afford its parallel." December 9 – The French Navy, led by Charles de Courbon de Blénac with a land force of 950 men, lands at the Caribbean island of Tobago, lays siege to the Dutch fort defending the territory during the Franco-Dutch War, and destroys the structure when it fires a cannon overlooking the fort, striking the gunpowder arsenal. The explosion kills 250 of the defenders, including Dutch Admiral Jacob Binckes and 16 officers. Combined with the sinking of four ships of the Netherlands Navy, the victory at Tobago ends Dutch military power in the Antilles. December 15 – The Siege of Stettin (the modern-day Polish city of Szczecin but, at this time, a possession of Sweden) ends after almost five months with Sweden's surrender of the city to Prussia's Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg. The siege, part of the Scanian War, had begun on June 25. Date unknown The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith is written (published in 1689). Spinoza's Ethics (Ethica, ordine geometrico demonstrata) is published as part of his Opera Posthuma in Amsterdam. Elias Ashmole gifts the collection that begins the Ashmolean Museum to the University of Oxford in England. Jules Hardouin Mansart begins la place Vendôme in Paris (it is completed in 1698). Francis Aungier, 3rd Baron Aungier of Longford, is created 1st Earl of Longford in the Peerage of Ireland. The John Roan School is established in Greenwich, London. Belgian missionary Louis Hennepin observes and describes the Niagara Falls, thus bringing them to the attention of Europeans. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz gives a complete solution to the tangent problem. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek observes spermatozoa under the microscope. The use of male impotence is ended as a factor in French divorce proceedings. Ice cream becomes popular in Paris. The population of Paris first exceeds 500,000. Births February 3 – Jan Santini Aichel, Czech architect (d. 1723) February 4 – Johann Ludwig Bach, German composer (d. 1731) February 8 – Jacques Cassini, French astronomer (d. 1756) May 4 – Françoise-Marie de Bourbon, youngest daughter of Louis XIV (d. 1749) August 27 – Otto Ferdinand von Abensperg und Traun, Austrian field marshal (d. 1748) September 17 – Stephen Hales, English physiologist, chemist, and inventor (d. 1761) October 20 – Stanisław Leszczyński, King of Poland (d. 1766) date unknown William Dummer, acting Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (d. 1761) Li Ching-Yuen, Chinese herbalist, martial artist and tactical advisor