MAY'S ANNIVERSARIES.
The month of May contains one or two anniversaries of events of historical moment to the people of Great Britain. Taking them in order, the first day of the month is the bi-centenary of the union of England and Scotland, 1707. On May 19, the Commonwealth, under Oliver Cromwell, was declared in England. On May 27, 1679, the Habeas Ctarpus Act was passed, and on May 29, 1660, the monarchy under Charles XL. was restored. On May 5, 1821, the First Napoleon died a prisoner on the island of St Helena. On May 18, 1804, Napoleon's stair had reached its periJheJion, and h© was crowned Emperor of the EVenoh, and on May 21, 1501, the Island that wan his death prison, St Helena, was discovered. On May 22, {1611, the Order of Baronets was instituted. Of battles, both ancient and fcnoder»,. the month has several anniversaries. Admiral Dewey, commanding the United States fleet, crushed the 'Spanish squadron at Manila on May 2, ! 8.898. The Battle of Fontenoy whb 1 fought on May 11, 1745, and May 16 ;is the anniversary of Albuera ; May 17, 1900, saw the Telief of Mafeking; May 63 is famous as the anniversary of the 1 Duke of Marlboxough's victory at Ramtlies, 1706 ; May 27 is enshrined in the jhearts of the Japanese as the day, in -1904, when their fleet, under Admiral S?ogo, demolished the Russian navy at jTsushima. On May 31. 1900, the British femny ocoupied Johannesburg, and on tLe same date, two years later, peace rwas signed at Pretoria. On May 3, 3.841, New Zealand wa3 declared ind I©pendent1 ©- pendent of New South Wales. To come "down to the present year, there is S~ystiGb closing one of the greatest events tn the history of the British Empire-r---jtJae fitting of the Imperial Conference in London. On May 4, 1887, just 'twenty years ago, the first Colonial Conference was held, and the late Queen Victoria received the delegates in person at Windsor. While Strom"boli is in eruption in Italy, and there j is some anxiety about the intentions of Ruapehu nearer home, it is interesting to note that on May 8, 1902, ocourred the terrible eruption of Mount Pelee, in Martinique, by whioh 30,000 lives were lost- On May 9, 1901, the first Commonwealth Parliament was opened. On May 10, 1857, the Indian Mutiny began. Amongst the anniversaries of persons, the following are notable*—David Livingstone, the African explorer, died May 1, 1873; John Stuart Mill the philosopher, died on May 9, 1871*; Handel, the composer, died on Mav'u 1759 : Columbus, who discovered America, died,, on .May 20, 1506; gir Humphrey Davy, the Gnt^h d^
poser, died c<n. May 31, 1809. The Phoenix Park murders occurred on May 6, 1882, the only great crime of the month ; and on May 12, 1869, the first railway across the United States, connecting the shores of the Atlantio and Pacific Oceans, was opened. Also on May 12, but in 1881, the two eminent electricians, Siemens and Halske, introduced electrical traction in practical shape in Berlin. In. the matter of ecclesiastical days, May 9 is Ascension Day, May 19 is Whit-Sunday, May 26 is Trinity Sunday, and May 30 is Corpus Christi.
MAY'S ANNIVERSARIES.
Star (Christchurch), Issue 8920, 4 May 1907, Page 4
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