1787. Moses Brown, an English poet and divine, died.
1794. John Peter Claris de Florian, an eminent French author, died. His dramas, pastorals, novels and fables, gave him great popularity as a sentimental writer.
1795. Captain Vancouver returned from his voyage of discovery after an absence of four years.
1797. John Fell, an English dissenting minister, died. He is known as the author of several respectable works.
1806. Charles James Fox, an eminent English statesman, died.
1808. Xavier Bettinelli, an elegant Italian writer, died. His works are published in 24 vols., two of which are tragedies, and two poems.
1814. British approached within 700 yards of fort Bowyer, Mobile, and opened their fire on it.
1819. Completion of the Mahmudie or Alexandria canal, in Egypt. This vast undertaking was commenced in January of the same year by Mehemet Ali, pasha of Egypt, under the superintendence of six European engineers, with about 100,000 laborers, and their number, though more than 7,000 died of contagious diseases, was gradually increased to more than 290,000, each of whom received about 17 cents per diem. It extends from below Soane, on the Nile, to Pompey's pillar, is 47½ miles long, 90 feet wide, and 18 feet deep.
1831. Albany and Schenectady rail road opened; the first in the state of New York.
1839. James Maitland, earl of Lauderdale, died, aged 80. He was the author