CENTENARIES IN 1930

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 904, 22 February 1930, Page 27

CENTENARIES IN 1930

KING CHARLES 11. AND GEORGE IV.

TWO GREAT REVOLUTIONS The personal centenaries of 1930 will none of them be particularly exciting. They include the birth of one English king and the death of another, but in neither case does the occasion lend itself to idealising. Charles 11. was born on May 29, 1630, and it w*is his birthday that gained the title of Oak-apple Day from the episode of his successful concealment after the Battle of Worcester. George IV. died on June 26, 1830. Speaking of the Royal funeral, Greville declares that he never saw a gayer company: “They were all as merry as grigs.” June 15, 1330, was the birthday of Edward the Black Prince, the victor of Poitiers. Another conqueror, Mohammed 11., who captured Constantinople and thus brought the Eastern Roman Empire to an end—was born on March 24, 1430. Among statesmen, the most distinguished name is that of Cardinal Wolsey, who died on November 28, 1530. An anniversary of long-remem-bered tragedy is September 15, for it was on that date in 1830 that Mr. Huskisson, the eminent Tory ex-Min-ister, was fatally run over by an engine at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Among those present was the Duke of Wellington, with whom Huskisson had had political differences, and the accident occurred just after the two had shaken hands with a cordiality in which their friends read a hope of better relations. The Marquis of Rockingham, leader of the most celebrated Whig faction of the eighteenth century, was born on May 13, 1730, and two Victorian politicians had tLeir birth in 1830—Lord Salisbury (who was to be thrice Prime Minister) on February 3, and Lord Wolverhampton (better known as Sir Henry Fowler) on May 16. Literature supplies the names of William Hazlitt, the essayist (died September 18, 1830); Charles Cotton, collaborator with Izaak Walton in “The Compleat Angler” and translator of Montaigne (born April 28, 1630); and James Payn, the Victorian novelist (born February 28, 1830). In art we have the death of Sir Thomas Lawrence, the great portrait-painter, on January 7, 1830, and the birth of Lord Leighton on December 3 of the same year.

Kepler, who laid some of the most important foundations of physical science, died on November 15, 1630, and Baron Fourier, a great mathematician, on May 16, 1830. Henry Bell, of steamship celebrity, also died in 1830 —on November 14. Marshal Villeroi, the unsuccessful opponent of Marlborough, died on July 18, 1730. Politically, the year 1830 was of immense importance. On July 28 a revolution broke out in Paris, which led to the abdication of Charles X. and the reign of Louis-Philippe. On August 25 Belgium began her revolt against Holland, which brought about her independence of that kingdom. And in England on November 19 the Ministry came into existence, under Lord Grey, which was to carry the Reform Bill. The secession of Edward Irving from the Presbytery of London on October 16, 1830, led to the foundation of the Catholic Apostolic Church, for long popularly known as the “Irvingites.”

A DETAILED LIST

(By Professor H. J. Spooner) The following selection embraces many centenaries of unusual importance; but, to allow as many as possible to be included, the records are very brief, and arranged, for each century, in the order of deaths, births, and events: 1830. —Deaths: George IV. died at Windsor (succeeded by his brother, William IV.); Henry Bell, a pioneer of steam navigation; Fourier, the famous French mathematician; William Hazlitt, essayist; William Huskisson, M.P., killed at opening of Liverpool and Manchester Railway; Sir Thomas Lawrence, president of the Royal Academy; Richard Lander, explorer; Sir Robert Peel, father of the great statesman; and Pope Pius VIII. Births: Abdul Aziz, Sultan of Turkey; Ismail Pasha, Khedive of Egypt; and Alexander Smith, Scottish poet and writer. Events: A revolution broke out in Brussels, and Belgium gained its independence, Leopold being elected king the following year; revolutions in Albania, Brunswick, and Warsaw: Algiers surrendered to a French fleet; reivision of the Constitution of Switzerland; Charles X. abdicated; United States acknowledged th© independence of Greece, concluded a treaty with Turkey, and again opened her ports to English commerce; King of Spain abolished the Salic Law; earthquakes in Canton, destroyed over 6.000 ''people: steel pens superseded quills; no Lord Mayor’s Show in London; pillory in London abolished: Haymarket removed to Cumberland Street, N.W., leather duty abolished: Exeter Hall erected; Clarence Dock (Liverpool) opened. Established or instituted: Catholic and Apostolic Church; Church of Scotland Mission; Royal Geographical Society; Museum of College of Surgeons; Manchester races; Boden Professorship of Sanscrit; Eldon Law Scholarship; Library of the Taylor Institution; and French Geological Society.

