Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 4.djvu/731

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
CAL—CAL
659

The growth of the commerce of Calcutta may be seen from the following figures: In 1820 21 the total value of the exports and im ports, including treasure, was10,454,910 ; in 1830-31, 8,756,382 ; in 1840-41, 15,202,697 ; in 1850-51, 18,754,025 ; in 1860-61, 31,794,671 ; in 1870-71, 49,316,738. The value of the customs duties (including salt) was in 1820-21, 151, 817; 1830-31, 121, 321; 1840-41, 495,515; 1850-51, 1,038,365; 1860-61, 2,270,654; 1870-71, 3,548,92(5. Cotton goods first became an important article of import in 1824 ; oil seeds were first exported in 1835 ; the exports of jute on a large scale date from 1860, those of tea from 1864. Among the chief articles of import in 1870-71 were apparel, value 186,767 ; beer, 140,859 ; coal, 109,185 ; cotton manufactured, 11,624,712 ; machinery, 194,198 ; metals, 1,311,547 ; railway materials, 710,357 ; salt, 652,632 ; spices, 150,150 ; spirits, 162,635 ; wine, 214,191 ; wood, 156,903 ; woollen manufactures, 347,116 ; treasure, 2,255,244; Government shipments, 981,557 ; total value of imports, 21,198,478. Among the chief articles of export in 1870-71 were cotton raw, 2,020, 159 ; cotton manufactured, 811,825 ; dyeing materials, 153,113 ; grain and pulse, 2,630,451 ; hides and skins, 1,573,655 ; indigo, 2,285,202 ; jute, 2,585,390 ; jute manufactured, 664,898 ; lac, 194,576; metals, 215,920; opium, 5,490,395; saltpetre, 440,133 ; seeds, 2,921,117 ; silk, 1,508,801 ; silk manufactured, 244,076 ; spices, 215,018 ; sugar, 674,149 ; tea, 1,117,712 ; tobacco, 152,716 ; woollen manufactures, 136,052 ; bullion and treasure, 1,021,638 ; Government treasure, 228j534 ; total value, of exports, 28,118,260.


The internal trade of Calcutta is conducted partly by railway, and partly by water traffic. There is no railway station within the limits of the municipality, but three sepa rate railways have their terminus in the immediate neigh bourhood. The East Indian Railway, whose terminus is across the river at Howrah, brings down the produce of the North-Western Provinces and Behar, and connects Calcutta with the general railway system of the Peninsula. The Eastern Bengal Railway and the South - Eastern Railway have their terminus at Sialdah, an eastern suburb of Calcutta. The former is an important line running across the Delta to the junction of the Ganges arid Brahmaputra at Goalanda. The latter is a short railway, intended to connect the metropolis with Port Canning, in the Sundarbans. The three chief lines of water traffic are (1), the Calcutta canals, a chain of channels and rivers passing round and through the Sundarbans, open at all seasons of the year, and affording the main line of communication with the Ganges and the Brahmaputra ; (2), the Nadiya rivers, three in number, which branch off in a more directly southern course from the Ganges, above its junction with the Brahmaputra, and ultimately become the Hugli these are with difficulty navigable during the dry season; (3), the Midnapur and Hijili canals, leading- south towards Orissa.

(w. w. h.)

CALDANI, Leopold Marco Antonio (1725-1813), a distinguished Italian anatomist and physician, was born at Bolcgna in 1725. After holding various minor appoint ments, he was chosen assistant to the celebrated anatomist Morgagni at Padua ; but disgusted with the envy which his distinguished position drew upon him, he removed to Venice. Soon after, however, he was appointed to the professorship of the theory of medicine, with the pro mise of being elected to succeed Morgagni, who was then old and infirm. In 1772 he published his Elements of Pathology, and soon afterwards the Elements of Physio logy. In the same year he took possession of the chair of anatomy, vacant by the death of Morgagni, and endeavoured, though without success, to found an anatomical museum. At the age of seventy-six, though threatened with blind ness, he published, with the assistance of his nephew, a valuable series of anatomical plates. He died in 1813, at the age of eighty-eight.

CALDER, Sir Robert (1745-1815), Baronet, was born at Elgin, in Scotland, July 2, 1745 (o. &.) He belonged to a very ancient family of Morayshire, and was the second son of Sir Thomas Calder of Muirton. He was educated at the grammar school of Elgin, and at the age of fourteen entered the British navy as midshipman. In 1766 he was serving as lieutenant of the "Essex/ under captain the Honourable George Faulkner, in the West Indies. Promotion came slowly, and it was not till 1782 that he attained the rank of post-captain. He acquitted himself honourably in the various services to which he was called, but for a long time had no opportunity of distin guishing himself. In 1796 he was named captain of the lleet by Sir John Jervis, and took part in the great battle off Cape St Vincent (February 14, 1797). He was selected as bearer of the despatches announcing the victory, and on that occasion was knighted by George III. He also received the thanks of parliament, and in the following year was created a baronet. In 1799 he became rear-admiral; and in 1801 he was despatched with a small squadron in pursuit of a French force, under Admiral Gantheaume, conveying supplies to the French in Egypt. In this pursuit he was not successful, and returning home at the peace, he struck his flag. When the war again broke out he was recalled to service, was promoted vice-admiral in 1804, and was employed in the following year in the blockade of the ports of Ferrol and Corufia, in which (amongst other ports) ships were preparing for the invasion of England by Napoleon I. He held his position with a force greatly inferior to that of the enemy, and refused to be enticed out to sea. On its becoming known that the first movement directed by Napoleon was the raising of the blockade of Ferrol, Rear-admiral Stirling was ordered to join Sir R. Calder and cruise with him to intercept the fleets of France and Spain on their passage to Brest. The approach of the enemy was concealed by a fog ; but on July 22, 1805, their fleet came in sight. It still out numbered the British force ; but Sir Robert entered into action. After a combat of four hours, during which lie captured two Spanish ships, he gave orders to discontinue the action. He offered battle again on the two following days, but the challenge was not accepted. The French admiral, Villeneuve, however, did not pursue his voyage, but took refuge in Ferrol. In the judgment of Napoleon, his scheme of invasion was baffled by this day s action ; but much indignation was felt in England at the failure of Calder to win a complete victory. He was, nevertheless, again sent out in August, and prevented Villeneuve from effecting a junction with the French fleet at Brest. In consequence of the strong feeling against him at home he demanded a court-martial. This was held on the 23d of December, and resulted in a severe reprimand of the vice- admiral for not having done his utmost to renew the engagement, at the same time acquitting him both of cowardice and disaffection. False expectations had been raised ill England by the mutilation of his despatches, and of this he indignantly complained in his defence. The tide of feeling, however, turned again ; and in 1815, by way of public testimony to his services, and of acquittal of the charge made against him, he was appointed commander of Portsmouth. He died at Holt, near Bishop s Waltham, in Hampshire, August 31, 1818.

CALDERON DE LA BARCA, Pedro (1600-1681),

the most eminent representative of the Spanish national drama, was born in Madrid, January 17, 1600. His pros perous life was undistinguished by striking incidents. He received his education at Salamanca, and after having been, as would seem, for some years a retainer or dependant of various noblemen, in 1625 entered the army, where it is hinted that he did not distinguish himself. He had begun to write for the stage in 1622, and in 1636 he was summoned to court, and soon became habitually employed as a writer of court spectacles by King Philip IV., a munificent patron of aiithors and artists. He was also made a knight of

Santiago, and saw some further military service in Cata-