1854. Three British steamers destroyed the ships, dockyards and stores at Brahestadt, in the north of the gulf of Bothnia.
1854. The Turks made a sortie from Silistria, and killed 3000 Russians in the trenches.
1854. Peregrine Maitland, a British officer, died, aged 76. He served at Walcheren, in the Peninsula at Corunna, and at Waterloo. For his services on the Nive as commander of the first brigade of guards, he received a medal. He had been lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada and Nova Scotia, and commander-in-chief of the Madras army.
1856. The ship Pallas, sailing from Cork to Quebec, struck the breakers off St. Paul's island and bilged; of 120 passengers 72 were drowned.
MAY 31.
1434. Ladislaus IV, king of Poland, died, aged 80; universally respected for all those virtues which should grace a throne.
1521. The siege of Mexico having been begun by Cortez, Sandoval with a division of the Spaniards and more than 35,000 allies marched to the assault of the city of Iztapalapan, situated about 8 miles from Mexico, on the eastern border of the lake. Great havoc was made upon the people and the city, devastated by fire. The inhabitants attempting to escape by water, were met by Cortez, who rushed among their frail boats with his brigantines, and destroyed immense numbers of them.
1589. Walter Mildmay, an English statesman, died; founder of Emanuel college.
1658. Kingston, Ulster county, N. Y., founded.
1672. Union between the colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Plymouth.