1779. _The Mirror_, appeared at Edinburgh, to which Mackenzie the novelist was a principal contributor. 1782. The Bank of North America opened for business in Philadelphia. It was the first bank regularly established in America. 1785. Mr. BLANCHARD, the æronaut, accompanied by Mr. Jeffries, an American gentleman, made the bold attempt to cross the British channel, from Dover to Calais, in a balloon filled with inflammable air, then beginning to be used. They left the English coast at 10 o'clock, and at half-past two, reached the French side, a distance of twenty-three miles. 1798. The French army under General Menard, entered Switzerland with a design to revolutionize the cantons after the model of the French republic. 1806. PAULINUS, better known as John Philip Werdin, died at Rome. He was one of the first Europeans who acquired a knowledge of the Sanscrit language. 1807. British order in council prohibiting neutrals from trading from one port of France or her allies to another, or to any other where Great Britain was refused that privilege. 1811. Ship Rapid, of Boston, Capt. Dorr, with $280,000 on board, totally lost off the coast of New Holland; captain and crew saved. 1812. JOSEPH DENNIE, an American editor, died. He was born at Boston 1768, and educated for the bar; but his literary taste and habits interfered with his profession, which he resigned and established at Boston a weekly paper called _The Tablet_; and subsequently edited the _Farmer's Museum_ at Walpole, in which he published a series of popular essays under the signature of The Lay Preacher. He was afterwards editor of the _Port Folio_ at Philadelphia, where his superior endowments would have procured him an independence, but for some unfortunate propensities which deprived him of health and happiness. 1817. First paper in Chautauque co., N. Y. 1822. Liberia in Africa colonized under the direction of Dr. Ayres. Cape Montserado with a large tract of adjoining country was purchased of the natives by the American colonization society, and a settlement commenced by 28 colonists; in six years the number had increased to 1200 under the care of Ashmun. 1830. THOMAS LAWRENCE, a distinguished English portrait painter, died. By industry and force of talent he rose in his profession, till on the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds he was made painter to the king, and in 1815 was knighted. His income for the last twenty years of his life was from 10,000 to 20,000 pounds; but he died poor, owing to his purchasing the best productions at the most extravagant prices. 1841. LOUIS EDWARD BIGNON, Napoleon Bonaparte's historian, died. 1843. Mrs. WINGATE, died at Stratham, N. H., aged nearly 101 years. 1850. JOHN H. KYAN, a native of England, and inventor of Kyanized wood, died at New York. 1850. SAMUEL MILLER, an eminent American theologian and sometime president of Princeton college, died, aged 91. JANUARY 8.