In Lisbon, the Cortes declares deceased King Pedro's brother as King Luis I of Portugal

King Pedro of Portugal had died the previous month from cholera along with two of his brothers.  A remaining brother, Luis, survived and on this day addressed the Portuguese Cortes in Lisbon and was then proclaimed King Luis I.  He was prevailed upon to leave the capital lest he also fall victim to the epidemic raging in the notoriously unsanitary capital.  Luis survived and reigned until his death in October 1889.  (By John Osborne)
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In Greece, young army officers initiate a revolt against the ruling royal family

A revolt of young army officers broke out in Greece against the rule of the Bavarian-born royal family.  Centered on the port and fortress town of Navplion in the northeast Peloponnese, the revolt was put down by the Bavarian-led royal army of King Otto which captured Navplion on April 20, 1862.  A later revolt, in October 1862, however, was successful in deposing the monarchy and Otto spent the remainder of his life in exile.  (By John Osborne)  
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In Italy, Baron Bettino Ricàsoli resigns as Prime Minister

Bettino Ricàsoli had succeeded Count Cavour as the second prime minister of the newly united Italy the previous June.  He made various attempts at reconciliation with Garibaldi's followers, Guiseppe Mazzini, and the Vatican, but grew tired of being undermined at court and resigned. Urbano Rattazzi took his place.  Ricàsoli returned as first minister three years later.  A Tuscan, he is credited with the modern recipe for the chianti wine blend. (By John Osborne)
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Britain's House of Commons debates a bill to allow a man to marry his deceased wife's sister

For several years, lawmakers had been seeking a "Marriage Affinity Act" which would allow a widower to marry his dead wife's sister.  Church of England doctrine forbid such unions as incestuous.  Monckton Miles, M.P. put forward a bill but an amendment to postpone action passed 148 to 116 and the legislation died.  It was not until passage in 1907 of the "Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act" that such unions were allowed under law in Britain.  (By John Osborne)
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George Peabody donates $750,000 to his adopted home city of London for charitable use

George Peabody, the American financier who had made his home in London for many years, donated £150,000 (equal to $750,000 then and around $20 million at today's value) to found a trust to aid the poor of the city.  Just before he died in 1869, he raised this sum to £500,000.  The Trust was established by Parliament and began to concentrate on developing housing for the poor.  "Peabody" is now the oldest and largest charitable housing association in Britain, controlling almost 20,000 properties.  (By John Osborne) 
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Off the coast of Ireland, a timber ship is smashed on the rocks of Dingle Bay and nine crewmen drown

The Success, a barque loaded with timber, was caught in a storm and driven onto the rocks near Ventry Harbor in Ireland.  The wreck was at the base of the cliffs in Dingle Bay and rescue was almost impossible. Nine men drowned and just two survivors where able to cling to debris and make it to shore.  (By John Osborne) 
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In northern England, salmon poachers kill a "water-watcher"

Britain's parliament had recently passed a law protecting the nation's salmon fisheries.  At dawn, after guarding a salmon spawning ground all night on the River Eden, near Carlisle in northern England, three "water-watchers" tried to apprehend a poacher and during the melee, one of the "watchers" was clubbed and later died.  His three assailants were all convicted of his manslaughter at the Carlisle Assizes in February, two of them were sentenced to ten years. (By John Osborne) 
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