1762. James Bradley, an English astronomer, died. He made some important discoveries, and greatly improved the instruments which enrich the celebrated observatory at Greenwich.
1772. Captain James Cook sailed on his second voyage round the world.
1774. Charles Frey de Neuville, a French Jesuit, died, aged 81. He was long known as an eloquent preacher; but on the suppression of his order he retired into privacy.
1774. William Johnson, Indian agent, died at his seat near Johnstown, during the sitting of a convention at his place. He was a man of stern and determined purpose, but urbane and conciliatory when necessary, and held a greater controlling influence over the Indians than any other individual since the settlement of the province.
1785. Stephen Hopkins, a signer from Rhode Island, died. He was a man of learning and a powerful speaker. His signature to the declaration is indicative of a tremulous hand, owing to a nervous affection, which compelled him, when he wrote, to guide his right arm with his left.
1788. An extraordinary and destructive hail storm happened in France, converting many of the richest autumnal prospects into arctic desolations.
1793. Jean Paul Marat, a notorious leader of the French revolution, assassinated. He was a humble physician in Paris when the storm of anarchy burst forth, and became the most insatiable advocate of human slaughter of all the blood-thirsty demons by whom he was surrounded. He endeavored to get up a general massacre, and publicly demanded 270,000 executions.
1795. Action between the British fleet, admiral Hotham, and the French fleet. French ship Alcide struck, but took fire and blew up with several hundred of her crew on board, who perished.
1807. James Bernouilli 3d, a Swiss astronomer, died. He was one of an illustrious family of scientific men.
1809. Senegal, in Africa, taken by the British.