Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/486

* C0RIPPU3. 416 COBK. of a panegjric on Justin the Younger, Byzantine Emperor (a.d. 5G5-578). Corippiis was also the author of Johaiuiis, a poem celebrating the ex- ploits of a proconsul of that name in Africa in Justinian's time. COmS'CO. An island belonging to Spain, situated off the coast of Guinea, Africa, at the entrance to Corisco Bay, in latitude 0° 55' N., longitude 9° 20' E. It has an area of about five and one-half square miles, and is generally low and flat. The island is densely wooded, chiefly with ebony and logwood, which, with the ivory obtained from the mainland, constitute the chief articles of trade. Population, in 1900, 1438. CORK (Olr. Corach-Mor-Murhfim, Great March of JIunster). A maritime county in Muu- ster and the southernmost and largest of the Irish counties (Map: Ireland, C 5). xrea, 2890 square miles. Cork is hilly, with a great diversity of surface. The western part is rocky, mountainous, wild, and boggy; the east and south, rich, fertile, and picturesque. The JIunster coal-field occu- pies 400 square miles in the northwest section of the county; some iron is also mined. The dairy industry is extensive. Cork butter being highlv esteemed. The capital is Cork. Popu- lation, in 1841, 858.100: in 1891, 438,432: in 1901. 404,800. COBK. A city, civic county, port, and Par- liamentary borough, capital of Cork County, Ire- land, on the Lee, 11 miles above its discharge into the sea, and 165t^ miles southwest of Dub- lin by rail (Map: Ireland, C 5). It stands in the centre of a picturesque valley, partly on an island, formerly a swam]), which the word Cork. Corroch, or Corcagh implies, and jjartly on the north and south slopes of the river banks. Sev- eral bridges span the river to the central island. Tlie situation is picturesque from the uneven ground, irregular streets, intersecting river, and overhanging heights. Cork is the seat of a Ro- man Catholic bishopric. Its finest building is the Anglican Cathedral of Saint Finn Barr. completed in 1879 on the site of the saint's seventh-century foundation. There are four monasteries, two nun- neries, and among other buildings of note are the bishop's palace, the free library schools of science and art ( with a museum ) . and Queen's College, affiliated with the Royal University of Ireland and occupying a fine Tudor-Gothic quadrangular building. The Church of Saint Anne Shandon, with its high tower, is near the site of the old Shandon Castle, once a stronghold of importance. There is a public park of 240 acres, with a well- known race-course. There is also a handsome jiublic cemetery. The banks of the Lee, above and below Cork, are studded with villas. The estuary contains several islets rising abruptly from the water, with narrow channels between them. It is a land-locked basin, having an en- trance one mile in width, which is defended by batteries on Spike, Haulliowline. and Rocky islands, which are also occupied by a convict ]irison. Government repairing dock, ordnance depots, and artillery barracks. On the shores of the estuary are the towns of Passage and Queenstown, formerly Cove of Cork. The Lee is navigable for a considerable distance above the city, and on the improvement of the navigation the harbor commissioners have expended large sums. The harbor, formed by the Lee estuary, is noted for its size and safety, and has been the main source of the rise and progress of the city. It has dry-docks and patent slips. An average of 2500 ships enters and clears the port annually. Its own shipping comprises 00 sailing and 50 steam vessels of 22,000 tons burden. It has a large export and import trade, but of a fluctuating and latterly declining character. Its chief exports are oats, manure, and whisky; im- l)orts, wheat, maize, fish, meat, chemical prod- ucts, sugar, and timber. The chief manufactures of the city are leather, metallic goods, woolen and linen goods, beer and whisky. The United States is represented by a consul. Founded in 22 by Saint Finn Barr, during the ninth cen^ tury Cork was frequently devastated by the Danes, who in 1020 made it a trading station and built the city walls. Desmond JIacarthy, King of Munster, surrendered it to Henry II. in 1172. During the Civil War it held out for the King, and was taken by Cromwell in 1G49. In 1G90 it was again besieged and taken by Marlborough. Population, in 1891, 75,345; Par- liamentary" borough, 97,300; in 1901, 75,978; Par- liamentary borough, 99.90; of whom the great majority are Roman Catholics. Cork returns two members to Parliament. Consult Cusack, History of the City and County of Cork (Dublin, 1875). COBK (Sp. corcho, cork, from Lat. cortex, bark). The unusually developed epiphlceum (see Bark) of the bark of the cork-tree or cork- oak {Qnercus suber), the alcornocjue of the Spaniards, a species of oak (q.v.), a native of southern Europe and northern Africa. Theo- phrastus, in book ii. of his Ilistoria PUintarum, speaks of the cork-tree as a native of the Pyrenees. Spain and Portugal chiefly supply the orld with cork, although the imported tree is said to thrive in some parts of the United States. Planted trees are said to be inferior to the nat- ural forests. The cork-tree is not of great size, generally 20 to 40 feet high, with ovate-oblong evergreen leaves, which are sometimes entire and sometimes .sharply serrated. It lives to a great age, in some instances 300 or 400 years, and is as much as 15 feet in circumference. It blos- soms in April or ilaj'; the fruit ripens from September to .Lanuary, falling on the ground as soon as ripe. The acorns are edible, and in taste resemble chestnuts. The bark in trees or branches from three to five years old acquires a fungous appearance, new layers of cellular tis- sue being formed, and the outer parts cracking from distension until they are finally thrown off in large flakes, when a new formation of the same kind takes place. Cork intended for the market is generally stripped oflT a year or two before it would natu- rally come away, and the process is repeated at intervals of twelve or fourteen years, according to the vigor of the tree. The cork of the first barking, which is removed usually when the tree is about twenty-five years old. is known as the virgin bark, and is valueless. The removal of the cork does not require the removal of the whole bark, but only of external layers of spongy cel- lular tissue, all or the greater part of which has ceased to have any true vitality, and has become an incumbrance to the trees. Consequently, in- stead of being injurious, the taking of the bark, when done with proper care, rather promotes the health of the tree, which continues to yield crops for 150 years. In stripping oflf the cork