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>
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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>
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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>
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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>
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