The naval Battle of Lagos took place between a British fleet commanded
by Sir Edward Boscawen and a French fleet under Jean-François de La
Clue-Sabran over 18–19 August 1759 during the Seven Years' War. The
French Mediterranean Fleet successfully passed through the Strait of
Gibraltar, but was sighted by a British ship. The British fleet in
Gibraltar was undergoing a major refit and left port amidst great
confusion, with many ships delayed and sailing in a second squadron.
Aware that he was pursued, La Clue changed course, but half of his ships
failed to follow him in the dark. The British caught the French south
west of the Gulf of Cádiz, fierce fighting ensued, and one French ship
was captured. The British pursued the remaining six French ships
overnight and two managed to escape. The four survivors attempted to
shelter in neutral Portuguese waters near Lagos, but Boscawen violated
that neutrality, capturing two of the ships and destroying the other
two.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lagos>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1590:
John White, governor of the Roanoke Colony, the first English
settlement in North America (located in present-day North Carolina),
returned after a three-year absence to find it deserted (depicted).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colony>
1940:
Second World War: During the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe
made an all-out effort to destroy RAF Fighter Command, with both sides
combined losing more aircraft on this day than at any other point during
the campaign.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hardest_Day>
2017:
Two people were killed and eight others wounded when a rejected
asylum seeker went on a knife rampage in Turku, Finland.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Turku_attack>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
disquisition:
1. (archaic) A methodical inquiry or investigation.
2. A lengthy, formal discourse that analyses or explains some topic;
(loosely) a dissertation or treatise.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/disquisition>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The true and best way of learning any Art, is not to see a great
many Examples done by another Person, but to possess ones seIf first of
the Principles of it, and then to make them familiar, by exercising ones
self in the Practice. For it is Practice alone, that makes a Man perfect
in any thing.
--Brook Taylor
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Brook_Taylor>
_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback@wikimedia.org
