Maritime History

[Amgine]

• 1610 - German astronomer Simon Marius claims to have discovered the Jupiter moons, but does not officially report it
  • Galileo does on July 1 1610 with observations from January 8. More information from the Galileo Project
• 1738 - Bouvet Island discovered by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier.
• 1800 - Dutch East Indies Company dissolves after 198 years.
• 1801 - Ireland and Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales and the other independent states which had united in 1707 as the Kingdom of Great Britain) formed the United Kingdom via the Act of Union 1800.
• 1827 - Dutch Trade Company Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (NHM, primary predecessor of ABN AMRO) gets opium monopoly on Java.
• 1851 - City of Glasgow steamer inaugurates Philadelphia-Liverpool line.
  • More info
• 1880 - Ferdinand de Lesseps begins construction of the Panama Canal.
  • History of Ferdinand de Lesseps from the CanalMuseum.com
  • Multi-media including live cameras on the Canal website
• 1894 - Manchester Ship Canal in England opens to traffic (official opening 21 May 1894.)
  • The Manchester Ship Canal site has history page with a big downloadable .pdf.
• 1910 - Captain David Beatty is promoted to Rear Admiral, becoming the youngest admiral in the British Royal Navy, except for Royal family members, since Horatio Nelson.
• 1949 - Tokelau Islands declared part of New Zealand.
  • Government site
  • A personal site about the Tokelau's
    
• 1962 - Western Samoa achieves independence from New Zealand; its name is changed to the Independent State of Western Samoa.
  • The official government site was down when I tried to load it.
• 1970 - "The Epoch" (Time 0 for UNIX systems, Midnight GMT).
• 1981 - Palau (Trust Territory of Pacific Is) becomes self-governing. (Independent 1 October 1994)
  • Government site
• 1986 - Aruba becomes independent from Netherland Antilles within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
  • Official Tourism site
    

Launchings, births, and deaths

• 1622 - nl:Isaac Sweers born, Netherlands Vice-Admiral (d. 28 August 1673)
• 1874 - Frank Knox born, United States Secretary of the Navy (d. 1944)
• 1887 - Wilhelm Canaris born, German admiral, head of the German Intelligence Abwehr (d. 1945)
• 1996 - Arleigh Burke dies, U.S. admiral (b. 19 October 1901)

[Amgine]

• 1879 - HMS Thunderer gun turret explodes in Sea of Marmora, 11 die.
  • An unlucky ship, the Thunderer had previously suffered a boiler explosion. Yet after refitting she had a long career as a guardboatd. More info
• 1900 - Chicago Canal opens.
  • The canal is cited as a primary conduit for Zebra Mussels^
• 1905 - The Russian fleet surrenders to Japan at Port Arthur, China.
  • A synopsis of the war from the Russian viewpoint.
• 1941 - World War II: The U.S. government announces its Liberty ship program with a stated goal of building 200 freighters.
  • Over 2,700 ships will eventually be constructed by the end of the war. The program effectively mass-produced freighters with the goal of insuring supply lines no matter the losses. More info
    
• 1942 - The United States Navy opens a blimp bases on west, gulf, and east coasts.
  • This was actually an expansion of the LTA program. Blimps were seen as extremely useful by the U.S. Navy for the detection of submarines, and even for anti-submarine combat.

Launchings, births, deaths

• 1719 - Jacques-Alexandre Laffon de Ladebat, French shipbuilder, born (d. 1797)
  • Descendant's site(in French)
    
• 1892 - George Biddell Airy, British Astronomer Royal 1835-1891, dies. (b. 21 July 1801)
  • St. Andrews' summary page
• 2000 - Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., U.S. admiral, 19th Chief of Naval Operations, dies. (b. 1920)
  • U.S. Navy history page regarding Admiral Zumwalt (untested, because the history.navy.mil still doesn't load for me)

[submitted 2.5 hours early 'cuz I'm headed off to the boat]

[GordMay]

January 2, 1897 ~ “Commodore” sinks
On this day in 1897, American writer Stephen Crane (ie: “Red Badge of Courage”) survives the sinking of The “Commodore” off the coast of Florida.
More: Stephen Crane and the Commodore
Crane will turn the adventure into his classic short story "The Open Boat" , which can be found On-line at:
The Open Boat

[Amgine]

