1624 Paris, Politics: Louis XIII appointed Cardinal Richelieu chief minister of the Royal Council of France, making visible and official the Cardinal’s pervasive influence as l’Éminence gris. He advocated exploration and settlement in New France (Quebec), funding Samuel de Champlain’s expeditions. He was also busy with Les Trois Mousquetaires as seen below.
1769 Glasgow, Engineering: James Watt secured Patent 913 for ‘A method of lessening the consumption of steam in steam engines’ – the separate condenser which remains in common use. It increases the efficiency of steam engines.
1852 London, Language. Physician Peter Roget published the ‘Thesaurus.’ He had been an inveterate list maker since childhood, compiling word lists all along and when he retired from medicine at sixty, he devoted himself to words full time. The complete title of the first edition is ‘Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition.’ It went through twenty-twenty-eight printings in his life (he made it to 90) and more thereafter with revisions. I have used it a lot, especially in thesis writing to find le mot juste and vary word choice.
1917 St Catherines (ON), Technology: Swedish-born immigrant Gideon Sundback patented an all-purpose Y-fastener. It was one of many hooks and fasteners he devised. The term ‘zipper’ came a few years later when it was used for boots. Much later the zipper made it to clothing.
1927 Rockbank (VI), Technology: The Imperial Wireless Service between Australia and Britain began. It provided high speed telegraphy and radio pictures. At its peak Rockbank had 94 antennas and three steel masts of 75 meters height. One transmitter remained in service until 1969. The buildings were called Fiskville in honour of the engineer who built it, a Mr Fisk. It is 60 kilometres east of Melbourne and much of the site is preserved. One of the first buildings is shown below.
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