Part 53

1815 Bonaparte sailed from Elba, and landed with 1,000 men at Cannes, in France. Bonaparte enters Paris, March 21. An attempt made by Margaret Moore to steal the Crown from the Tower. Memorable battle of Waterloo, June 17, 18; Bonaparte fled; the Duke of Wellington’s horse killed under him. Bonaparte sailed for St. Helena, August 7. Submission of the island of Ceylon to Britain. Bonaparte landed at St. Helena, October 16. The English repulsed at New Orleans, with the loss of several thousand in killed and wounded, including several generals. General Jackson commanded the Americans. General Packenham was killed. A column of light appeared in the north-east, so vivid as to alarm many persons. By the explosion of a coal-pit near Newbattle, in the county of Durham, 70 persons perished. Bonaparte resigns the government to a provisional council. In the colliery above-mentioned at Newbattle, a steam engine burst, and 57 persons were killed or wounded.

1816 Princess Charlotte of Wales married, to Prince Leopold of Saxe Coburg, May 2. Sir Humphrey Davy invented a Safety Lamp to prevent the accidents which happen in coal-mines from fire damp.

1817 The Princess Charlotte died in child-birth, having been delivered of a still-born child. Steamboats generally adopted for river navigation in America and Europe. The magnetic needle, which had for many years taken a western declination from the meridian, returned towards the north.

1818 The Queen of Great Britain, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, died Nov. 21. Two expeditions to penetrate the North-pole sailed, one to the north-east, and the other to the north-west, but neither succeeded. The kaleidoscope, a new optical instrument, invented by Dr. Brewster of Edinburgh. Three systems of education in this year claimed public attention: that of mutual instruction propagated by Dr. Bell and Mr. Lancaster; the interrogative or intellectual system of questions without answers; and that of Mr. Pestalozzi by oral questions. Belzoni transported from Egypt to England the statue of Memnon. The Duke of Clarence married to the Princess of Saxe Meiningen; and the Duke of Kent to a Princess of Saxe Coburg. For two or three days the metropolis, as well as the country round, were enveloped in a thick impenetrable fog, which obstructed all travelling, and caused a number of fatal accidents. The Duke of Richmond died in Canada, from the bite of a rabid fox.

1819 Messrs. Perkins and Co., of Philadelphia, introduced into London a mode of engraving on soft steel, which, when hardened, will multiply fine impressions indefinitely. Many distressed persons embarked, under the sanction of government, to establish a new colony at the Cape of Good Hope. Southwark bridge opened, making the sixth metropolitan bridge over the Thames. Forty persons killed by the explosion of a mine near Newcastle. A shoal of young whales appeared in Dungannan Bay, forty taken by the fishermen. A whirlwind at Aldborough, Suffolk, carried up a quantity of barley from a field to a great height. Another expedition was fitted out to try a north-west passage to the Pacific Ocean. Field Marshal Prince Blucher died.

1820 Lieutenant Parry returned from his voyage to attempt the discovery of a north-west passage: he reached the 10th degree of west longitude, where he passed one winter in latitude 74, and returned for further supplies. Lamented death of H.R.H. the Duke of Kent. Death, in Windsor-castle, of George III, in the 82d year of his age, and 60th of his reign. George IV held his first court in Carlton-house. Takes oath to maintain the Church of England. Oaths of allegiance administered. Cato-street conspirators arrested. Thistlewood and his associates executed before Newgate. Regent’s canal from Paddington to Limehouse opened. Extraordinary solar-eclipse; central and annular in the interior of Europe. An _Estadfod_, or assembly of Welch bards, in Wrexham, North Wales. Lieutenant Parry returns from his voyage of discovery in the seas on the north of North America.

