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Show NAUnCALJOVELTIES George Washington organized the first American fleet. Before the Continental congress got around to the important undertaking of providing provid-ing the colonies with sea defenses, General Washington, using his power of Commander-in-Chief at the seige of Boston, organized a little navy of his own to cruise about the waters of Massachusetts bay and to intercept supply ships on their way to the British garrison. Washington found in the continental army a regiment of trained sailors. With this element to draw upon, he fitted out armed ships. " The U. S. navy holds the world's official record for altitude reached by a balloon. Lieutenant Thomas G. W. Settle recently ascended to a height of 61,237 feet. The previous record of 53,133 feet was established by Professor Auguste Piccard, the Belgian scientist. Soviet Russia's stratosphereballoonists claim to have reached an altitude of over 63,000 feet, but the figures are not official because the barometer was not calibrated cali-brated by the Aeronautic International Inter-national association. |