1693. An expedition fitted out in England against Canada and Martinique, arrived in Boston. During the voyage, 1,300 out of 2,100 sailors, and 1,800 out of 2,400 soldiers, had died of a malignant disease. On the arrival of the fleet the disease spread into the town, and proved more malignant than any other epidemic which had ever been known in the country.
1695. Andrew Felibien, counselor and historiographer to the king of France, died. He was also celebrated for his taste and judgment in the fine arts, and his Dialogues upon the Lives of the Painters has done him great honor.
1698. Balthazar Bekker, a Dutch divine, died. His writings got him into trouble with the church, which was alarmed at some very harmless notions he entertained about spirits and devils.
1712. Lewis Joseph, duke de Vendome, died. He was a descendant of Henry IV of France, and distinguished himself under Philip V of Spain, whom he succeeded in raising to the throne, in opposition to the claims of Charles III, archduke of Austria.
1719. A terrible earthquake happened at Pekin, in China, throwing down houses and burying more than 1,000 inhabitants in the ruins.
1727. George I, king of England, died in his carriage near Osnabruck, in Germany, aged 68. He was the first king of England of the house of Brunswick, and had reigned 13 years.
1756. Cæsar Chesneau du Marsais, a French grammarian, died. He was engaged in the Encyclopedie, and his articles on grammar are drawn up with great precision, correctness and judgment.
1776. Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Robert R. Livingston, a committee to prepare a Declaration of Independence.
1783. Great eruption of the Scaptar Jokul, in Iceland, commenced, and continued several days (see [18th]).
1792. The first bank in New Hampshire commenced discounting at Portsmouth.