1741. The British under Admiral Vernon took the castle of Bocca Chicca, in Carthagena, by assault.
1751. The commencement of the year in England was altered from this day to the first of January, to conform with the custom of other European countries, which had long before adopted the Gregorian calendar. For this purpose there was passed an act of parliament, directing that the year should commence on the first of January, and that eleven days, from the 2d to the 14th September, 1752, should be omitted, so that the 3d of September should be dated the 14th. This occasioned great perplexity and confusion of dates, arising from the computations by the old and new styles.
1754. William Hamilton, an ingenious Scottish poet, died. His pieces are distinguished for liveliness of imagination and delicacy of sentiment.
1761. The first tree cut towards clearing land for cultivation in the town of Bennington, Vt. The honor of the act belongs to Samuel Robinson, who on that day began the settlement of the town. In 1790 it contained 4,000 inhabitants, and by actual return their industry produced 26,000 yards of linen cloth, made in private families from flax of their own raising.
1763. Elias Farneworth, an English prelate, died; distinguished as the translator of Machiavelli and several other European authors.
1792. Lake Harantoreen, in the county of Kerry, Ireland, sunk into the earth.
1792. The British under Gen. Campbell carried by storm the batteries at Port Royal in Grenada.
1793. Hebert, Anacharsis Cloots and 18 others, chiefs of the Cordelier Club, executed at Paris.
1799. Florence and Leghorn in Italy, fell into the hands of the French.
1799. Battle of Stockach in Germany. The princes of Furstenberg and Anhalt-Bernburg killed.