1821 A Pedo-motive machine invented by Dr. Cartwright for travelling the public roads without the aid of horses. A mammoth’s bones found by Captain Vetch, on the west bank of the Medway, near Rochester. Mr. Kent of Glasgow, invented a machine for walking on the surface of the water, at the rate of three miles an hour. A penknife, containing 2,016 blades, was presented to the Queen, by a Sheffield manufacturer; another was afterwards made containing 1,821 blades. Duel between Mr. Scott, of the London Magazine, and Mr. Christie, of an Edinburgh Magazine, in which the former was mortally wounded. News received of a dreadful massacre in Manilla, arising from religious fanaticism. A gambling-house, in London, entered by the police, and about 70 individuals held to bail. The Discovery-ships sailed from Deptford, for the American Arctic Seas. Sale of a collection of Pictures, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, which produced £15,000. A bog burst forth from Kilmalady, in Ireland, and in an hour covered 100 acres from 20 to 60 feet deep; it proceeded to a great extent, 200 yards wide, and 80 feet deep, at the rate of two yards per hour. Roads and bridges were covered, communications cut off, and great damage done. Queen Caroline died at Hammersmith, after an illness of eight days. Loss of the Juliana, East-Indiaman, in the Margate-roads, in which 38, out of the 40 individuals on board, perished.

1822 The King surrendered £30,000 per annum of the civil list. A coroner’s jury decided that publicans are legally bound to receive into their houses all persons in extremity. Fifteen thousand Greeks massacred in the island of Scio, by the Turks. A south-west gale so retarded the flow of the tide in the Thames, that it was fordable at London bridge. Subscriptions opened for the starving Irish peasantry, which amounted to £300,000. Dreadful cases of misery and oppression published. Upwards of 800 Greek virgins exposed in the slave markets, and 20,000 Christians slaughtered in various villages. The Marquis of Londonderry, cut his throat at his house, North Cray. Mr. Canning appointed Secretary of State, in lieu of the Marquis of Londonderry. Grand eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the most tremendous since 1794. Fonthill abbey purchased by Mr. Farquhar, for £330,000. Sir William Herschell, the celebrated Astronomer, died. Canova, the celebrated Sculptor, died. Madame Lætitia Bonaparte, mother of the late Emperor of France, died.

1823 George IV presented to the nation the library of his late father, at Buckingham House, consisting of 120,000 vols. An insurrection of the Negroes at Martinique detected: several planters had died by poison. Two hundred Negroes ordered for execution. Captain Parry arrived from his exploratory voyage to the Polar regions; he had failed in the chief object of the expedition. Three grand Musical Festivals held within a month, at York, Birmingham, and Gloucester, produced the enormous sum of £30,500. By the melancholy accident from fire damp, at the William Pitt colliery near Whitehaven, 14 men, 16 boys, and two girls, lost their lives; 17 horses were also killed. Dr. Jenner, discoverer of Vaccination, died. Mrs. Radcliffe, authoress of the Mysteries of Udolpho, &c., died. At Rochetts, Earl St. Vincent died. At Kincardine, Admiral Lord Keith, died. At Rome, Pope Pius the Seventh, died.

1824 A subterraneous forest of oak was discovered, on the shores of the Solway Frith, beyond Brough, imbedded in a stiff blue clay; the trees were of large dimensions, and the wood so perfect as to be scarce perceptible from new timber, although it must have lain there many thousands of years. Mr. Mantell discovered, in the iron sand-stone of Sussex, the teeth of a herbivorous reptile of gigantic magnitude, being of the lizard tribe; from a thigh bone found, it must have equalled the elephant in height, and been more than 60 feet long. The pictures of J. J. Angerstein, 38 in number, purchased by Government for £57,000 to begin a national gallery; Sir G. Beaumont liberally presented his collection to the public for that purpose. The Hecla, discovery ship, with Captain Parry left her moorings on a voyage of discovery to the Arctic region. Mr. Harris, accompanied by Miss Stocks, ascended in a balloon, when the former was killed by being thrown from the car. The remains of Lord Byron were conveyed from London, amidst a concourse of people, for Newstead Abbey. A copy of Columbus’ letter to the King of Spain, on the discovery of America, sold for 34 guineas. Particulars were received respecting the death of the celebrated traveller Belzoni, at Gato on his journey to Timbuctoo. Mr. Sadler, jun., the aëronaut, was killed on descending in his balloon, near Blackburn in Lancashire. The enormous timber ship, called the Columbus, arrived at Blackwall, from the river St. Lawrence, being 300 feet long, 50 broad, and 30 deep. Patrick Grant died, aged 111; to this venerable Highlander, His Majesty had granted a pension of a guinea a week.

