies the " slight- est traces of it." Forchhammer obtained 2*1 per cent, of magnesia from the precious coral of the Mediterranean, and 6-36 per cent, from an Isis. The soluble salts of sodium, which form the greater part of the solid matters contained in sea water, are rejected by the polyps, and only those materials are made use of which are best fitted for producing the most sub- stantial structures. By their removal, the waters of the ocean are kept of uniform com- position. The soluble impurities poured into them by every river, but for some such pro- vision, would accumulate, as the fresh water alone is carried off by evaporation. The coral insects and marine shells are the agents ap- pointed to keep pure the waters of the great deep, to take up and store away the excess of the lime salts, and preserve the balance in this department of nature, as the vegetable growth performs a similar office in keeping down the excess of carbonic acid in the at- mosphere. The great ocean currents spread all the waters among the coral groves, as the winds convey the air through the forests. The mightiest forces of nature are thus made to administer food to the tiny polyp and the other life of the coral reef. The coral which is used in jewelry is known as precious coral (coral- lum rubrum). It is mostly obtained in the Mediterranean, the Barbary coast furnishing the dark red, Sardinia the yellow or salmon color, and the coast of Italy the rose-pink ; in Europe and in this country the latter is most valued, while in the East the dark red is pre- ferred. Torre del Greco, near Naples, is the residence of many of the coral fishers, and the place from which boats are fitted out for the business. The coral obtained by them is sold to the merchants ofNaples, who have it manu- factured into various articles of ornament for the European market. COR AM, Thomas, an English philanthropist, born about 1668, died March 29, 1751. He spent the early part of his life as a sea captain. Having seen in the poorer parts of London many children abandoned and cruelly exposed, he projected the foundling hospital, in which design he labored 17 years, and at last pro- cured a royal charter and a grant of 10,000 from parliament. He was also instrumental in promoting American trade by procuring a bounty on naval stores from the colonies, and by interesting himself in the settlement of Georgia and Nova Scotia. He died while per- fecting a scheme for the education of Indian girls. An annuity of 100 was raised for him by subscription in his old age. CORATO) a town of S. Italy, in the province and 25 m. N. W. of the city of Bari ; pop. in 1871, 26,220. It contains a fine collegiate church, several convents, and an orphan asy- lum, and carries on a considerable trade in olives. It was founded by the Normans in the llth century. CORAY, Adamantios, a Greek author, born in Smyrna, in April, 1748, died in Paris, April 6, 1833. Educated a merchant, he was also an ardent student of the ancient and modern lan- guages, in which he became deeply learned. While yet a young man he was intrusted with the care of a branch of his father's mercantile house in Holland, and remained in Amsterdam six years, allowing himself no recreation from business, except two lessons a week in mathe- matics and philosophy. He returned to Smyr- na in 1779, a few days after a fire had -de- stroyed the warehouses and residence of his father. He then renounced commerce, and for six years devoted himself to the study of medicine at Montpellier in France. His parents dying in poverty a year after he left Smyrna, he was obliged to support himself by transla- ting English and German medical works into French. He went to Paris in May, 1788, and resolving to aid in the liberation and regenera- tion of his country, he wrote a number of political tracts, and published in a series called the "Greek Library" a variety of ancient Greek works, with notes and translations, cal- culated to excite the patriotism of his country- men; among the most celebrated of which were the editions of the Ethics and Politics of Aristotle. He was employed in a translation of the geography of Strabo by Napoleon, who conferred on him a pension. CORBAIV. a Hebrew word occurring in the Greek of the New Testament (Mark vii. 11), where it is translated a " gift." It designates on oblation to God, and has reference to a formula of consecration, by using which, under