1751. The commencement of the year in England was altered from this day to the first of January, to conform with the custom of other European countries, which had long before adopted the Gregorian calendar. For this purpose there was passed an act of parliament, directing that the year should commence on the first of January, and that eleven days, from the 2d to the 14th September, 1752, should be omitted, so that the 3d of September should be dated the 14th. This occasioned great perplexity and confusion of dates, arising from the computations by the old and new styles. 1754. WILLIAM HAMILTON, an ingenious Scottish poet, died. His pieces are distinguished for liveliness of imagination and delicacy of sentiment. 1761. The first tree cut towards clearing land for cultivation in the town of Bennington, Vt. The honor of the act belongs to Samuel Robinson, who on that day began the settlement of the town. In 1790 it contained 4,000 inhabitants, and by actual return their industry produced 26,000 yards of linen cloth, made in private families from flax of their own raising. 1763. ELIAS FARNEWORTH, an English prelate, died; distinguished as the translator of Machiavelli and several other European authors. 1792. Lake Harantoreen, in the county of Kerry, Ireland, sunk into the earth. 1792. The British under Gen. CAMPBELL carried by storm the batteries at Port Royal in Grenada. 1793. HEBERT, ANACHARSIS CLOOTS and 18 others, chiefs of the _Cordelier Club_, executed at Paris. 1799. Florence and Leghorn in Italy, fell into the hands of the French. 1799. Battle of Stockach in Germany. The princes of Furstenberg and Anhalt-Bernburg killed. 1800. The county of Greene, in New York, erected. 1801. The British army in Egypt reinforced by the Turks. 1808. CHARLES IV of Spain wrote to Bonaparte protesting against his abdication in favor of Ferdinand VII, as having been extorted from him by force, at the same time offering to place himself and the royal family in Bonaparte's power. 1809. ANNA SEWARD, an English poetess, died. She exhibited an early taste for poetry, and her poems were popular in their day, and often republished. She held a correspondence with the literati of her time, and her letters were published in six volumes, octavo. 1810. BONAPARTE issued a decree giving liberty to all state prisoners in France, and a free pardon to all deserters. 1811. Battle of Campo Major in Portugal, in which the British under Gen. Beresford defeated the French, took 600 prisoners, and drove them to Badajos. 1811. British frigate Amazon destroyed off cape Barfleur by part of the Cherbourg squadron. 1811. Every printing press in Paris obnoxious to Bonaparte, suppressed by the police. 1812. GEORGE FREDERICK COOKE, an eminent English actor, died. He was first engaged as a printer, and afterwards in the navy; but left these for the stage, and acquired a reputation seldom attained, in the highest walks of the drama.