Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/525

* CORTONA. 451 CORVEE. Ladislas of Xaples, and by him in 1412 to Flor- ence. Population (tommune), in 1881, 20,353; in UlOl, 29,343. CORTONA, PiETRO DA (1596-1669). An Italian painter and architect, born at Cortona. His real name was ISerettini. A "Nativity" by him attracted the attention of Pope Urban Vlll., who gave him the order to paint the decora- tions for a chapel at Bibiana. He also painted the decorations in the grand salon of the Barbe- rini Palace. For a long time this was considered the finest work in Italy of the seventeenth cen- tui'y, and although his reputation has siiti'ered since then, his pictures are still admired. There are many of*them in the Louvre in Paris. Cor- tona decorated ceilings in the Pitti Palace and was architect for the facade of Santa jNIaria in Via Lata, the portico of Santa Maria della Pace, and the Church of San Martino, all in Rome. CORUNA, ko-ruo'nya. A fortified seaport of Spain, capital of the province of the same name, in (ialicia, situated on a small headland in the Atlantic, formed by the three bays of Betan- zos, Corufia, and El Ferrol; 315 miles northwest of jMadrid(Map: Spain, A 1). It is built partly on the slope and partly at the foot of a hill and is divided into the upper and lower towns, the former being the most a)icient. The lower town, which was formerly an insignificant fishing vil- lage, is now more important, is well built, with streets broad and well paved. The ancient section, which Is partly surrounded by the old walls, contains the more prominent edifices, though there are comparatively few public build- ings of note in Corufia. The cluirches of Santiago and Santa Maria del Campo, of the twelfth cen- tury; the barracks, the Capitania-General, and the modern jNIilitary Hospital of San Carlos, are worthy of mention. The provincial institute has a considerable library and valuable scientific col- lections, and the city contains also a meteoro- logical observatory, and various educational in- stitutions, including a marine school. Other features of interest _are the grave of Sir John Moore (q.v.), with a montiment in the garden of San Carlos, and the so-called Torre de Her- cules, of doubtful Phcenician origin, having been built more probably in the time of Trajan, which has served as a lighthotise for more than a century. The harbor, protected by five forts, two of which, San Centon and Santa Crtiz, de- fend the entrance, is safe and commodious, Co- rufia is the centre of an extensive commerce, the exports comprising live stock, fruits, vegetables, wine, hams, sardines, leather, peat, etc., while the principal imports are sugar, hides, coal, oil, and manufactured articles. There is also an im- portant coastwise trade. The city has a variety of manufactures, including cigars, linen goods, canvas, cordage, lumber, barrels, paper, etc., and manv of the inhabitants are eniploved in the fisheries. Population, in 1897, 40.500: in 1900, 44,057. Probably from early times a fishing village, Corufia may have been colonized by the Phteni- cians. Its chronicled history dates from the Eoman occupation. In the Middle Ages it vas called Caronium. It was part of the emirate of Cordova for some time, and suffered severely, with the rest of Galicia, in the reconquest. The Portuguese captured the town in 1.370. Here John of Oaunt landed in 1386. to urge the claims of his wife to the Castilian crown, and in 1554 Philip II. .sailed from the port to marry Queen Mary of Kngland. Coruiia was the point of de- parture of tlie "Invincible Armada' in 1588, and in the following year it was taken by Drake and Korris, and nearly destroyed. The harbor wa.s the scene of English naval victories in 1747 and 1805. Coruna is famous for the repulse, on Janu- ary 10, 1809, of the French under Marshal Soult, by Sir John Moore, who succeeded, with an inferior force, in withstanding the French at- tempt to stop the Knglish embarkation, but lost his life in the battle. The engagement took place on the heights of Elvina. In 1823 the city lell into the hands of the French. It was visited by an epidemic of cholera in 1851. CORUNDUM (Neo-Lat., from Hind. Kurand, corundum), or Ad.jiantine Spar. An anhy- drous aluminum ])eroxide that crystallizes in the hexagonal system. Owing to their extreme hardness (in which corundum ranks next to the diamond) and their high specific gravity (from 3.95 to 4.10), the colored varieties are much sought after as gems. According to their colors, they are called sapphire, which is blue; Oriental ruby, which is red; Oriental topaz, which is yel- low; Oriental emerald, which is green; and Oriental amethyst, which is purple. In addition to these, there is the asteriiiled or star sapphire, which exhibits an opalescent star of six rays. The dark-colored varieties are called corundum, and granular corundum is known as emery. The colored varieties of corundum are found chiefly in Burma, China, Ceylon, and the L^nited States. In this country it is found in the crystalline rocks along the Appalachian Jlountains, at Chester, Mass., in northern (Georgia, and in Montana, where sapphires of gem grade have been found. Emery (q.v.), which is used as an abrasive ma- terial, is found in Asia Minor, at Chester, Mass., and in Canada. CORUN'NA. A city and the county-seat of Shiawassee County, Mich., 30 miles northeast of Lansing; on the Shiawassee Eiver, and on the Ann Arbor and the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee railroads (Jtap: ^Michigan, JO), It has a considerable trade in coal, and manufac- tures, flour, furniture, shoes, lumber, etc. Population, in 1890, 1382; in 1900, 1510. CORVAL'LIS. A city and the county-seat of Benton County, Ore., 96 miles south by west of Portland ; on the Willamette Eiver, and on the Southern Pacific and the Corvallis and East- ern railroads (ilap: Oregon, B 5). River steam- boat lines add to the transportation facilities, and the city carries on a considerable trade in grain, lumber, flour, live stock, and wool. The manufactures include lumber, sash, doors, furni- ture, flour, foiuidry products, organs, carriages, etc. Corvallis is the seat of the State Agricul- ttiral College, and contains a fine court-house, public-school building, and citv hall. Poptila- tion, in 1890, 1527; in 1900, isig. CORVfE, kOr'va' (Fr., from ML. corvata, demanded, from Lat. corrogata, demanded, so. opera, work, from com-, with + rogare, to de- mand). An obligation imposed under the feudal law, whereby the inhabitants of a district performed certain services, such as re- pairs of tlie highway and bridges, for the sovereign or the feudal lord. The system vas enforced bv the Dual Control in Egypt, where, in 1882, "234,000 fellaheen were called out