• 1652 - Dutch ship Geldermalsen 16 days out of Malaka is lost on a reef en route to the Netherlands, 80 die.
  • The wreck was salvaged by Mike Hatcher, infamous wreck salvor (as opposed to maritime archeologist). More info
• 1833 - British forces re-take the Falkland Islands, this time by force from Argentina.
  • Although acting in force, the British forces were re-occupying the islands after a U.S.A. ship had removed most of the inhabitants and shelled the town to rubble in response to Argentinean captures of U.S. fishing/sealing vessels (deemed piracy as the U.S.A. had never recognized Argentina's claims to the islands; the inhabitants were transported to Montevideo and released.) More info

Launchings, births, deaths

• 1543 - Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, first European to visit California, dies of gangrene. (b. 1499)
  • More info
• 1641 - Jeremiah Horrocks, the "father of British Astronomy", age 22 years, dies of unknown causes. (b. ca 1618)
• 1670 - George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle dies
  • General-at-sea for the British during the First Anglo-Dutch war, and Commander in Chief during the Second Anglo-Dutch war. (b. 6 December 1608)
• 1854 - Lightning, a clipper ship built by Donald McKay, launched at East Boston for the Black Ball Lines (Liverpool).
  • More info
• 1899 - Johannes Hin born, becomes Olympic gold medalist (12' dinghy) in 1920 for Netherlands.

[Amgine]

• 1493 - Christopher Columbus leaves the New World, ending his first journey there.
  • The "date" of his departure is 16 Jan., but under the Julian Calendar, which is 4 Jan. under the Gregorian.
• 1854 - Captain William McDonald aboard the Samarang discovers the McDonald Islands.*
  • The McDonald Islands and Heard Island are a World Heritage Site, and an Australian Marine Reserve
• 1945 - US jeep-aircraft carrier Ommaney Bay sinks after kamikaze attack
  • More info

Launchings, births, deaths...

• 1832 - George Tryon born in Northhamptonshire, British admiral (d. 1893)
• 1965 - Mitch Booth born in Sydney, Australia, class racer, Australian Olympic medalist Tornado (1992 bronze, 1996 silver)
  • ISAF bio, helped bring about the 2005-2006 Volvo Grand Prix Extreme 40 design. and class.
• 1967 - Donald Campbell, English land and water speed record setter, dies attempting to break 480 kph (300 mph) water speed record. (b. 1921)
  • His boat for the last record attempt, Bluebird, was recovered in 2001.

[edit]
Deaths

[Amgine]

• 1854 - The steamer San Francisco sinks, 240 dead.
• 1975 - The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, is struck by the bulk ore carrier Lake Illawarra, killing twelve people.
  • Bridge information, an aerial view at wikimpia, and the Wikipedia write-up
• 1993 - The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands spilling 84,700 tonnes of oil.
  • Extensive discussion regarding the effects on birdlife. Synopsis.
• 1998 - Vandals decapitate Copenhagen's Little Mermaid.

Launchings, Births, Deaths

• 1779 - Stephen Decatur, jr., born in Maryland, United States, U.S. naval officer (d. 1820)
• 1922 - Sir Ernest Shackleton Antarctic explorer, dies aboard his ship Quest at 47. (b. 15 February 1874)

[Amgine]

• 1720 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings.
  • (an economic bubble involving The South Sea Company of Britain, employed as a National Bank by the goernment.)
• 1805 - L'Invention captures the Spanish vessel Polaire Aquilla on voyage from Cartagena to Barcelona.
  • Purpose-built as a privateer by a Frensh shipbuilder for his own use, it was captured in its first voyage, but served the British very well in that capacity... MVHA
• 2006 - Tropical Storm Zeta dissipates, ending the notorious 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.
  • NOAA's advisory archive for Zeta and synopsis of 2005's many records. Thank your deities for 2006's El Niño, eh?

Launchings, births, and deaths

• 1711 - Philips van Almonde, Dutch admiral, dies at home (b. 29 December 1646)
• 1855 - Giacomo Beltrami, Italian jurist, author, and explorer, dies.
  • Mistakenly believed he'd found the headwaters of the Mississippi river. (b. 1779)
• 1893 - Result 3-masted schooner
  • employed in st slate trade, MVHA and Mighty Seas articles.

