Events January–March January 6 – The Royal Navy ship Bacchus engages the Spanish Navy privateer Begona, and sinks it; 90 of the 120 Spanish sailors die, but 30 of the crew are rescued. January 24 – The Dagohoy rebellion in the Philippines begins, with the killing of Father Giuseppe Lamberti. February – Violent storms frustrate a planned French invasion of Britain. February 22–23 – Battle of Toulon: The British fleet is defeated by a joint Franco-Spanish fleet. March 1 (approximately) – The Great Comet of 1744, one of the brightest ever seen, reaches perihelion. March 13 – The British ship Betty capsizes and sinks off of the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana) near Anomabu. More than 200 people on board die, although there are a few survivors. March 15 – France declares war on Great Britain. April–June April – The Female Spectator (a monthly) is founded by Eliza Haywood in England, the first periodical written for women by a woman. April 2 – The first Rules of golf are drawn up at Leith, for the first golf competition.Instructions, golf club rules and competitions History of Golf accessed 10 Feb 2017 History of golf April 27 – Siege of Villafranca (1744): A joint French and Spanish force defeats Britain and Sardinia. May 11 – Russia's treasury begins an effort to reduce the number of copper five-kopeck pieces (20 of which equal a Russian ruble) by declaring that it will buy them back at a ruble for every 20 until August 1, after which kopecks would be redeemed at a ruble for every 25; then at the rate of 33 for a ruble on October 1, and 50 for a ruble on and after August 28, 1746. May 22 – The Union of Germany is proclaimed in Frankfurt Frederick II of Prussia, as articles of union are signed between Prussia, Hesse-Kassel and the Rhineland Palatinate. May 24 – After receiving the news from Europe that Great Britain and France are at war, the French Army at Louisbourg attacks the British settlement at Fort William Augustus at Canso, Nova Scotia and forces its surrender. June 13 – Alexey Bestuzhev-Ryumin is named as the new Chancellor of the Russian Empire by the Empress Elizabeth. June 15 – Commodore George Anson's voyage around the world concludes after four years as HMS Centurion returns to England at Spithead and Anson is greeted as a hero. June 28