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“ March 7th ” (Holmes), news of the destruction of the tea communicated in a message from
the king to both houses of Parliament. An A c t was at once passed, Closing the port of Boston.
Another Act followed. For “ better regulating the government of Massachusetts : ” and “ May 13th,”
7 homas Gage, commander in chief of the royal forces in North America, was appointed governor of
Massachusetts.
“ June 7 th ” (Holmes), meeting of the Massachusetts Legislature at Salem; having been
removed there by General Gage. A resolution was adopted. Recommending the appointment of
committees from the several colonies, to consult together on the present state of affairs. Accordingly
on “ Sept. 4th,” committees from eleven colonies made their appearance at Philadelphia; on
the following day, formed themselves into a Congress, and elected Peyton Randolph of Virginia
president; and after a session of “ eight we ek s ” dissolved, Recommending however, that another
Congress be held in the following year, “ should events make their meeting necessary.” On “ Sept.
1st,” general and governor Gage seized the powder in the arsenal at Charlestown : military preparations
were now made by the colonists ; and “ toward the close of the year,” news arrived of the prohibition
of the export of military stores from Britain,
“ Towards the middle of March ” (Pall. v. 315), spring opening at Zarizyn on the Volga, and
Pallas observing the vernal plants, including Tulipa biflora, and T. sylvestris; leaving “ April 24th ”
for the ruined city on the Aktouba, and continuing beyond, meeting with Echinospermum minimum.
Erysimum polyceratum, on the “ 28th” he reached the lake and hill of Bogdo-Oola, held sacred by
the Calmucks. After a second visit “ May 21st,” he returned to Zarizyn, took final leave “ June 4th,”
and “ July 3d ” arrived at Moscow. ' ’
“ April 6th” (J. Roberts in hist. coll. iv. 240), Hood’s Island in the Marquesas Group discovered
by Cook, Its native name not given. Forster accompanying him meeting with * Dichondra repens.
— Arriving home, he published his Charac. gen. “ in 1776,” Discov. in North “ in 17S6.” G. Forster,
who accompanied his father on Cook’s Second Vo yag e,— published his own account in “ 1784,” Plant
Escul. ins. austr. in “ 17S6,” and died in “ 1794.”
“ Aug. 9 th ” (Humb. iii. 8), Nootka Sound in Northwest America discovered and entered by
Juan Perez.
“ In this y e a r ” (Winckl.), J. A. Murray publishing his Systema vegetabil., enumerating Spiraea
lobata.
“ The same y e a r ” (art de verif.), Mustafa III. succeeded by Abd-el-Hamid, twenty-eighth Turkish
sultan. Coins issued at Cairo by Abd-el-Hamid, are figured in Marcel p. 249.
“ The same y e a r ” (NicoI.J, Louis XV . succeeded by Louis X V I., now king of France.
“ In this y e a r ” (A. de J. gen. plant., and Winckler), Bernard de Jussieu publishing his Methodus,
establishing in the Royal gardens of Paris an arrangement of plants according to Natural Orders._
He died “ Nov. 6th 1776.”
“ The same y e a r ” (Kobell iv.), re-discovery by Priestly o f oxygen gas. — Leading to the recognition
of many of its compounds, and the reconstruction of the science of Chemistry by Lavoisier.
“ Sept. 20th” (D ’avezac in rec. voy. et mem. iv.), Andia y Varela with two ships sailing from
Callao Westward. “ Oct. 30th,” he discovered a low island in “ Lat. 17° 20' Long. 238° 58'” and
named it San-Narcisso; “ Nov. is t,” a low island called by the natives Noaroa, in “ Lat. 17° 44'
OT Long.l-v 1 OT-1-, 2 lOTTOT**0 ° 49';Sy-TOTOTllOTfolV-.-- ” on the “ Al*—6th,” _ J-a t high island *Matea, in “ OT Lat. 16°T 50' Long.OT 230° & ; ” on the “ 7th,” a high island called by the natives Maitia,X — l ' - in /“ ‘ Lat.T 17° 44'I Long
-229° , 3 4 ' ; ” and on the “ 8th,”
arrived in sight of Taheiti.
“ ' 775> Feb. 26th” (Stiles, and Holme.s), troops on their way through Salem to seize military
stores, prevented at a bridge, “ on the opposite side of which colonel Pickering had mustered thirty
or forty men ” and raised the draw : (the road being private property, the troops had not the right
to pass. Rev. Dr. Barnard, interceding with the British commander to prevent firing, at length hit
upon an argument that had weight : saying substantially, This crowd around your troops is as you
see unarmed, but all know where to get muskets in a veryfew moments, and how to use them. C. P. can
recollect when every citizen of the military age who did not parade in the militia kept a musket with
accoutrements for inspection).
* Gentiana montana of the mountains of Tasmania and New Zealand. Observed by Forster
prod. 133 in New Zealand ; — known to grow also on mountain-summits in Tasmania and the nei<>h-
bouring portion o f Australia (Griseb., and A. Dec.).
