120px|HMAS Australia
HMAS Australia was one of three Indefatigable-class battlecruisers
built for the defence of the British Empire. She was launched in 1911,
and commissioned as flagship of the fledgling Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) in 1913. At the start of World War I, Australia was tasked with
finding and destroying the German East Asia Squadron, which was
prompted to withdraw from the Pacific by the battlecruiser's presence.
Repeated diversions to support the capture of German colonies in New
Guinea and Samoa, as well as an overcautious Admiralty, prevented the
battlecruiser from engaging the German squadron before the latter's
destruction. Australia was then assigned to North Sea operations, which
consisted primarily of patrols and exercises, until the end of the war.
During this time, Australia was involved in early attempts at naval
aviation, and 11 of her personnel participated in the Zeebrugge Raid.
Post-war budget cuts saw Australia's role downgraded to a training ship
before she was placed in reserve in 1921. The disarmament provisions of
the Washington Naval Treaty required the destruction of Australia as
part of Britain's commitment, and she was scuttled off Sydney Heads in
1924. (more...)
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<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Australia_%281911%29>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1861:
The Toronto Stock Exchange, the stock exchange with the most mining and
petrochemical companies listed in the world, was established.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Stock_Exchange>
1875:
The first performance of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, one of his
most popular compositions, was given in Boston with Hans von Bülow as
soloist.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No._1_%28Tchaikovsky%29>
1920:
Irish playwright and politician Terence MacSwiney died after 74 days on
hunger strike in Brixton Prison, bringing the Irish struggle for
independence to international attention.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_MacSwiney>
1983:
The United States and Caribbean allies invaded Grenada, six days after
Bernard Coard seized power in a violent coup d'état.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Grenada>
1997:
Denis Sassou Nguesso seized the presidency of the Republic of the Congo
after ousting Pascal Lissouba after the first phase of the Congolese
civil war.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Sassou_Nguesso>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
verily (adv):
1. Truly, doubtlessly, in truth.
2. Confidently, certainly
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/verily>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The lyf so short, the craft so longe to lerne.
Th’ assay so hard, so sharp the conquerynge,
The dredful joye,
alwey that slit so yerne;
Al this mene I be love.
--Geoffrey Chaucer
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer>