in Edo Bay, Japan, with a request for a trade treaty. July 25 – Outlaw and bandit Joaquin Murrieta is killed in California. July 27 – Iesada succeeds his father Ieyoshi as Japanese shōgun. The Late Tokugawa shogunate (the last part of the Edo period in Japan) begins. August 12 – New Zealand acquires self-government. August 23 – The first true International Meteorological Organization is established in Brussels, Belgium. August 24 The Royal Norwegian Navy Museum is founded at Karljohansvern in Horten, perhaps the world's first naval museum. Potato chips are first prepared, by George Crum at Saratoga Springs, New York, according to popular accounts. September 19 – Hudson Taylor first leaves for China. September 20 – Otis Elevator, as predecessor of Otis Worldwide, was founded in the United States. October–December October 1 – C. Bechstein's piano factory is founded, one of three established in a "golden year" in the history of the piano (Julius Blüthner and Steinway & Sons being the others). October 4–5 – Crimean War: The Ottoman Empire begins war with Russia. October 4 – On the east coast of the United States, Donald McKay launches the Great Republic, the world's biggest sailing ship, which at 4,500 tons is too large to be successful. October 28 – Crimean War: The Ottoman army crosses the Danube into Vidin/Calafat, Wallachia. October 30 – Taiping Rebellion: The Taiping Northern Expeditionary Force comes within of Tianjin. November 3 – Troops of William Walker capture La Paz in Baja California Territory and declare the (short-lived) Republic of Lower California. November 4 – Crimean War: Battle of Oltenitza – Turkish forces defeat the Russians. November 15 – Maria II of Portugal is succeeded by her son Pedro V. November 30 (November 18 O.S.) – Crimean War: Battle of Sinop – The Russian fleet destroys the Turkish fleet. December 6 – Taiping Rebellion: French minister de Bourboulon arrives at the Heavenly Capital, aboard the Cassini. December 14 – Compagnie Générale des Eaux, predecessor of Vivendi and Veolia, a global media conglomerate, is founded in Paris, France. December 30 – Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys approximately of land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest. Date unknown The Independent Santa Cruz Maya of Eastern Yucatán is recognized as an independent nation by the British Empire. Arthur de Gobineau begins publication of his An Essay on the Inequality of the Human Races (Essai