CENTURY BY CENTURY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20168, 21 February 1931, Page 21

CENTURY BY CENTURY.

' ——- -■ ANNIVERSARIES OF 1931. The following summary of the chief anniversaries of 1931 was recently contributed to the "Observer" by Professor Henry J. Spooner:— 1831. DEATHS.—John Abernethy, F.R.S. famous surgeon, who revolutionised the whol6 field of surgery. (April 2S!th.) Robert W. Elliston, actor. (April 7th.) Sebastian Erard, Trench piano maker. (August sth.) Robert Hall, divine and writer. (February 21st.) George W. F. Hegel, German philosopher. (November 14th.) Henry Mackenzie, playwright, who edited the "Mirror' and, "Lounger" (January 14th.) James Monroe, fifth President of the U.S.A., who declared the "Monroe Doctrine." (July 4th.) Patrick Nasmyth, landscape painter. (August 17th.) James Northcote, E.A. (July 13th.) Sarah Siddons, great tragic actress, (June Bth.) , *. BlßTHS.—Emperor Frederick 111., father of ex-Kaiser. (October 18th.) Frederick W. Farrar, D.8., F.R.S. Dean of Canterbury, and historian! (August 7th.) George Manville Fenn, novelist. Viscount Goschen, statesman and economist, famous First Lord of Admiralty. (August 10th.) David E. Hughes, F.R.S., illustrious physicist and inventor (philanthropist) —discovered microphone, a pioneer of wireless. (May 16th.) B. W. Leader, JB.A. Earl of Lytton, diplomatist and poet. (November Bth.) James Clerk Maxwell, F.R.S., worldfamed physicist and mathematician, who predicted the existence of electro-mag-netic waves. (Juno 13th.) Victorien Sardou, member of French Academy, dramatist. (September 7th.) Peter Guthrie Tait, F.R.S., natural philosopher. Senior Wrangler, Smith's Prizeman. (April 28th.) Thersae Caroline Titiens, operatic singer. (July 17tJj.) : Edmund Yates, journalist and author. (July 3rd.) _ EVENTS.—William TV. crowned. (Septomber Bth.) Reform Bill rejected® by House of Lords. (October Bth.) Faraday's epoch-making discovery. The starting point of the utilisation of electric power. Of world-wide value. First meeting of British Association at York. President, Viscount Milton. (September 27th.) London Bridge opened by \William IV. (August Ist.)' • King's College, London, opened. (October Bth.) Sir Thomas . Mitchell explored South and Eastern Australia. * The rivers Peel and Darling discovered. The following were founded or established Royal United Service" InstituDurham Universityj Harveian Society, Carlton Club, Birmingham Political Union. (February 7th.) Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg elected first King-of Belgium. (July 12th.) Mehoraot Ali, Pasha of Egypt, re : volted from Turkey. .1731. DEATHS.—William Aikman, the ,Scotch portrait painter. (June 7th.) Charles soyle.(Earl of Orrery), statesman, diplomatist, and writer. (August 28th.) , ' Daniel Defoe, Eulogised. by pt. Johnson.- (April 26th.) „, BIBTHS.—Hon. Henry -- Cavendish, F.R.S., illustrious chemist, who laid 4he foundation of ' modern. ■ chemistry. Eulogised by Sir Humphry Davy,, (October 10th.) - - Charles Churchill, satirical poet, and author of the "Boaciad." "William Cowper, poet and letter- • writer. ,(^fovemb«-15t^.) ' Erasmus Darwin, -poet and scientist. (December 12th.) - * „ Viscount Duncan/ nayal commander. '(July Ist.) , ,, 1 ' • k ! Latin language authorised in-the'Courts. . 1 , ' ; Hadley's quadrant'invented. ' , ' Voltaire's "Philosophical Letters" published. . : Earthquake in Peking buries 100,000 .persons. j Congregational Union of England and N Wales founded. ; 1631. DEATHS. —John Donne, diviiw and (March 31st.) • Michael Drayton, poet laureate. (December 23rd.) -' Sir Hugh Myddleton, constructor of the. New River, famous for his genius, ;.enterprise, and patriotism. A goldsmith. •'of\ London. (December 10th.) John Smith, English navigator and -explorer,. founder' of Jamestown, U.S.A., ,Bhd sometime President of the English Colony in Virginia. A valiant,- knightly" 'leader., (June Ist.) BIBTH,—John Dryden, poet laureate. (August 9th.) ■' ' EVENTS.—Vernier . invented by Pierre Vernier. ' Milling of coin, in England, v Bishop Laud commissioned to restore St. Paul's Cathedral. ■< Great eruption of Vesuvius; > , 1531. v , . DEATHS. —Simon Fish, lawyer and writer. Richard Kydermjtoster, English abbot and historian. > -- , < BIRTHS. —Pierre " Morin, French critic. Francois de la None, French soldier and author. , Earl 1 of - Leicester, Elizabethan eowtier. . - VttT. declared the English 'Church independent of' Rome. Post-offices established in England. - Plmrro discovered and' , conquered l Peru. ' Disastrous earthquakes in Spain and ' Portugal. , 1431. d*Arc burned at Rouen as a witch, (May 30th.) , - BIRTHS.—Pope Alexander VL (Janusry Ist.) J Andrea Ifantegna, Italian painter. . , EVENTS;—Henry VI., King of Eng. landi , crowned. King of France. John Tyndall elected Speaker > of ■ House of Commons.' Poitiers University founded. 1331. 1 EVENTS. Edwata pfT., settled seventy families of elothworkers in England from the Netherlands. t - Knights of the Teutonic Order settled in Prussia, """ : j'' <Vl)h •• r, * h./i

1231. EVENT.—Cider first made in England. 1131. DEATH.-*-Baldwin 11., King of Jorusalem. 1031. BIRTH.—Roger 1., Count of Sicily and Calabria, founder of the Norman dynasty in those countries. EVENTS.—Canute invaded Scotland. Howel and Meredydd became rulers <?f South Wales.