1730. —Deaths: Charles Beckingham, dramatist and poet: Laurence Eschard, divine and historian; Laurence Eusden, poet-laureate; Elijah Fenton, poet and translator; Ann Oldfield, great actress; Peter 11., last of the Romanoff dynasty; and Jacques Saurin, great French Protestant divine and writer. 'Births: Stephen Bezout, French mathematician; Mark Eliezer Block, German naturalist; Melchidre Cesarotti, Italian poet and translator; William Falconer, the seaman-poet.; Soldmon Gesn&r, Swiss poet and painter; Otto F. Muller, Danish naturalist; Alexander V. Suwaroff, great Russian general; and Johiah Wedgwood. Events: Christian VI. of Denmark crowned: Pope Clement XII. enthroned; Peter 11. of Russia deposed; Anne of Courland, daughter of Tsar Ivan, crowned: Victor Amadeus I. of Sardinia abdicated; Serpentine (Hyde Park) formed by Queen Caroline; Horse Guards edifice erected; entire (porter) invented; olives brought to England from the Cape; first attempt to spin cotton in England; diamond mines of Brazil discovered; a balloon mad© in France; and Royal Spanish Academy founded at Madrid. 1630. —Deaths: Diego Auarte, Spanish bishop and historla?-; Gaspard Bartholinus, Danish author; Charles Emanuel 1., Duke of Savoy; Kepler, immortal founder of modern astronomy; Charles Malapert, French mathematician and poet; Marquis Ambrosio Spinola, great Italian general. Births: Caius G. Cibber, German sculptor; Marquis of Halifax (George

Saville), famous statesman: Robert Nanteuil, French poet; and John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury. Events: Great defeat of the Portuguese by the Dutch in Ceylon; Gustavus 11. of Sweden invaded Germany; France ravaged by plague; Sion College refounded; Spectacle-makers’ Company incorporated; Cambridge (New England) University projected; Epsom salts and the weight of the atmosphere discovered; and Oughtred invented the slide rule.

