1904 - What happened in 1904 ?

January 1904

Thursday 07:

The distress signal "CQD" is established only to be replaced two years later by "SOS."

Saturday 23:

Ålesund Fire: Norwegian coastal town Ålesund is devastated by fire, leaving 10,000 people homeless. German Kaiser Wilhelm helps rebuild the town in Jugendstil architecture.

February 1904

Sunday 07:

A fire in Baltimore, Maryland destroys over 1,500 buildings in 30 hours.

Monday 08:

Battle of Port Arthur: A surprise torpedo attack by the Japanese at Port Arthur, China starts the Russo-Japanese War.

Monday 22:

UK recognises the South Orkney Islands as part of Argentina, in 1908 claims them again.

Tuesday 23:

For $10 million the United States gains control of the Panama Canal Zone.

March 1904

Thursday 03:

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany becomes the first person to make a sound recording of a political document, using Thomas Edison's cylinder.

Friday 04:

Russo-Japanese War: Russian troops in Korea retreat toward Manchuria followed by 100,000 Japanese troops.

Saturday 05:

Nikola Tesla, in Electrical World and Engineer, describes the process of ball lightning formation.

Sunday 20:

1904 – Aleister Crowley invokes Horus in Egypt and declares the start of the New Aeon known as the Aeon Of The Crowned And Conquering Child.

April 1904

Friday 08:

Longacre Square in Midtown Manhattan is renamed Times Square after The New York Times.

Tuesday 19:

Much of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is destroyed by fire.

Wednesday 27:

The Australian Labor Party becomes the first such party to gain national government, under Chris Watson.

Saturday 30:

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair opens in Saint Louis, Missouri.

May 1904

Wednesday 04:

Construction begins by the United States on the Panama Canal.

Thursday 05:

Pitching against the Philadelphia Athletics at the Huntington Avenue Grounds, Cy Young of the Boston Americans threw the first perfect game in the modern era of baseball.

Saturday 21:

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) founded in Paris.

June 1904

Wednesday 15:

A fire aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York City's East River kills 1000.

Thursday 16:

Leopold Bloom walks around Dublin. (see Ulysses) Known as Bloomsday.

July 1904

Friday 01:

Games of the III Olympiad open in Saint Louis, Missouri.

August 1904

Thursday 18:

Chris Watson resigns as Prime Minister of Australia and is succeded by George Reid.

Tuesday 23:

The automobile tire chain is patented.

October 1904

Friday 07:

New York Highlander Jack Chesbro wins record 41st game of season (41-12).

Saturday 15:

The Russian Baltic Fleet leaves Reval, Estonia for Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War.

Thursday 27:

First New York City Subway line opens; the system becomes biggest in United States of America, and one of biggest in world.

November 1904

Wednesday 16:

John Ambrose Fleming invents the vacuum tube.

Friday 18:

General Esteban Huertas steps down after the government of Panama fears he wants to stage a coup. The Panamanian army is disbanded the next day.

Thursday 24:

The first successful caterpillar track is made (it would later revolutionize construction vehicles and land warfare).

December 1904

Saturday 03:

The Jovian moon Himalia is discovered by Charles Dillon Perrine at Lick Observatory.

Saturday 10:

Pi Kappa Phi is founded in Charleston, South Carolina

Tuesday 27:

1904 - The Abbey Theatre opens.

Saturday 31:

The first New Year's Eve celebration is held in Times Square, then known as Longacre Square, in New York, New York.