17th December: Today In History

Today is 17th December,  the 351 day of 2015. There are 14 days left in the year. Today's Highlight In History; Birthdays:   1770 Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer of Operas & Symphonies   1778 Humphry Davy, Chemist and inventor (The miners 'Davy' lamp)   1903 Erskine Caldwell, Novelist who wrote the classic 'Tobacco Road'   1927 Robert Robinson, Author and broadcaster   1934 Karl Denver, Popular singer of the 60's   1936 Tommy Steele, Popular 'Pop and Rock' star   1938 Peter Snell, New Zealand athlete   1941 Chuba Okadigbo, politician and former president of the senate. Born in Ogwashiuku, Delta State   1944 Muhammadu Buhari, retired major-general and former head of state Of Nigeria. Born in Daura, Kasitna State Events:   1843 'A Christmas Carol', by Charles Dickens, was published   1892 Tchaikovsky's ballet 'The Nutcracker' was performed in St Petersburg, by the Russian Imperial Ballet   1903 The first ever controlled flight in a powered aircraft took place, at Kill Devil Hill, piloted by Orville Wright   1933 The public were allowed to walk through the recently completed Mersey Road Tunnel, prior to its opening to traffic   1939 The German battleship 'Graf Spee' was scuttled after being damaged & cornered by British warships   1954 The British Petroleum Company (BP) was formed   1967 Alec Rose completed a solo 14,500 mile voyage, from Britain to Australia   1984 Dr. Michael Okpara, former Premier of defunct Eastern Region, dies at the age of 64.