1825 In January, wool was exported from England to the United States of America, being the first instance for two centuries. Organic remains of antediluvian animals found in a cave near Chudleigh. Steam engines in England, representing the power of 320,000 horses, equal to 1,920,000 men, managed by 36,000 only, now add to the power of our population 1,884,000 men! A phenomenon observed on the coast of Kent, being a cloud, resting part on the sea, extending as far as the eye could reach, reflecting two distinct images of every vessel passing, one inverted, the other in its proper position, apparently sailing in the air. An earthquake happened in Algiers, when the town of Blida, was totally destroyed, and, of a population of 15,000 persons, scarcely 300 were left alive. £2,000 granted to Mr. M‘Adam for improvement of the roads. The Tower of Fonthill-Abbey fell, and destroyed great part of that elegant building.

1826 London was visited by such a dense fog, in the forenoon, that candles were burned in all the shops. The abduction of Miss Turner by E. G. Wakefield. The death of the celebrated composer, Baron Von Weber, occurred, being in his 40th year. Mr. Canning dined with the King of France, and Sir Walter Scott with the King of England.

1827 Canal Excavation by the plough in lieu of manual labour. It is remarkable, that England, which usually sets the example to all Europe in the application of machinery as a substitute for manual labour, should have been anticipated by the small state of Wurtemberg; an extensive line of canal having been projected, and sanctioned by the Government, an eminent engineer constructed a set of ploughs of various forms to suit the nature of the soil to be intersected, which, by the aid of from eight to twelve horses, excavated the line of canal, at less than a fourth of the price which would have been expended in manual labour. His Royal Highness the Duke of York expired. Will of Mr. Rundel, the silversmith, proved, whose personal property amounted to £1,200,000. The steam vessel George the Fourth left Portsmouth for Africa. Mr. Canning appointed chancellor of the Exchequer, April 24. Mr. Canning expired, Aug. 8. Lord Goderich appointed Premier. Death of Dr. Good, F.R.S., author of various works on Science, &c. Death of Rebecca Fury, of Falmouth, Jamaica, aged 140. Clapperton’s second voyage to Africa. Parry’s attempt to reach the North Pole over the ice without success. Lord Liverpool died, George Canning succeeded. Intervention of England, France, and Russia in the affairs of Greece: battle of Navarino. Premiership and death of Canning.

1828 Duke of Wellington premier. Russian invasion of Turkey. Capo d’Istria President of Greece: a French army in the Morea. Don Miguel usurps the throne of Portugal.

1829 The Russian Field-Marshal Diebitsch crosses the Balkan. Treaty of Adrianople. Independence of Greece recognized by Turkey. Catholic emancipation in England.

1830 Accession of William IV. Algiers taken by the French. July 25th, revolution at Paris: abdication of Charles X: Duke of Orleans called to the throne, by the title of Louis Philippe, King of the French, Belgian and Polish revolutions.

1831 The cholera appears in Europe. Polish insurrection suppressed, and the kingdom of Poland incorporated with the Russian empire. London conferences: Leopold of Saxe-Coburg chosen King of Belgium.

1832 Civil war in Portugal betwixt Pedro and Miguel. The French occupy Ancona, and lay siege to Antwerp. Parliamentary reform in England.

1833 Meeting of the first reformed Parliament. Abolition of slavery in the British colonies, with a compensation of £20,000,000 to the slave-owners.

1834 Don Miguel expelled from Portugal. Civil war in Spain. Formation of the German Zollverein. Accession of Queen Victoria. Buckingham Palace completed. Insurrection in Upper Canada. A meeting of the Provincial Convention called at Toronto. Colonel Moodie killed. McKenzie, Van Egmont and others invest Toronto. Rebels dispersed and leaders flee to the United States.

