Happy Birthday.........

Today's Birthdays of Note:

In 1788....

Sir Robert Peel, English prime minister and founder of the London Police Department. Sir Robert was the father of modern police movement and all police agencies are in a great degree following the model of the London Police. The nick-names for London police "Bobbie" and "Peeler" are a hat tip to Sir Robert and his efforts.

In 1840....

Sir Hiram S. Maxim, scientist, firearms inventor. Maxim was one of the first to develop the fully automatic portable machine gun. Maxim was born and spent most of his early life in America was working on several various scientific projects in Europe when he was allegedly told by a fellow American, " 'Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable these Europeans to cut each others' throats with greater facility" Maxim moved to England and began development of the Maxim belt-fed machine gun. This basic design was manufactured and used by the military forces of Great Britain, Germany, and Imperial Russia in the First World War. It would seem that Maxim accomplished what his friend had recommended.