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CAVENDISH CAVOUR 155 and of high attainments in chemistry and in general physics. He was the discoverer of the composition of water and of nitric acid, and proved that the electric spark will generate nitric acid from common air. He measured the density of the earth by direct comparison with balls of lead, and improved the modes of dividing astronomical instruments. He was the first chemical experimenter and discoverer in many important branches of that science. His writings may be found in the "Philosophi- cal Transactions." CAVENDISH, or Candlsh, Sir Thomas, an Eng- lish adventurer of the 16th century. He was the son of a gentleman of good estate, residing at Trimley St. Martin in Suffolk ; but having spent his patrimony, he engaged in a predatory excursion against the Spanish American colo- nies, fitting out three vessels of 120, 60, and 40 tons. This expedition started July 22, 1586, and entered the straits of Magellan Jan. 6, 1587. They were 33 days in clearing the straits, spending some time in examining the coast. On the Pacific coast they burnt Payta, Acapulco, and other towns, and finally cap- tured the Spanish galleon Santa Anna, of 700 tons, loaded with a valuable cargo and 122,- 000 Spanish dollars. Cavendish then started from California, crossed the Pacific to the La- drone islands, through the Indian archipelago and strait of Java, and around the Cape of Good Hope, reaching England Sept. 9, 1588, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. In August, 1591, he started again, but he expe- rienced bad weather and sickness, his crew grew mutinous, and he died at sea in 1593. CAVERY, or Canvery (anc. Chaleris), a river of southern India, rises among the Coorg hills, near the W. or Malabar coast, 4,000 ft. above the level of the sea, in lat. 12 25' N., Ion. 75 34' E. It flows in a circuitous course mainly S. E., traversing the whole breadth of the peninsula, and falls into the bay of Bengal, on the E. or Coromandel coast. In the vicinity of Tri- chinopoly it separates into several branches (the principal of which is the Coleroon river, 92 m. long), which descend in separate falls of 200 and 300 ft, and enter the sea by numer- ous mouths in the province of Tanjore. The whole course of the Cavery is about 470 m., and it is navigable only for small boats. The craft in use are circular baskets, from 9 to 14 ft. in diameter, covered with buffalo leather. In these produce is brought down the river, but as the violence of the stream makes up- ward navigation impossible, they are taken to pieces and the leather carried back on the heads of the crew. CAVIANA, an island of Brazil, 35 m. long and 20 m. wide, in the N. mouth of the Amazon, under the equator. It is level, fertile, and well stocked with cattle. The small town of Ro- berdello is on its S. E. side. CAVIARE, a kind of food prepared from the roes of large fish, especially the sturgeon. It ii chiefly made in Russia, which country mo- nopolizes this branch of commerce. From As- trakhan alone 30,000 bbls. have been exported in a single year. The process of manufac- turing consists in thoroughly cleaning the roe from its membranes. Salt is then well mixed in, and the liquor pressed out. It is then dried and packed for sale. The best kind, that which is most thoroughly freed from the membrane, does not easily become fetid, and is packed in kegs ; the inferior kind is made into small thin cakes. It is much used during seasons of fast in Italy, Russia, Greece, and Turkey, being eaten on^bread with oil and vinegar or lemon. CAVITE. I. A province of Luzon, Philippine islands, situated on the S. E. side of the bay of Manila; area, 489 sq. m. ; pop. about 57,- 000. II. A town of the province, the naval depot of and the strongest place in the Spanish possessions in the East, 7 m. S. W. of Manila ; pop. about 3,000. It is built on the E. ex- tremity of a low bifurcated peninsula stretching about 3 m. into the sea, having between its ex- tremities the outer harbor, while the inner har- bor is S. of the town. Neither has more than four fathoms of water, though large ships moor near the inner harbor. The houses are two stories high, built chiefly of wood, the win- dows being furnished with semi-transparent shell instead of glass. It has two churches, three convents, an arsenal, magazine, and hip yard, and enjoys a considerable trade, but has declined of late years. During half the year it is the port of Manila. CAVOUR, Camillo Benso, count, an Italian statesman, born in Turin, Aug. 10, 1810, died there, June 6, 1861. Being a younger son of a noble and wealthy family, he was destined for the army, entered the military academy at an early age, and in 1828 was appointed lieuten- ant of engineers, and stationed at Genoa. In 1831 he left the army because he disliked gar- rison life, and had moreover incurred the dis- pleasure of King Charles Albert by speaking favorably of the French revolution of 1830. He retired to his estates, and devoted himself to their improvement, but still gave much at- tention to science and political economy. He made long visits to France and England, in order to study the industrial and political sys- tems of those countries. Returning to Turin, he became attached to the reform party, and in 1842 was one of the founders of the associa- zione agraria, a semi-political society, and in 1847, in conjunction with Cesare Balbo, estab- lished the journal II Risorgimento (" The Res- urrection "), which became a powerful politi- cal organ. He was elected to the Sardinian parliament, and had much to do in inducing the king to grant the constitution of 1848, and to declare war against Austria. The campaigns both of 1848 and 1849 ended disastrously, and Charles Albert abdicated. In 1850 Cavour was called to the cabinet of Victor Emanuel as minister of commerce and agriculture. Soon after he became also minister of the marine,and finance, and in 1852 was named president of