1530.—Deaths: Baber, first of the Great Mogul dynasty; Ugo da Carpi, Italian inventor of painting in chiaroscuro; Richard Pinson, who assisted Caxton; Andrea del Sarto, Italian painter: and Cardinal Wolsey. Births: Jean Bodin, French economist; the Earl of Morton, who was beheaded in 1581; John Nicot, French writer, who brought the tobacco plant from Portugal; John Pena, French mathematician; and Giacomo della Porta, Italian architect who finished the cupola of St. Peter’s. Events: Subjection of Italy by Charles V:; Brazil first visited by an Englishman, Captain Hawkins; Tyndale’s Pentateuch edition of the Bible published; Knights of Malta and Secretary of State’s office instituted; Parochial Registrars first appointed; strawberries introduced into England from Flanders; and the doctrine of motions of planetary bodies revised by Copernicus. 1430.—Births: James 11. of Scotland; Mohomet “th© Great,” founder of Ottoman Empire in Europe; and Peter Schoffer, eminent printer of early books. Events: Macedonia conquered and annexed by Amurath II.; Joan of Arc captured; Universities of Barcelona and Poitiers founded; Drapers’ Company incorporated; House of Commons adopted 40s qualification for county electors; and the term “gentleman” first used. 1330.—Births: Edward, surnamed the Black Prince; and James of Voragine, the bishop who compiled the “Golden Legend.” Events: Edward 11. shook off the tyrannical rule of Queen Isabella, and confined her for life in Risings Castle, Norfolk, hanging her lover, Mortimer, at Tyburn; the Arms of England were quartered; and caricatures originated. 1230.—Death: Alphonse IX. Birth: Guilliaume de Rubruquis, famous French traveller, born. Events: Ferdinand 111. reunited the kingdoms of Castile and Leon; Teutonic gnights subdued Prussia; University of Naples founded; and coronets for earls allowed. 1130.—Deaths: M oh ammed-Ibe-Ab-dallah, founder of the Mohammedan Sect; and Simeon, of Durham, the historian. Events: Herman 11. assumed the title of Margrave; and Innocent 11. succeeded Honorius 11. as Pope. In 1030 Mahmud of Ghazni died; Olaff, “the Saint,” King of Norway, was killed at the battle of Stivlestad. Births: Alphonso VI., “the Valiant”; and Ingulph, Abbot of Croyland, favourite of William the Conqueror. In 830, Asmai, famous historian, died; Louis I. was imprisoned in a convent by his sons; and the Danes ravaged the banks of the Loire. In 730, King Selvach, of Scotland, was conquered by Angus MacPergus. In 630, Edwine became King of Northumberland: convents established in England; and some towns were taken by Mohammed in Syria. In 530, Prince Arthur gained a great victory over Cerdic, King of Wessex; St. Benedict formed monkish leagues; and Pope* Boniface 11. was enthroned. In 430, Synesius, Greek bishop and writer, and St. Augustine, died; and the Huns invaded Persia. In 330, Constantine removed the seat of Roman government to Constantinople, destroyed the heathen temples, established the Christian religion, and founded a library; crucifixion was prohibited. 230.—Marcus Aurelius Probus was born.

In 130, Apollodorus. constructor of the Trajan column and great bridge over the Danube, was put to death; Tacitus, historian and orator, died; Galen, famous medical writer, born; Adrian rebuilt Jerusalem; and Ptolemy observed Mars in opposition at Alexandria.

In the year 30, Christ was baptized; and John the Baptist imprisoned. In 70 B.C. Metrodorus of Scepois was put to death by Mithridates VI. Births: Herod “the Great,” notorious king of the Jews; and the immortal Virgil. Events: Aristobolus 11. deposed his brother Hyrcanus II.; Odin arrived in Denmark; and the censorship revived at Rome.

170 B.C.—Attius, the tragic poet, born; Therus, King of Scotland, a tyrant, deposed and exiled; Antichus IV., of Syria, invaded Jerusalem, pillaged the temple and destroyed 40,000 inhabitants; and paper invented in China. 270 B.C.—Epicurus died. Births: Py.rrhon and Eratosthenes, the Alexandrian astronomer.

370 B.C. —Alexander 11. assassinated; Messenians returned to Pelopponesus after a banishment of 300 years; and a comet was seen by Aristotle. 470 B.C. —Cimon, Athenian admiral, vanquished the Persian fleet and army in one day. 570 B.C.—Nebuchadnezzar 11. had Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego thrown into a furnace; and Phalaris, the tyrant, conquered Agrigentum. 670 B.C.—Phammetichus commenced to reign in Egypt. 770 B.C.—Remus and Romulus were born; and Palestine invaded by Pul, King of Assyria. 1070 B.C. —The Kingdom of Athens ended with Codrus. 1970 B.C.—Semiramis, according to a tradition, was put jto death by her son for so long usurping his throne. 3170 B.C. is the year assigned by Jackson for the Deluge. And 5270 B.C. is a year given (Septuagint, Vatican) for the creation of the world—one of some 120 dates, ranging from 6984 B.C. to 3616 8.C., that have been registered.