NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14055, 29 May 1911, Page 7

NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES.

MAY 28. . WilUai Pitt, ifmi-ter of George 111 > torn 1T59 Tl. i»tt Mf_re. poet, tuith.r o£ "Irish iModies," born .. .. .. j"80 Firrt steam .npin. uft_d in Sydney .. 1815 >'«_ Webster, American lexicographer, did .. .... ..184-1 lonian Wind, ceded to Greece IS6.

-Ccali Webster. This useful character commenced his studies ftt Yalo College, but they were interrupted by service in his father's company of militia during .thoAmerican War of Independence. He ,'jraduated in his twentieth year, and took to teaching and to the . *hi_y of the law, being admitted to the Bar three years later. Ho soon, bow- ' »r_r, returned to teaching, and made *so great a hit with the spelling-book -.which formed part of "A Grammatical Institute of the English Language" (winch appeared in three parts, and extended over two years), that for twenty jam he and his family lived,on its Keagte royalty of less than oho cent a , copy. He also took up lecturing, journalism, etc., and finally Tetired to ', a life of literary labour at New Haven, *nore he died at thc age of. eighty-five. Bis aoidinp monuments are "A Philoso- * phwal and Practical English Gramrfiar," I "sm the famoui "American Dictionary fll ths» En~Hsh Lansmage," the fruit of I'tiw labours of twenty years.

/lonian Islands.—After various vicisjwades (nnder the control of Venice, ! ftaples, France. Greece, etc.), the IstaMs -were taken by the English in TO, and in 1815 were formed into an ■■Wendent.etate under Great Britain. '"*Constitution and university wero ,'»n.maT_s granted. In snite of the ;"ten« rule of tho British, however, dis>|P -"WHew were very frequent, and j?- party that agitated for incorpora;«on with Greece gradually grow ranger. At tho end of 1858 3VIr Glad*wa. wont out on a commission of enbut declared against annexa- - win to Greece. Affairs wero in statu ■IF fot -* _ear or so, but the election w 3 muae of Denmark (the present gJ"S_ George I.) to the thione of y"*»o gave Great Gritain an oppor'ornty of getting rid of the troublesome , 'wmmdency. Accordingly, on the abovo ™'fj the Islands were annexed to the British troops retired four S later, and King George arrived at \_*xi, tho capital. The Islands have jf«» mpre ot less politically' quiet since weir wishes were acceded to.