COOK, EDWARD T., journalist, born at Brighton; educated at Oxford; had been on the editorial staff of the Pall Mall Gazette and the Westminster Gazette, became, in 1893, editor of the Daily News; is an enthusiastic disciple of Ruskin; wrote “Studies on Ruskin”; b. 1857.

COOK, ELIZA, a writer of tales, verses, and magazine articles; born in Southwark; daughter of a merchant; conducted, from 1849 to 1854, a journal called by her name, but gave it up from failing health; enjoyed a pension of L100 on the Civil List till her death; was the authoress of “The Old Arm-Chair” and “Home in the Heart,” both of which were great favourites with the public, and did something for literature and philanthropy by her Journal (1818-1889).

COOK, JAMES, the distinguished English navigator, born at Marton, Yorkshire; was the son of a farm labourer; began sea-faring on board a merchantman; entered the navy in 1755, and in four years became a master; spent some nine years in survey of the St. Lawrence and the coasts of Newfoundland; in 1768, in command of the Endeavour, was sent out with an expedition to observe the transit of Venus, and in 1772 as commander of two vessels on a voyage of discovery to the South Seas; on his return, receiving further promotion, he set out on a third voyage of farther exploration in the Pacific, making many discoveries as far N. as Behring Strait; lost his life, on his way home, in a dispute with the natives, at Owhyhee, in the Sandwich Islands, being savagely murdered, a fate which befell him owing to a certain quickness of temper he had displayed, otherwise he was a man of great kindness of heart, and his men were warmly attached to him (1728-1779).

COOK, JOSEPH, a popular lecturer, born near New York; delivered Monday Lectures at Boston in the discussion of social questions, and the alleged discrepancy between science and religion or revelation; b. 1838.

COOK, MOUNT, the highest point, 12,350 ft., in the Southern Alps, Canterbury Island, New Zealand.

COOK STRAIT, strait between the North and the South Island, New Zealand.

COOKE, SIR ANTONY, an eminent scholar, tutor to Edward VI.; of his daughters, one was married to Lord Burleigh and another to Sir Nicholas Bacon, who became the mother of Lord Bacon (1506-1576).

COOKE, BENJAMIN, composer, born in London; organist in Westminster Abbey; author of “How Sleep the Brave,” “Hark! the Lark,” and other glees, as well as some excellent church music (1739-1793).

COOKE, GEORGE FREDERICK, an actor, famous for his representation of Richard III.; stood in his day next to Kemble in spite of his intemperate habits (1756-1811).

COOKE, T. P., an actor in melodrama; began life at sea; took to the stage; his most popular representations were William in “Black-eyed Susan” and Long Tom Coffin in the “Pilot” (1786-1864).

COOLGARDIE, a mining district and head-quarters of rich gold-fields in W. Australia.