[Amgine]

• 1835 - HMS Beagle anchors off the Chonos Archipelago.
  • Chapter 13 of the online version of John Murray's 1913 edition
• 1904 - The distress signal "CQD" is established by Marconi Co. only to be replaced two years later by "SOS."
  • More info
• 1914 - First ocean vessel, the Alexandre La Valley, passes through the Panamá Canal.
  • Panam Canal History FAQ, the more widely-known passage of the SS Ancon didn't take place until August 15th. La Valley was a crane vessel used in construction of the canal.
• 1927 - Commercial transatlantic telephone service between New York & London
• 1964 - Bahamas achieves internal self-government & cabinet responsibility

Launchings, births, and deaths

• 1904 - Beethoven at the shipyard of Grangemouth & Greenock Dockyard Company, Greenock, for A. C. de Freitas, Hamburg.
• 1827 - Sir Sandford Fleming born, Canadian engineer; introduced Universal Standard Time (d. 22 July 1915)
• 1883 - Andrew Browne Cunningham born, Irish admiral in the British Royal Navy, WWII (d. 12 June 1963)

Julian calendar Christian holiday Christmas.

[Amgine]

• 1951 - Thought extinct since 1615, a Cahow (the national bird of Bermuda) is rediscovered in Bermuda.
• 1979 - Tanker Betelguese catches fire and explodes while offloading at Whiddy Island in Bantry Bay, Ireland. 50 dead.
• 2004 - Queen Elizabeth christens the Queen Mary II cruise liner for the Cunnard Line.

Launchings, births, and deaths

• 1324 - Marco Polo, Venetian explorer, dies. (b. 15 September 1254)
• 1587 - Jan Pieterszoon Coen, twice Governor-General of the Dutch East-Indies for the Dutch East India Company, born in Hoorn, Netherlands. (d. 21 September 1629)
• 1711 - Philips van Almonde, Dutch lietenant admiral (b. 29 December 1644)

[Amgine]

• 1806 - Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson is buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.
  • BBC, British Royal Navy
• 1909 - Ernest Shackleton reaches 88° 23' S.
  • BBC, Framheim.com
• 1953 - Korean ferryboat Chang Tyong-Ho sinks off Pusan, 249 dead.
• 1954 - -66ºC (-87ºF), Northice Station, Greenland (Greenland record)
• 1964 - Anti-U.S. riots break out in the Panamá Canal Zone, resulting in agreement to end the U.S.A.'s control of canal in 1999 (the treaty negotiated by Lyndon B. Johnson's administration and submitted in 1967 would not be ratified until 1978.) The day is known as Martyr's Day.
• 1972 - Ocean liner RMS Queen Elizabeth destroyed by fire in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong.
• 1978 - Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands established.
  • The CNMI was established to replace the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) which had been administered by the United States. The CNMI is "in commonwealth with the United States", gaining subsidies but without representation, and providing a form of "free trade zone" with no need to comply with US labour laws.* Gov.
• 1998 - Decapitated head of Danish Little Mermaid returned.

Launchings, births, and deaths

• 1571 - Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon, French vice-admiral of Brittany, dies in Beauvais. (b. 1510)
  • As much pirate as navy, he is most remembered for attempting to establish a French Antarctique, by the expedient of landing and establishing a colony off Rio de Janeiro of Heugenots. The Portuguese sent two expeditions to evict them, but had to establish the city in order to finally do so after 7 years of trying.

[Amgine]

• 1892 - Clipper ship N.B. Palmer abandoned in the North Atlantic at 45°N, 43°W.
  • MVHA
• 1894 - Four-masted barque Elmbank stranded on the Isle of Arran.
  • MVHA
• 1951 - World War II Liberty Ship Flying Enterprise sinks 12 days after crew and passengers - except Captain Henrik Kurt Carlsen - were rescued.
  • Captain Carlsen jumps into the ocean just before it finally sunk, to be rescued by the salvage tug which had been pulling the ship in to the British Isles. The ship was carrying some $600,000 in cash cargo, later partially salvaged on a contract from a banking consortium, which may have been the reason for Captain Carlsen refusal to abandon ship earlier.
    