Tephrosia piscatoria of Mexico. Observed by Forster among the Tropical islands of the Pacific
— (Steud.); by myself, introduced throughout by Polynesians, from the Hawaiian Islands and Metia
to the Feejeean Islands. Eastward, was observed by Barclay at Realejo on the Pacific coast of
Tropical America (Benth. bot. Sulph., and A. Dec.). From transported specimens, described by Aiton
OF A C C O M P A N Y IN G A N IM A L S A N D P L A N T S . 1035
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pril 19th (Stiles, and Holmes), troops on their way to seize military stores meetln» armed
mihtia re Lerengton, rted on them (initiating open war. A t Concord the troops were fired upon, but
accomphsrtd their mission, and the distance being too great for a circuit, were obliged to turn their
backs, a r t were Imrassed on the way as though in retreat. The approach to Charlestown led amon»
thousands of resident m, itia-men, but they were withheld by their commander, perhaps on account of
the naval threat. To bombard Boston. C. P .) . > f R
“ May lo fo ” (rtiles, and Holmes), Ticonderoga and Crown Point, posts commanding Lakes
Geoige and Champlain, seized by colonists under Ethan Allen.
June 16th,” (the British troops being prevented from making excursions into the country, a party
OT co onists_ set out on thxs evening to throw up intreuchments on Bunker h i ll; a plan that might not
have led to imm^iale collision. But the commander Col. Prescott had more serious thoughts, and
p a s s i£ Bunker hill threw up earthworks on a lower eminence much nearer Boston. In the mornin»
the r titish C £man de r surprised made an inconsiderate attack, and though the works after muth
Mortriied and repeated checks were carried, the British empire in America was virtually at an end.
The Second Congrres meeting, bills of credit for “ three millions of dollars” were issued, with
Fnton ? "# fr6erated colonies ” pledged for their redemption. Union being especiaUy desirable, New
England officers were ereluded, and George Washington elected commander in chief. He joined the
r e i£ m 0 *' Ju y 2d, and on the “ 20th,” the adhesion of Georgia was received by Con»ress
(btiles, and Holmes). j 0 „
Not later than this date ( s0 Spreng.), Hill kew. S7- pl. 5 describing “ carthamus laevis ” Stokesia
cyanea of Carolina. He died before the close of the year.
“ The same y e a r ” (Humb. iii. 8), in Northwest America, the mouth of the Columbia river dis-
covered by Quadra.
r h - n f f i '0 1 0 0 0 ” # 9 ’ ‘ 'to Mfro-tseu, wild mountain tribes of Sse-tchouan in Western
China, subdued by the emperor Kien-Loung.
s t e l h d Z t E ” 5° '" Leers publishing his Flor. Herbornensis, enumerating Carex
r t n this y e a r ” (Wmckh), F . A. Scholler publishing his Flor. Barbyensis. — He died “ in 1815.”
“ iu I 7 7 r t ’" ' ""fr arriving in Japan, landing at Nagasaki.* — He left
r E l E E E t o * ” Boston evacuated by the British army. Washington next proceeded
to New Yrek city, where he established his head quarters “ April 14th.” The British »overn-
mret employing foreign mercenaries against the colonists; a pamphlet by Thomas Paine. I t i t le d
L-OiTinion osnsc.
... to'to® E ‘'to c o lo r t t s had been fighting for their rights as Englishmen, but the question of con-
to w ‘to to to'"! to "riiament being distrusted, the subject of Independence was introduced on
u L i n L l E l E Z E “ J™y4th,” the Declaration of Independence was adopted almost
fro 0 " been driven from Long Island, Washington was compelled to withdraw
f our New York: w in # city was occupied by the British “ Sept. 15th,” and was held by them as a
base of £reations. • Oct. 4th, articles of “ confederation and perpetual union between the United
rtates of America were signed by all the delegates in Congress: but the colonial army retreatin»
Srethward, the vicmity of Philadelphia soon became the seat of war; and “ Dec. 12 th ’’ Con»res?
rtjournrel to Baltimore. “ Dec. 25th,” Washington turning upon his assailants, captured a body of
a b o u r t thousand Hessians at Trenton: which revived the drooping spirits of the country (Holmes).
By the S e co r t eresus of Massachusetts (coll. hist. iv. 198, and Holmes 1784), the number of
of I # ® # # “ " ' " # ‘ o be “ three hundred and forty-three thousand eight hundred and forty-five;” and
of Blacks, five thousand two hundred and forty-nine.”
“ In this 0 a r ” (J. E. Smith, and Sprang.), Pollich publishing his Plant. Palatin. — The publication
was completed in “ 1777,” and he died in “ 17S0.”
p E T l T °fr 'to Mediterranean countries. Annual, termed “ t. hybridum” by Pollich —
/ T ‘®“ 'to°carpum ” by Brotero (Steud.): observed by Savi pl. i around Pisa
la y (1 ers.) , by Sibthorp, and Chaubard, m the meads of the Peloponnesus. Regarded as exotic
m Liitain, maintained there by the continued importation of seed for cultivation (Wats., and A.
D e c .) , in Sweden (Chaub.) also doubtless exotic.
* P T T F o r a of Japan and the Kurile Islands. Much resembling and mistaken for P cemf
f i r t 1 / ‘'fr ^tobold as observed on Japan and the Kurile Islands (Endl.
conir. 143, and A . Dec.). ^
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