1852. John Pitkin Norton, professor of agricultural chemistry at Yale college, died, aged 30.
1853. I. L. Mason, a United States engineer, died at San Francisco. He was born in Providence, educated at West Point, and constructed the fortifications at fort Adams, and was one of the most skillful and scientific officers of the engineer corps. He was sent out to superintend the construction of the fortifications at San Francisco.
1853. George Poindexter, a Mississippi statesman, died at Jackson. He was the second governor of Mississippi, and in 1811 killed Abijah Hunt in a duel.
1854. Robert M. Patterson, director of the United States mint, died at Philadelphia. He was president of the American philosophical society, and had been a professor in the universities of Pennsylvania and Virginia.
SEPTEMBER 6.
972. John XIII, pope, died. He was elected by the power of the emperor, against the wishes of the Roman people. A violent dissention was the consequence, and the new pontiff was banished the next year by the prefect of Rome; he was reinstated by the emperor, and his opponent in turn sent into exile.
1492. Columbus sailed from the Canaries, where he had been detained since the 12th of August, in refitting for the voyage.
1521. John Sebastian del Cano, having on the death of Magellan, been appointed captain of the Spanish expedition for the discovery of a western passage to the Molucca or Spice islands, conducted the remainder of the voyage, which was finished this day. This was the first voyage round the world. It sailed August 10th, 1519, from Seville, and consisted of five ships and 236 men. Only one ship of this squadron ever reached Spain. (8th?)
1578. Drake having passed the straits of Magellan, entered the Pacific ocean, on his memorable campaign against the Spanish treasure ships.
1581. William Postel, a French mathematician, died. He possessed great learning, but was a visionary. His works are twenty-six in number, on curious and strange subjects.