[Amgine]

• 1599 - Jacob van Neck's fleet departs Bantam, Java, laden with spices.
• 1803 - Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe depart for Paris to arrange a port of depposit on the lower Mississippi River
  • Napoleon insists they buy either all French territory or nothing. They make the Lousiana Purchase without approval or authority. Included all of the Mississippi River, Missouri River, Lake Michigan and other navigable inland waters.
• 1813 - Pineapple first introduced to Hawai'i by the Spanish; the first commercial plantations would not be planted until 1886.
• 1863 - Naval engagement near Galveston, Texas, USA between CSS Alabama & USS Hatteras, Hatteras sunk.
• 1866 - SS London sinks in storm off Land's End, England, kills 220
  • More info
• 1920 - French steam liner Afrique sinks near La Rochelle, France. Of 567 crew and passengers only 36 survive.
  • More info 1 and 2 (in French)
• 1942 - Japan declares war on the Netherlands and invades the Netherlands East Indies.
• 1981 - Palau adopts constitution

[Amgine]

• 1807 - Gunpowder-ship explodes in Leiden Netherlands, 150 die. (Cleared space in the city now known as the Van der Werf Park)
• 1812 - 1st cargo arrives in New Orleans by steam, from Natchez
• 1836 - HMS Beagle reaches Sydney Australia
• 1916 - Britain proclaims Gilbert & Ellice Island colony in the Pacific
• 1929 - Seatrain (RR cars on ships) service begins, New Orleans-Havana
• 1937 - Plow for laying submarine cable patented in the USA
• 1945 - World War II: Battle of South China Sea: US Task Force 38 destroys 41 Japanese ships in Battle of South China Sea ("Operation Gratitude")
  • More info
• 1950 - Swedish tanker Divina rams British submarine HMS Truculent (P315) in Thames, 64 die, 15 survivors.
  • More info

Launchings, births, and deaths

• 1517 - Vasco Núñez de Balboa, Spanish conquistador and first European to see the eastern Pacific Ocean, which he entitled the South Sea. Executed. (b. ca. 1475)
• 1876 - Jack London, born in the U.S.A. author and adventurer. (d. 22 November 1916)
• 1996 - Peggy Braithwaite first UK woman lighthouse keeper in 1975, keeper of the Walney Island lighthouse near Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria., dies at 76

[Amgine]

• 1840 - The steamship Lexington burns and sinks four miles off Long Island with the loss of 139 lives, 4 survivors.
  • More info
• 1893 - US Marines invade Honolulu from the USS Boston to prevent Queen Liliʻuokalani from abrogating the Bayonet Constitution, overthrowing the Hawai'ian monarchy.
  • Text of the constitution, the Blount Report,
• 1849 - Vancouver Island colony granted to Hudson's Bay Company.
• 1995 - America3 becomes 1st all-female crew to win an America's Cup race
  • Official, America's Cup info, America III screensaver which has nothing to do with America3, just thought I'd check if anyone would notice.

Launchings, births, deaths

• 1790 - Death of Luc Urbain de Bouexic, comte de Guichen, French admiral (b. 1712)
  • In French
• 1852 - Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, Russian explorer believed to be the first discoverer of Antarctica, dies as military governor of Kronstadt. (b. 20 September 1778)
  • More info
• 1892 - Paul Smart born, USA yachtsman, won the Olympic Star-class gold medal in 1948 as crew for his son, Hillary Smart.
• 1930 - Auguste Rateau, French inventor of the R-steam turbine and the turbocharger, dies. (b. 1863)
  • More info in French
• 1947 - Peter Sundelin born in Sweden, yachtsman, Olympic 5.5 m class gold medalist in 1968*

[Amgine]

• 1969 - An explosion aboard the USS Enterprise near Hawaii kills 27 people.
  • More info
• 1994 - Jan Heweliusz ferry capsizes during heavy weather in the south Baltic, with 54 deaths and 9 survivors.
• 2004 (trivia) Goatse.cx is suspended by the Christmas Island Internet Administration following a massive grassroots movement to close the site forever.
  • Urban dictionary

Launchings, births, deaths

• 1806 - Matthew Fontaine Maury born in Virginia.
  • Known in his own lifetime as the "Pathfinder of the seas", American oceanographer served in the USN (Commander), the Virginia State Navy, and the Confederate States Navy (Commander). (d. 1 February 1873)
• 1850 - Birth of Louis Marie Julien Viaud
  • Bettern known by his pseudonym Pierre Loti, born in Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France. French sailor and author. (d. 10 June 1923)