1843. Com. PORTER, a gallant American naval officer, died at Constantinople, where he was minister from the United States to the Sublime Porte. 1845. Florida admitted into the Union as an independent state. 1846. HENRY PURKITT, one of those who assisted in the destruction of the tea in Boston harbor, died, aged 91. 1855. ROBERT MILLS died, a civil engineer and architect, under whom the Washington Post office, Treasury building and Patent office were erected. MARCH 4. 1193. SALADIN the Great died at Damascus. 1530. CHARLES V granted to the knights of St. John, who had recently been expelled from the island of Rhodes by the Turks, the ownership of all the castles, fortresses, and isles of Tripoli, Malta and Gozo. Malta at the time was a shelterless rock, and the inhabitants, 12,000 in number, in a wretched condition. 1583. BERNARD GILPIN, an eminent English prelate, died. He came near falling a victim to the fury of Bonner, and was only saved from the stake by the death of the queen. His life was spent in well doing. 1629. Massachusetts patent confirmed by CHARLES I, by the name of "the governor and company of Massachusetts bay in New England," Matthew Cradock first governor. 1674. The governing charter of Dundalk, in the county of South Ireland, bears this date. This town was the Dundalgan of the Irish _Ossianic_ poems, and is of great antiquity. 1681. The charter of Pennsylvania signed and sealed by Charles II, constituting William Penn and his heirs true and absolute proprietaries of the province, saving to the crown their allegiance and the sovereignty. 1744. JOHN ANSTIS died; an English antiquary, and a very eminent writer on heraldic subjects. 1765. WILLIAM STUKELEY, an English antiquary, died. He wrote ably as a divine, physician, historian and antiquary; was profound in British antiquities; a good botanist; erudite in ancient coins; drew well, and understood mechanics. The footsteps of the Romans were traced by him, and the temples of the ancient Britons explored. His antiquarian researches acquired him the name of Arch Druid. 1776. The Americans took possession of Dorchester heights, which were so far completed by day light as to excite the astonishment of the British, and render their position in Boston extremely hazardous. 1776. New Providence taken from the British by the American Commodore Ezekiel Hopkins. The governor, together with considerable military stores, fell into the hands of the victors. 1778. American frigate Alfred, 20 guns, taken by the British ships Ariadne and Ceres. 1782. The house of commons resolved that it would "consider as enemies to his majesty and the country, all those who should advise or attempt the further prosecution of offensive war on the American continent." 1789. The first congress of the United States assembled at New York. 1791. Vermont admitted into the Union. (See Feb. 18.)