Explosive Vessels and Torpedoes in Naval History
The article surveys naval explosions from the Civil War to modern eras, detailing ships destroyed by torpedoes and mines, famous incidents such as the Intrepid and Albemarle, and the evolution of submarine and aerial weapons. It notes key figures like Somers, Cushing, and Fulton, and explains torpedo types including Whitehead and Howell systems, with insight into coast defense mines and their deployment worldwide.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Herald
Randolph
Somers
Tripoli
Intrepid
South America
Australia
Santiago de Cuba
Baden
Kiel
Legion
Robert Fulton
Potoman
Housatonic
Albermarle
Cushing
Albemarle
Samuel Colt
Victoria's oldest servitor headsman of the Tower of London
Sergeant Stephen Sweeney, aged the Tower of London’s oldest servant, began service in 1857 as Yeoman Gaoler headsman. A former Fourteenth King's Light Dragoons veteran with three war medals, he preserves the Tower’s executioner heritage and wears a Henry VII era uniform with a historic axe kept for display.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sweeney
Tower
Stephen Sweeney
Tower of London
Henry VII
Henry
Sergeant Sweeney
England
King’s Light Dragoons
Canterbury
India
Pigeon Exhibit Showcases Uncle Sam's Carrier Birds
At the Madison Square Garden poultry and pigeon show in February 1965, Uncle Sam’s homing pigeons were on display. Howard Carter of the Brooklyn Navy Yard represented the U S Navy, noting eight pigeons had active service delivering dispatches at sea and as many as thirty flights from battleships. The longest messages traveled 150 miles from the Texas and the Annapolis to the North Atlantic Squadron commandant.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Uncle Sam
Madison Square Garden
Howard Carter
Brooklyn Navy Yard
United States Navy
Texas
Annapolis
North Atlantic Squadron
New York World
Good Roads Movement Notes and Public Debate
A broad review discusses crude petroleum as a dust suppressor for railbeds and proposed road treatments for country lanes. It highlights Mobile Alabama’s Good Roads Club, New Jersey road costs, and state efforts in Connecticut New York and beyond. The editorial urges durable Macadam and Telford roads, local action, and state scale plans while noting costs, drainage, and the need for skilled supervision.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mobile
Ala
Haviia
State Highway Commission of
Connecticut
Albert A. Pope
Springfield
Ilinois
New York
New York Central Railroad
Connecticut Highway Commission
New England
California Gold Output Since Discovery Seventy-Five Years
A retrospective on California gold production shows rapid initial gains after 1848 with $245,301 in the first post discovery year. output soared to $10,151,860 the next year and climbed to $41,275,106 in 1850, $78,998,282 in 1851, then $81,204,700 in 1854. Since 1852 annual output declined to $15–18 million, totaling at least $1,300,308,779 overall. The piece notes the state’s festival commemorating the Pacific Coast gold discovery and credit to gold’s impact on California.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
California
Pacific Coast
Atlanta Constitution
Theories Concerning the Voice from The Chauteuguan
The piece discusses how vocal tone reflects personality, with examples of high soprano joy, complex natives showing two thoughts at once, and minor versus major voices signaling confidence or vitality. It notes claims that anyone who can talk may sing with dedication, as taught by various instructors.
Why the Blind Smoke in War Times
A Ledger note on blind soldiers suggests most blind people do not smoke. It cites that veterans who lost sight in action may smoke briefly but quit, saying smoke gives no pleasure without sight and some even claim they cannot taste it.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Amphion
Israel Pellew
Plymouth
England
Trish
Dotterel
Straits of Magellan
Punta Arenas
Also Mentioned on This Page
Marine
Maine
Fulton
Brooklyn
David Bushnell
Orpedo
Howell
Amarine
Ine
LION
Botton
KING
Sbarrell Torpedo
Oreedo
Victoria
Sam
Gogh
New Jersey
Budd
Euston
Penn
Free Press
Black
Boynton
Port Huron
Mich
Good Roads Association
Berlin County
Poughkeepsie
Robert MacKinnon
Bittle Falls
Little Falls
Utica
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!