COBALT S5 COBBETT melting point. Its sp. gr. is 8.9. It is 1 ot easily oxidized by the air, when pure. It is dissolved by dilute HCl or H.SO* with evolution of hydrogen. Cobalt forms two oxides: Cobaltous oxide CoO and Cobaltic oxide Co203. The alloys of cobalt are unimportant. Zaffre is an impure oxide of cobalt prepared by roast- ing cobalt ores with twice their weight of sand. Smalt is prepared by fusing partially roasted cobalt ores with a mix- ture of powdered quartz and potassium carbonate; while hot it is poured into water and then ground to a fine powder; it is used as a pigment; this color was known to the ancients. The cobaltous salts are the most stable in which cobalt acts as a dyad element. Cobalt com- pounds give a blue color to a borax bead. There is no native cobalt known, but many ores of the metal. Arsenate or Ar- seniate of Cobalt = Erythrite; Arsenical Cobalt = Smaltite; Black Cobalt = Asbo- lite; Bright- white Cobalt = Cobalt-glance; Carbonate of Cobalt = Remingtonite ; Earthy Cobalt = Asbolite; Gray Cobalt = Smaltite; Red Cobalt = Erythrite; Sul- phate of Cobalt =:Bieberite; Sulphuret of Cobalt = Syepoorite, Linnseite; White Co- balts Smaltite; Cobalt and Lead Sele- nite = Tilkerodite. Ammonia cobaltous salts are formed by the union of cobaltous salts with am- monia in excess, the air being excluded, as, CoClcaNHs, rose-colored crystals. They are formed when an ammoniacal solution of cobalt is exposed to the air. COBALT, a city of Ontario, Canada, in the Timiskaming district. It is on the Timiskaming and Northern Ontario rail- way and is the center of a rich mineral region, including mines of silver, nickel, bismuth, cobalt, copper, lead, and zinc. These deposits were first discovered in 1903. The silver mines were especially rich and their discovery resulted in a rush to the locality by a large number of people, and the rapid development of the mines. The town grew rapidly, but in 1912 a large part of it was destroyed by fire. It was, however, rebuilt. Pop. about 6,000. COB AN, a city of Guatemala, the capital of the department of Alta Vera Paz, It is the center of a fertile agri- cultural district producing coffee, vanilla, and sugar cane. Pop. about 32,000. COBB, HOWELL, an American states- man; born in Cherry Hill, Ga.. Sept. 7, 1815. He was graduated at Franklin College in 1834, became a lawyer in 1836, and in 1843 was elected to Congress as a Democrat. He served eight years and was Speaker of the House one term. Elected governor of Georgia in 1851, he returned to Congress in 1855, and was made Secretary of the Treasury by Pres- ident Buchanan in 1857, resigning in 1860 to urge secession. He held a Con- federate military commission in the Civil War, but saw little service. He died in New York City, Oct. 9, 1868. COBB, IRVIN S(HREWSBUIIY). an American writer, born at Paducah, Ky., in 1876. He was educated in the public schools and privately, and while he was still a boy began contributing humorous matter to periodicals. For a time he served on the editorial staff of several papers in Kentucky. In 1904 he became special writer and editor of the humor- ous section of the New York "Evening Sun." For several years following he served as a correspondent of other New York papers. In 1911 he became staff contributor to the "Saturday Evening Post," and in 1914-1915, and again in 1917-1918 he represented that publica- tion as war correspondent in Europe. He was a prolific writer and was also well- known as a lecturer. He wrote also, in collaboration with others, several plays. His books include: "Back Home" (1912) ; "Europe Revised" (1914) ; "Paths of Glory" (1915); "Old Judge Priest" (1915); "Those Times and These" (1917) ; "The Life of the Party" (1919) ; "The Abandoned Farmers" (1920). COBB, SYLVANUS, an American novelist; born in Waterville, Me., 1823; was editor and publisher of a periodical called the "Rechabite," but best known as a prolific story-writer. His most popu- lar novels are: "The King's Talisman" (1851); "The Patriot Cruiser" (1859); and "Ben Hamed" (1864). He died in Hyde Park, Mass., July 2, 1887. COBBE, FRANCES POWER, an Irish writer; born in Dublin, Dec. 4, 1822. She has written "Intuitive Morals" (1855) ; "Religious Duty," "Hours of Work and Play" (1867) ; "Duties of Women"; "The Hopes of the Human Race, Hereafter and Here"; "Scientific Speculations of the Age" (1888). Wrote extensively on theological and humanitarian questions and books of travels in Greece, Italy, and Palestine. Died April 5, 1904. COBBETT. WILLIAM, an English essayist and political writer; born in Farnham, March 9, 1762. The son of a farm hand, he had no early advantages, but a great gift for controversy; and he plunged warmly into the social, economic, and political discussions of his day. He visited this country, and wrote here for a time under the name of "Peter Porcu- pine." He is at his best in his countloss pamphlets, and in "The Political Pro-
