1640. MAURICE ABBOT, a distinguished London merchant, died. He acquired
great consequence by his own efforts in commercial affairs, and was
employed in 1624 in establishing the settlement of Virginia. At the time
of his death he was mayor of London.
1645. WILLIAM LAUD, archbishop of Canterbury, beheaded on Tower hill,
aged 70. Sentenced to be hung for political misdemeanors, he was
pardoned by the king; but parliament overruled the pardon, and
substituted the _privilege_ of being beheaded instead of hanging. He
acquired so great an ascendency over Charles as to lead him, by the
facility of his temper, into a conduct which proved fatal to that
prince, and by which he lost his kingdom, and met the same fate four
years after at Whitehall.
1661. A proclamation issued by the king of England prohibiting
conventicles for religious meetings.
1661. The fifth monarchy men, headed by Venner, a wine cooper, arose to
proclaim "King Jesus against all the powers of the earth." But King
Charles's power was found too strong for them.
1754. EDWARD CAVE died, an English printer and founder of the
_Gentleman's Magazine_. When his indentures expired as a printer's
apprentice, he was employed in the post office, and occupied his leisure
in writing for the newspapers. In 1731 was first published the Magazine,
and it has continued to this day, more than a century, amid the crowd of
magazines which have perished around it; and is one of the most
successful and lucrative periodicals that history has upon record.
1756. FRANCOIS, marquis de Beauharnois, died at Paris. He was a member
of the national assembly, and took part in the king's favor;
subsequently joined the army under Conde; and was banished by Napoleon
in 1807. The heroic wife of Lavalette was his daughter.
1757. The British under Admiral Watson took by assault, Houghley,
situated about thirty miles above Calcutta.
1761. EDWARD BOSCAWEN, the English admiral, died. He was born 1711, and
entered the navy at an early age. He acquired honorable distinction
under Vernon, and afterwards signalized himself in many important
contests with the French, in which he had the singular fortune to take
the French commander, M. Hoquait, a prisoner three times, viz. in 1744,
1747 and 1755. On his return to England in 1759, after destroying the
Toulon fleet in the Mediterranean, he was rewarded with a pension of
£3000 a year.
1763. CASPER ABEL, a voluminous German historian and antiquary, died.
1765. Stamp Act passed the British Parliament. How little did that body
anticipate the consequences that were to follow their decision on that
subject.
1776. The New Hampshire convention dissolved itself and assumed
legislative powers, chose twelve counselors as an executive branch, and
delegates to Congress, which were recognized.
1782. GEORGE COSTARD died. A classical, mathematical and oriental
scholar, whose reputation as an author is chiefly derived from a
_History of Astronomy_, highly appreciated in Europe.
1791. Vermont, the last of the thirteen original states which composed
the Union, adopted the constitution and took her place in the
confederacy.
1795. The French frigate Iphigenie, 32 guns, captured by the Spanish
fleet off Catalonia.
1797. French sloop Atalante, 16 guns, captured off Scilly by the British
frigate Phœbe, 36 guns, Capt. Barlow.
1800. The first soup establishment for the poor was opened at
Spitalfields, London.
1806. The Dutch surrendered the cape of Good Hope to the British.
1808. PHILLIPS COSBY, British admiral of the Red, died aged 78.
1809. Samana taken by the British, together with two privateers, and
four vessels laden with coffee.
1812. London involved for several hours in impenetrable darkness. The
sky, where any light pervaded it, showed the aspect of bronze. It was
the effect of a cloud of smoke, which, from the peculiar state of the
atmosphere, did not pass off. Were it not for the peculiar mobility of
the atmosphere, this city of a hundred thousand chimneys would be
scarcely habitable in winter.
1815. The British under Gen. Lambert having abandoned the enterprise on
New Orleans began to re-embark their artillery and munitions,
preparatory to a general retreat.
1816. The schooner Eliza cast away near Newport; the captain and crew
saved by Com. Perry, who with part of the crew of the frigate Java, went
five miles in a boat to their relief.
1824. THOMAS EDWARD BOWDITCH, the African traveler, died. He went to
Africa at the age of 21, and engaged in a series of expeditions into the
country. In 1822 he went out from England with a view of devoting
himself to the exploration of the African continent. He had only arrived
at the mouth of the Gambia when a disease occasioned by fatigue and
anxiety of mind put an end to his existence.
1833. ADRIEN MARIE LEGENDRE, so well known as a profound mathematician,
died at Paris. His life work on geometry is much used.
1840. The uniform penny postage commenced in England; the number of
letters despatched from London on this day being 112,000; the average,
for January, 1839, being 30,000.
1840. Battle between the Russian and Khivian cavalry; the latter
commanded by the khan in person were completely routed and pursued to
the city of Khiva.
1848. MISS CAROLINE HERSCHEL, member of the Royal astronomical society,
London, died at Hanover.
1855. MARY RUSSEL MITFORD died, aged 68; a distinguished English
authoress.
1856. THOMAS H. PERKINS, a wealthy and liberal Boston merchant, died
aged 89. His was the first American firm engaged in the China trade.