Events January–March January 13 – Borommarachathirat V becomes King of Siam (now Thailand) upon the death of King Sanphet IX. January 27 – George Frideric Handel's classic opera, Orlando is performed for the first time, making its debut at the King's Theatre in London. February 12 – British colonist James Oglethorpe founds Savannah, Georgia. March 21 – The Molasses Act is passed by British House of Commons, which reinforces the negative opinions of the British by American colonists. The Act then goes to the House of Lords, which consents to it on May 4 and it receives royal assent on May 17. March 25 – English replaces Latin and Law French as the official language of English and Scottish courts following the enforcement of the Proceedings in Courts of Justice Act 1730. April–June April 6 – After British Prime Minister Robert Walpole's proposed excise tax bill results in rioting over the imposition of additional taxes and the use of government agents to collect them, Walpole informs the House of Commons that he will withdraw the legislation. Royal Colony of North Carolina Commissioners John Watson, Joshua Grainger, Michael Higgins and James Wimble begin selling lots for the town of New Carthage (which is later renamed and is now Wilmington, North Carolina), on the east side of the Cape Fear River. May 1 – The canton system is first introduced in Prussia. May 17 – The Molasses Act receives royal assent and begins to go into effect on June 24. May 26 – The introduction of John Kay's Flying Shuttle which revolutionized the textile industry and marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. May 29 – The right of Canadians to keep Indian slaves is upheld at Quebec. June 12 – In Berlin, Prince Frederick of Prussia, the 21-year-old heir to the throne reluctantly marries Duchess Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern in order to avoid prosecution for desertion from the Prussian Army and to be guaranteed the throne. Despite the unhappy marriage Frederick and Elisabeth later reign as King and Queen Consort of Prussia. June 15 – The Danish West India Company buys the island of Saint Croix from France for 750,000 livres. July–September July 15 – A hurricane off of the coast of the Florida Keys wrecks at least 17 Spanish ships. July 30 – The first Freemasons lodge opens in what will become the United States of America. August 19 –