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Monday, 2 December 2019

USS Chesapeake (1799)

USS Chesapeake (1799).
Chesapeake was a 38-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was one of the original six frigates authorized by the Naval Act of 1794 and designed by Joshua Humphreys as the young navy's capital ships. Launched at the Gosport Navy Yard on 2 December 1799, Chesapeake began her career during the Quasi-War with France and saw service in the First Barbary War. On 22 June 1807 she was fired upon by HMS Leopard of the Royal Navy for refusing to allow a search for deserters. Chesapeake's commanding officer, James Barron, was court-martialed, and the United States instituted the Embargo Act of 1807 against Great Britain. The Chesapeake–Leopard affair and the Embargo Act were two of the precipitating factors that led to the War of 1812. Chesapeake captured five British merchant ships early in the war before being taken by HMS Shannon. Her timbers, sold in 1819, are now part of the Chesapeake Mill in Wickham, England.

Sunday, 1 December 2019

Banksia marginata

Banksia marginata.
Banksia marginata, the silver banksia, is a species of tree or woody shrub found throughout much of southeastern Australia. It ranges from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia to north of Armidale, New South Wales, and across Tasmania and the islands of Bass Strait. It grows in various habitats, including Eucalyptus forest, scrub, heathland and moorland. B. marginata varies widely in habit, ranging from a small shrub, 20 cm (7.9 in) high, to a large tree, 12 m (40 ft) tall. Its narrow leaves are linear. Its yellow flower spikes appear in late summer, eventually fading to brown and then grey and developing woody follicles bearing the winged seeds. Many species of bird, in particular honeyeaters, forage at the flower spikes, as do native and European honeybees. Although the silver banksia has been used for timber, it is most commonly seen as a garden plant, with dwarf forms being commercially propagated and sold.

Saturday, 30 November 2019

Jean-François-Marie de Surville

Jean-François-Marie de Surville.
Jean-François-Marie de Surville (1717–1770) was a merchant captain with the French East India Company who commanded a voyage of exploration to the Pacific in 1769 and 1770. Born in Brittany, France, Surville joined the company when he was 10 years old. For the next several years, he sailed on voyages in Indian and Chinese waters. In 1740, he joined the French Navy. He fought in the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, twice becoming a prisoner of war. In 1769, in command of Saint Jean-Baptiste, he sailed from India on an expedition to the Pacific looking for trading opportunities. He explored the seas around the Solomon Islands and anchored in December at Doubtless Bay, New Zealand (commemorative plaque pictured). Part of his route around New Zealand overlapped that of James Cook in Endeavour, who had preceded him by only a few days. Three months later, Surville drowned off the coast of Peru while seeking help for his scurvy-afflicted crew.

Friday, 29 November 2019

Ray Emery

Ray Emery.
Raymond Robert Emery (1982–2018) was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 11 seasons. Chosen 99th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, he helped them reach the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals, the first appearance in the finals by the modern Senators. With Emery, the Chicago Blackhawks won the 2013 Stanley Cup championship. He won, among numerous other awards and accolades, the William M. Jennings Trophy in April 2013 along with teammate Corey Crawford for giving up the fewest goals in the season. Emery finished the 2012–13 season with 1.94 goals against average and a 0.922 save percentage. His 17 wins included 12 straight to start the year, the best such streak in NHL history. He was a two-time Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy finalist for his dedication and perseverance. His teammates and fans often referred to him as "Razor" or "Sugar Ray" for his aggressive playing style.