1838 Second Insurrection in 1838. In Lower Canada, Mr. and Mrs. Ellice of Beauharnois, taken prisoners by the rebels at that place and given over for keeping to the Curé. The Caughnawaga Indians take 64 prisoners and, tying them with their sashes and garters, send them to Montreal. Affairs at Napierville and Laprairie. Colonel Prince did, what should have instantly been done to the Fenian prisoners in the late raid, viz., condemned some of the insurgents by drum head Court Martial, and executed them forthwith. Quiet restored.

1839 Treaty of peace betwixt Holland and Belgium. End of the civil war in Spain.

1840 Intervention of England and Austria in the Egyptian question. Thiers minister of France: apprehensions of a general war: removed by the overthrow of Thiers: Guizot minister. Union of the two Canadas.

1841 Resignation of Melbourne ministry. Peel becomes premier. Death of Lord Sydenham in Canada. Fortification of Paris. Bonaparte interred in Paris, 15th December.

1842 Affghan and Chinese wars: cession of Hong Kong to England: opening of Chinese ports. Rising against the English at Cabul: murder of Burnes and McNaughton: massacre at the Cabul Pass. General Pollock forces the Khugher Pass, 5th April. Ashburton Treaty with the United States, August 9th. Great fire at Hamburg.

1843 Activity of the Anti-Corn Law League. John Bright returned for Durham. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visit the King of the French and the King of the Belgians. Repeal meetings in Ireland stopped by royal proclamation, and Mr. O’Connell and other repealers arrested and tried for conspiracy and sedition.

1844 French hostilities with Morocco: Mogadore bombarded: King of the French visits Queen Victoria at Windsor. Railway mania in England. Campbell the Poet died, 15th June.

1845 Continued activity of the Anti-Corn Law League. Great bazaar at London, where the receipts amount to £25,000. Railway mania in England attains its height: scrip issued to the nominal amount of several hundred millions sterling. Annexation of Texas to the United States. Steam established between Liverpool and New York. Sir John Franklin set sail 22nd May.

1846 The Spanish double marriages. Mexico annexed, 25th August. Coolness betwixt the courts of St. James and the Tuilleries. Abolition of the Corn Laws, followed by resignation of the Peel ministry. Austria, in violation of the treaties of Vienna, seizes on Cracow, and incorporates it with her own dominions. Louis Napoleon escapes from the Castle of Ham, in Normandy. Gregory XVI dies, and is succeeded by Cardinal Mastai Ferretti, who takes the title of Pius IX. Revolution of Geneva, October 7th.

1847 Pope Pius introduces some reforms into the Papal States: excitement in the rest of Italy. Civil war in Switzerland: Sonderbund suppressed. Abd-el-Kader taken prisoner. The Duchy of Lucca reverts to Tuscany. Failure of the potato crop in Ireland.

1848 Upper California and New Mexico ceded to the United States. February revolution in Paris: flight of Louis Philippe, 24th February: France a Republic: Cavaignac: Revolution at Vienna 6th October, and Berlin 12th November: Schleswig-Holstein insurrection. Arctic ships deserted, 22nd April. Peace Congress at Brussels, 20th September. Defeat of Sikhs at Mooltan, 7th November. Napoleon III first elected President, 20th December. Smith O’Brien defeated in his attempt to raise a resurrection in Ireland.

1849 Death of Queen Adelaide. Punjaub war. Revolutions in Rome and Tuscany: Mazzini: French invasion and occupation of Rome. Revolutionary movements in Germany and Hungary. Kossuth. Revolution in Baden suppressed by Prussia; in Hungary by Russia; and Hungarians defeated by Hayman.

1850 Battle of Idstedt and suppression of the Schleswig-Holstein insurrection. Peace between Denmark and Prussia. Louis Philippe died 26th August. Sir Robert Peel died.

1851 Great industrial exhibition in London in Crystal Palace. French coup d’état: National assembly broken up, and Napoleon declared President of the Republic for ten years. Discovery of gold fields in Australia.

