    __notoc__ year 1854 (mdcccliv) was a common year starting on sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the gregorian calendar and a common year starting on friday of the 12-day slower julian calendar. == events == === januaryâmarch === * january 3 â charles dickens commences writing the novel hard times. * january 9 â the teutonia mÃ¤nnerchor in pittsburgh, u.s.a. is founded to promote german culture.. "the teutonia mÃ¤nnerchor was founded in 1854." * january 20 â the north carolina general assembly in the united states charters the atlantic and north carolina railroad to run from goldsboro through new bern to the newly created seaport of morehead city near beaufort.communicationsolutions/isi, "railroad â atlantic & north carolina", north carolina business history, 2006, accessed 1 feb 2010. * january 21 â the iron clipper  runs aground off the east coast of ireland on her maiden voyage out of liverpool bound for australia with the loss of at least 300 of around 650 on board. * february 11 â major streets are lit by coal gas for the first time. * february 13 â mexican troops force william walker and his troops to retreat to sonora. * february 14 â texas is linked by telegraph with the rest of the united states, when a connection between new orleans and marshall, texas is completed. * february 17 â the british recognize the independence of the orange free state in south africa; its official independence is declared 6 days later. * february 27 â britain sends russia an ultimatum to withdraw from two romanian provinces it has conquered, moldavia and wallachia. * february 28 â the republican party (united states) is founded in ripon, wisconsin. * march &ndash; the british east india company annexes jhansi state in india under the doctrine of lapse. * march 1 â german psychologist friedrich eduard beneke disappears; 2 years later his remains are found in the canal near charlottenburg. * march 3 â australia's first telegraph line, linking melbourne and williamstown, opens. * march 11 â a royal navy fleet sails from britain under vice admiral sir charles napier. * march 20 â the boston public library opens to the public. * march 24 â in venezuela, sl
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