Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/197

* COLOMBIA. 159 COLON. of the country, and attempted to found the first Spanish eolouy on the American mainland. Be- tween 1511 and 1517, Balboa and Pedrarias ex- plored and settled both coasts of the Istlinius. As early as 1515 Pizarro and Caspar de ^lorales had explored the Pacific coast as far south as 'Biru,' a term from which the present territory of Peru gets its name, although lying consider- ably beyond Pizarro's 'Biru.' IJetwccn 1530 and 1540, Ximenes de Quesada conquered the Chibchas, or Muyscas, the principal nation, and the country became thoroughly settled as a de- pendency of Spain. It was loiown as the Prov- ince of New Granada till 1718, when it was made a viceroyalty. In common with the other Spanish possessions, it rose in revolt in 1810, and in 1810 became independent, joining with Venezuela (1819) and Ecuador (1822) to form the Republic of Colombia. This union was dis- solved in 1820-30, and New Granada was founded as a separate republic in 1831. After several changes in the Constitution (in 1843, 1851, and 1853), a new Constitution was adopted in 1858, by which the separate 'Provinces' were changed into 'States,' associated mider a federal govern- ment, known as 'Confederacion Granadina,' and similar to that of the United States of North America. The States were made self-governing in all internal aft'airs. In 1860 another revolution broke out, and for more than two years the coun- try was devastated by civil war. Finally, in 1863, the nine States again agreed upon a Consti- tution, organizing themselves under the name of United States of Colombia. Another revolu- tion, begun in 1884. was terminated in 1886 by the promulgation of a new Constitution, which transformed the loose federal union into a strong- ly centralized State. A rebellion in 1895 was promptly suppressed. In 1890 the insurrection- ary elements reappeared, but were suppressed before they had gathered headway. A year later there was a more formidable outbreak, with severe fighting at Panama. The insurrection was due in great measure to a general feeling of discontent aroused by the corrupt conduct of the Conservative Party, which was then in power. In August, 1000, the Vice-President, Marroquin, made himself master of the Govern-. ment, and carried on an energetic campaign against the Liberals. During 1901 it was sup- posed, with good reason, that the rebels w'ere re- ceiving aid from Venezuela and Ecuador, where the Liberal elements were in power, and were aiming at the overthrow of the Conservative Party and the ultimate restoration of the old Republic of Colombia, embracing the present commonwealths of Colombiii, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Severe fighting occurred around Pana- ma in 1901 and 1902. Consult: Perez, fi'pofjrafia general fisica y poJ'i- tica de los Estados IJnidos de Colombia (Bogota, 1886) ; Velasco. Xiicra qeocirafia de Colombia lib. 1892); Child, The ' fipanisli-Amerira,i He- iniblics (New York, 1891) : Nunez and .Jalhay, La ripnblique de Colomhie: Geofjra/ihie, his- toire, organifiation, etc. (Brussels, 189.3) ; Kegel, Kohnnbien (Berlin, 1899) ; Scruggs, The Colom- bian and Venczvelan Ifepiihlics (New York, 1900) ; Restrepo, Cold and fiilver Mines of Co- lombia (ib. 1886) ; Wheeler. The Agricnlfiiral Condition of Colombia (London. 1889) : Rothlis- berger, Kl Dorado: Reixe- vtid Kiilturbilder aus dem siidamerikanischen Coltimbien (Berne, 1897) . The standard work on the history of Colombia is Pereira, Les Etats-Unis de Colombia (Paris, 1883). There are numerous narratives of events of tile war against Spain, written by English olficers serving with the Revolutionists, of which the best are, perliaps: Hall, I'resent State of Colombia (London. 1825), and the anonymous lieeolleetions of u Srrrice in Venezuela and Co- lombia ( I.niidon, 1828). COLOMBO, ko-lom'bo. The capital and chief sea|)ort of Ceylon, situated on the western coast of the island, on a rocky headland, in latitude 6° 54' N. and longitude 79° 51' E. (Map: India, C 7). The European part of the city is mag- nificently laid out, with broad avenues shaded by tropical trees and lined by modern buildings of fine architecture. The business part of the European city occupies the site of an old Dutch fort, and is still known as the 'Fort.' Its chief thoroughfare is Queen Street, on which are situ- ated the palace of the Governor, the chief mer- cantile houses and banks, and the post-office, the finest public building on the island. The resi- dential section of the European city covers an area of about 20 square miles. The part nearest to the water is occupied by numerous clubs, with all the accessories of their European pro- totypes, such as golf-links, cricket-grounds, race- courses, etc. Farther inland it is crossed by beautiful roads bordered with bungalows em- bosomed in luxuriant gardens. The native part of the city, or Petlah, is dirty and crowded, with crooked and narrow streets, always thronged with motley crowds of different types and na- tionalities. The houses are without doors or windows, and the passer-by can freely observe the private life of the natives. Colombo owes its commercial importance chiefly to its artificial breakwater, one of the largest structures of its kind. It has a length of 4000 feet, and shelters a water area of 500 acres. Begun in 1875, it is still uncompleted, the northern arm and the graving dock still being in process of construc- tion. The shipping of the port of Colombo is very extensive, amounting to about 3.500.000 tons annually. Colombo is one of the most im- portant coaling-stations for British and foreign steamers on the Australian and East Asiatic routes. Almost all the staples of the island find their outlet through Colombo, which is also the centre of coeanut, tea, and several other indus- tries. It is connected with Kandy and Pointe-de- Galle by railway. It is the seat of a United States consulate. The population of Colombo in 1901 was 158,- 093 (127,836 in 1891). including about .5000 Europeans, chiefly Englislnnen and descendants of the Dutch. The natives are mostly artisans and laborers, while the Europeans are either owners of large plantations or merchants. The early name of Colombo, Kalan-totta, the 'Kalany ferry,' derived from its proximity to the river, the Jloors corrupted into Kalambu, and by this designation it was described about A.D. 1340 as the finest city of Serendib. At the arrival of the Portuguese, in 1517. Kalambu had merged into Kolamha, or Colnmbu, which they henceforth wrote Colombo, in honor of Christopher Columbus. It was taken by the Dutch in 1656. and by the British in "1796. Consult Cave, Golden Tips (London, 1900). COLON, kftlon', or Aspinwaix. A town in the Department of Panama, Colombia, situated