1842. Elkanah Watson, a great friend of and writer on internal improvements, died at port Kent, Essex county, N. Y., aged 86.
1847. James Kent, so long distinguished as an American jurist and philanthropist, died at New York, aged 84.
1849. Isambard Brunel, the celebrated engineer of the Thames tunnel, died at London.
1856. Herman E. Ludewig, a Saxon scholar, died in Brooklyn, N. Y., aged 47. He is known by his Literature of American Local History.
DECEMBER 13.
405. B. C. Battle of Ægospotami. This celebrated Spartan victory of Lysander over a vast Athenian fleet, happily closed the 27 years' war in the Peloponesus. Conon fled to Cyprus, and the admiral took possession of Athens in the following spring.
126. B. C. A league of friendship referred to the Roman senate assembled in the temple of Concord, on behalf of the Jews, who had sent three ambassadors with a shield of gold as a mark of confederacy.
1250. Frederick II, emperor of Germany, died. He was successful in his wars against the Saracens, but was forced to return to wage war with the pope, whom he also conquered. He was deposed, however, in 1245 by Innocent IV.
1254. Innocent IV (Sinibaldi de Fiesque) died. He was early engaged in a quarrel with Frederick of Germany, whom he excommunicated and deposed. He was the first who invested the cardinals with a red hat as a mark of dignity.
1502. A water spout at Porto Bello greatly alarmed the Spaniards. Ferdinand Columbus says "if they had not dissolved it by saying the gospel of St. John, it had certainly sunk whatsoever it fell upon."