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Posted by History Host (U14671356) on Friday, 18th November 2011
Morning...
Hoping this one might be a bit more successful than last week's!
Can you tell me when a Franco-Spanish fleet captured 55 British ships, in one of Britain’s greatest maritime defeats?
And which Admiral led the victorious interception?
Katy
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Friday, 18th November 2011
Was it the Battle of Cartagena in the 1740s?
Don't know who the admiral was though.
Come on urganal where are you… this should be right up your street…
Right a Spanish-Franco fleet… could it be something to do with the American war of independence…? Didn’t they become bed palls round about the time of the Boston tea party, admiral ummm cordobes, something Spanish cordobes… something like it anyway… 1775ish… sac blur, I dunno.
Anyway we got our own back, took some time… but I hear the Spanish are all excited now to see their new submarines are almost ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms… so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.
Ha ha!
I'll give you another hour to see if anyone comes up with the right answer...
You're nearly there date-wise though...
You're nearly there date-wise though...
A bit earlier perhaps then, the Smyrna Convoy of 1693. In which case the French Admiral would be Tourville
You’ve gone the other way Triceratops!
I'll tell you know as I’ve got to leave shortly... and don’t want to keep to you in suspense
It was 1780 - during the American War of Independence - and the Admiral was Luis de Cordova.
The Franco-Spanish fleet captured 55 of the 63 ships in the convoy.
Apparently the loss of the ships was such a severe blow it caused a financial crisis amongst European marine insurance underwriters...
Here's more about it...
I dont think the Â鶹ԼÅÄ has a page on it
An interesting one Katy.
Bandick was nearest, so the next question should be his
Oh gosh… I only had the vaguest of idea/guesses at it, and I’ve nothing prepared… please carry on, I’ll give it a miss but thanks.
Vizzer was a good deal closer than me, so if you're declining Bandick,it'll be Vizzer's turn.
, in reply to message 10.
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Friday, 18th November 2011
Okay thanks Trike.
This should be an easy one. Who read his own obituary in a newspaper and made a historical decision as a result?
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Friday, 18th November 2011
Clue:
The newspaper was in France, the reader was Scandinavian.
Pretty sure I watched a very interesting kids program on the box yesterday about this guy… and I think it was Alfred Nobel… did you watch it too.
, in reply to message 13.
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Friday, 18th November 2011
It was an open university program. But yes Nobel it was. The person who had died was actually his brother but the French newspaper thought it was Alfred himself and published a very brief, bleak and unflattering report. Like a character out of a Dickens novel Nobel was appalled by this 'ghost of the future' and promptly altered his will creating the famous Prizes.
Your turn bandick.
Bandick! Good to see you! How are you?
Ok… I just hope I can do this honour justice… on civil engineering
Where was… who built… and when was the first tunnel to be built under a navigable river.
Hi raundsgirl, ok to pop in sometime.?
1840ish - Thames at Rotherhithe, under the supervision etc. of I K Brunel (using his dad & Cochrane's tunnelling shield.)
correct and over to you sir
What event lead to the introduction of the 1842 pattern percussion musket?
A fire.
Correct. A fire at the Tower of London in 1841 destroyed large stocks of flintlocks awaiting conversion to percussion ignition, and newly-converted 1839 pattern percussion muskets, so the 1842, the last British smootbore musket, was put into production.
, in reply to message 21.
Posted by suvorovetz (U12273591) on Saturday, 19th November 2011
I'm not sure what the protocol is, but, if I'm expected to go on even on Saturday, here's my riddle:
The capital of an East-European nation that would eventually become another nation's capital.
Take my breath away?
Blimey if that’s not a big enough clue…
, in reply to message 23.
Posted by suvorovetz (U12273591) on Saturday, 19th November 2011
You mean, Berlin? Not quite East Europe, I think.
, in reply to message 25.
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Saturday, 19th November 2011
Kiev?
Well it was in East Germany and when I was growing up everything beyond the wall was Eastern Europe rather than mittel Europa. Other than that I thought about Kiev because of the Kiev Rus and the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary, Pressburg which is now Bratislava. The trouble is neither can be alluded to with pop songs. Mind you, if we are not considering Berlin as Eastern Europe then does Slovakia count?
Have you ever been wrong, Viz? True, I had Kiev in mind all this time. The capital of Ukraine at present had been the Russian center of power in 10th through sometime in 12th centuries, when Vladimir took over. As for Berlin, to me - for what's it worth - East Germany was not a 'geographical,' but rather political 'East'.
, in reply to message 28.
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Sunday, 20th November 2011
I been wrong many a time on the Friday Quiz suv (and on a good few other threads too). Educated guess this time. There were other possible contenders such as Vilnius, Lvov, Cracow and, of course, Istanbul. But Kiev seemed to be the strongest candidate.
I've already set a question on this weekend's quiz and also mis'ss Vizzer's family are coming over for lunch so if lolbeeble would like to set the next question - please do.
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