1852 The Earl of Derby forms a protectionist ministry, dissolves parliament, but is soon forced to resign: Lord Aberdeen becomes Premier. On the 14th September, the illustrious Duke of Wellington, the Iron Duke, died at Walmar Castle near Dover, aged 83. Louis Napoleon proclaimed Emperor of the French, as Napoleon III. Amazon steamer burnt at sea, and 100 persons perished, 4th January. The steamer Birkenhead with troops on board for the Cape of Good Hope wrecked 26th February, and of 638 persons only 184 were saved; 454 of the crew and soldiers of the 12th Lancers, 2nd, 6th, 12th, 43rd, 45th, 60th Rifles, 73rd, 74th and 91st Regiments perished by drowning or swallowed by sharks which were seen swimming around.

1853 Marriage of Napoleon III to Eugenie de Montejo in January. Fire which broke out in Windsor Castle, extinguished March 19th. The Queen of Portugal died November 15th. The Porte formerly declared war against Russia, October 5th. Russia invades the Danubian principalities, crossing the Pruth in July, destroys the Turkish fleet at Sinopé, hence called the “Massacre of Sinopé.” Battle of Silistria. Death of Captain Butler.

1854 Great Britain and France declare war against Russia in March. The Allies land at Varna. Dreadful attack of Cholera in both armies--then the invasion of the Crimea. Battles of the Alma, Balaklava, and Inkermann with all the minor sorties and engagements, and the scenes of camp life, so graphically described by military and civil correspondents. Bomarsund taken by the Baltic Expedition, August 16th.

1855 Sardinia joins the Allies. South side of Sebastopol taken. Battle of Tchernaya. Taking of Kertch and Kinburn. Battle of the Heights of Kars. Fall of Sebastopol and Kars. Russia proposes peace. Napoleon visited England, April 17th. Crimean medals distributed, May 18th. Sebastopol evacuated by the Russians, September 9th. Dreadful storm in the Black Sea, during which the Prince, Resolute, &c., foundered. Insurrection at Madrid. Flight of the Queen Mother Christina and dismissal of her favourites.

1856 Peace of Paris signed, March 31st. Victoria cross instituted, January 29th. Lord Dalhousie ceased to be Governor General of India, and was succeeded by Viscount Canning. War in Persia, and capture by the British of Bushire; Persian King, obliged thereafter to sue for peace. Great Britain involved in a war with China. Commissioner Yeh made prisoner. Lord Elgin made Ambassador to negotiate a settlement of difficulties. Seizure of Lorch, October 8th. English Cathedral, Montreal, burnt.

1857 Shakspeare’s house bought. Kensington Museum opened. Victoria cross distributed, and Victoria Asylum commenced. Indian Mutiny begun, February 28th. Massacre of Cawnpore, July 16th. Relief of Lucknow, November 17th.

1858 Close of the Mutiny and re-organization of the country. Attempt on the life of Napoleon III by Orsini and others. Orsini beheaded, March 13th. Princess Royal married to the Prince of Prussia.

1859 Revolution in Tuscany. Victoria Bridge opened, 19th December. Earthquake at Quito, 29th March. A Southern Convention at Vicksburg, Miss., at which eight States are represented, passes resolutions in favor of opening the slave trade. John Brown and fifteen white men and five negroes seize the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry and kill four of the inhabitants. The militia and Federal troops arrive at Harper’s Ferry and besiege Brown and his men in the armory buildings. The armory captured by Colonel Lee (now General). One marine and twelve of Brown’s men killed, Brown and four men taken prisoners, and two escape, but are re-captured. The people of Charlestown, Va., excited by the rumors of an attempt to rescue John Brown; and Governor Wise calms their fears by guarding the place with a Richmond regiment. In the House of Representatives of South Carolina a resolution is offered that “South Carolina is ready to enter, together with other slave-holding States, or such as desire present action, into the formation of a Southern Confederacy.” John Brown and two negroes hung. The medical students from Southern States in Philadelphia colleges resolve to secede and join colleges in their own States.

The following is a chronological table of the war in Italy. It is taken from the Journal of Education and compiled by the esteemed Superintendent of Education for Lower Canada, and will be found valuable for History students.