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COLLIMATION 61 COLLINS chairman of the Extension Committee of the Red Cross at Cayuga co., N. Y., and took part in the war-loan campaigns. He wrote several works on legal subjects, including "Collier on Civil Service Law (1901); "The Trusts" (1900); and "The Law and the Higher Law" (1918). COLLIMATION, the act of aiming or pointing toward any object. ^ The line of CoUimation of a telescope is that from the optical center of the objective to the middle wire, or to the mean of the wires of a transit, or to the zero-position of the micrometer-wires in an instrument for measuring zenith-distances. The Error of CoUimation of a transit is the departure of this line from a direction at right angles to the axis. The Col- limation Correction is the amount to be applied to the observed times of transit to correct them for this error. COLLIMATORS, telescopes used for the determination of the corrections of collimation, for flexure, or for the zenith- point of a meridian-circle or transit. They are generally fixed upon piers N. and S. of the instrument and pointed toward each other and toward the in- strument itself when in a horizontal po- sition. They are adjusted so as to be intervisible when the instrument is lifted out of its Y's, and, on looking into either, the wires of the other are seen alongside those in the field, so that they can be pointed on each other, or the instrument itself upon either in turn. Besides the above arrangement there are many others, and also other uses of Collima- tors. Very often a long focus lens with a distant meridian-mark takes the place of one of the Collimators, and it is then used also as a reference point for the azimuth-correction of the instrument. COLLINGWOOD, CUTHBERT, LORD, an English naval commander; born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1750. He en- tered the royal navy in 1761, and took part as flag-captain on board the "Bar- fleur" in Lord Howe's victory of June 1, 1794, commanded the "Excellent" during the battle off Cape St. Vincent on Feb. 14, in that year, and was made rear-ad- miral of the white in 1799. His most distinguished service was at Trafalgar, where he won the praise of Nelson. On the latter's death Collingwood as senior officer took command of the fleet. For his services here he was elevated to the rank of baron. He died, while cruising off Minorca in the "Ville de Paris," on March 7, 1810. His "Memoirs and Cor- respondence" have been published. COLLINS, JOHN CHURTON, an Eng- lish educator and writpr, born in 1848. He graduated from Balliol College, Ox- ford, in 1872. For many years he con- tributed book reviews and criticisms to the English reviews. In 1904 he was ap- pointed professor of English literature at the University of Birmingham. He edited many editions of English classics and wrote "Sir Joshua Reynolds as a Portrait Painter" (1874) ; "Study of English Literature" (1891); "Essays and Studies" (1895) ; "Essays in Poetry and Criticism" (1905) ; and "Rousseau and Voltaire" (1908). He died in 1908. COLLINS, WILLIAM, an English poet; born in Chichester, Dec. 25, 1721. His melancholy temperament and poetic musings marked him as a boy, and at Oxford. "The Passions," the "Ode to Evening," the "Dirge in Cymbeline," and the "Ode on the Death of Thomson," chiefly perpetuate his fame. He died in a madhouse at Chichester, June 12, 1759. COLLINS, WILLIAM, an English painter; born in London, Sept. 8, 1788; father of William Wilkie Collins. His most popular works are: "Happy as a King," "The Stray Kitten," "Putting Salt on the Bird's Tail," and "The Newly Found Nest." He died in London, Feb. 17, 1847. COLLINS, WILLIAM WILKIE, an English novelist; born in London, Jan. 8, 1824. He was educated at a private ^#^ ^ms^^ms WILLIAM WILKIE COLLINS school. After a short time in the tea- trade he studied law at Lincoln's Inn. He wrote a biography of his father in 1848 and made literature his profession. 5— Vol. Ill— Cyc