January 5 James Clark Ross (UK) is 1st to enter pack ice near Ross Ice Shelf January 20 China cedes Hong Kong to British January 26 Hong Kong proclaimed a sovereign territory of Britain February 17 Dutch ex-king Willem I marries Henriette d'Oultremont de Wegimont February 18 1st continuous filibuster in U.S. Senate began, lasting until March 11 March 4 Dion Boucicault's "London Assurance," premieres in London March 4 Longest inauguration speech (8,443 words), William Henry Harrison March 22 Cornstarch patented (Orlando Jones) March 27 1st U.S. steam fire engine tested, New York City March 31 1st performance of Robert Schumann's 1st Symphony in B April 6 Cornerstone laid for 2nd Mormon temple, Nauvoo, Missouri April 10 New York "Tribune" begins publishing under editor Horace Greeley April 14 Edgar Allen Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue," published April 20 1st detective story (Poe's "Murders in Rue Morgue") published April 26 "Bombay Gazette" begins publishing on silk April 27 Imakita Kosen, 1st Zen teacher of D. T. Suzuki, found the awakening May 1 1st emigrant wagon train leaves Independence, Missouri for California June 14 1st Canadian parliament opens in Kingston, Ontario June 24 Fordham University, then St. John's College, opens in the Bronx July 3 John Couch Adams decides to determine position of an unknown planet by irregularities it causes in the motion of Uranus July 5 Thomas Cook opens 1st travel agency July 17 British humor magazine "Punch" 1st published August 9 Erie boat in Buffalo New York catches fire; 242 die August 21 John Hampton patents venetian blind September 9 Great Lakes steamer "Erie" sinks off Silver Creek NY, kills 300 September 24 Britain obtains Sarawak from Brunei, James Brooke appointed Rajah September 30 Samuel Slocum patented the stapler October 16 Queens University in Kingston is chartered November 2 Akbar Khan successfully revolts against Shah Shuja in Afghanistan November 4 1st wagon train arrives in California November 16 Life preservers made of cork are patented by Napoleon Guerin (New York City) November 16 N E Guerin of New York patents cork-filled life preserver November 25 35 Amistad survivors return to Africa November 26 1st date in James Clavell's novel Tai-Pan December 6 Robert Schumann's 4th Symphony in D, premieres December 29 King/grand duke Willem II installs Order of Eikenkroon December 31 Alabama becomes 1st state to license dental surgeons
