USS Massachusetts was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Indiana class. Authorized in 1890, she launched on June 10, 1893. Massachusetts served in the Spanish–American War and took part in the blockades of Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. After the war, she served with the North Atlantic Squadron where she suffered an explosion in a gun turret and ran aground twice. She was recommissioned in 1910 for annual cruises for midshipmen, and in 1917 she served as a training ship for gun crews for World War I. Her final decommission was in March 1919 under the name Coast Battleship Number 2 so her name could be reused for USS Massachusetts (BB-54). In 1921, she was scuttled in shallow water near Pensacola, Florida, and used as a target for experimental artillery. The wreck was declared the property of the State of Florida in 1956. In 1993 it became a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve. In 2001, it was included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Massachusetts_%28BB-2%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1782:

King Rama I moved into the Grand Palace in Bangkok, which has remained the royal residence of Siam and Thailand since then. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Palace

1957:

Led by John Diefenbaker, the Progressive Conservative Party won a plurality of House of Commons seats in the Canadian federal election. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957_Canadian_federal_election

1968:

The Royal New Zealand Navy adopted a unique white ensign, to distinguish its vessels from those of the Royal Navy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_White_Ensign

1991:

Eleven-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in South Lake Tahoe, California; she remained a captive until 2009. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapping_of_Jaycee_Dugard

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Maxwellisation: 1. (physics) The property of exhibiting a Maxwellian distribution (or Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution), especially as regards the speed of a particle. 2. (Britain, law) A process whereby a person criticized in an official inquiry is given an opportunity to read and respond to the criticisms before the report of the inquiry is published. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Maxwellisation

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The men and women of the United States intelligence community and our armed forces dedicate their lives to protecting our nation and its people. Our laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States and they must be enforced. Violations of those laws put our country at risk. Adherence to the rule of law is a bedrock principle of the Department of Justice. And our nation’s commitment to the rule of law sets an example for the world. We have one set of laws in this country, and they apply to everyone. Applying those laws. Collecting facts. That’s what determines the outcome of an investigation. Nothing more. Nothing less. The prosecutors in my office are among the most talented and experienced in the Department of Justice. They have investigated this case hewing to the highest ethical standards. And they will continue to do so as this case proceeds. It’s very important for me to note that the defendants in this case must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. To that end, my office will seek a speedy trial in this matter.   -- Jack Smith https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jack_Smith_%28lawyer%29