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Show NAUT1CALN0VELTIES The naval research laboratory at Bellevue, Maryland, several years ago developed the sonic depth finder, an instrument for measuring ocean depths with speed and accuracy. During the Boxer rebellion in China, navy men repaired a railroad line from Taku to Tientsin, China, and operated it successfully with men taken from the engineering department depart-ment of U. S. naval vessels. The United States navy is the first navy to ever install electrical equipment equip-ment on board a man-o-war and to propel a ship by electricity. The first ship of the navy to be so operated was the old collier Jupiter, which later was converted into the present airplane carrier and experimental ship Langley. The New Mexico, now at Philadelphia undergoing modernization, modern-ization, was the first electrically propelled pro-pelled battleship in America. She is 32,000 tons displacement and carries 12 14-inch guns in her main battery. The Tennessee, completed and commissioned com-missioned June 3, 1930, was the second sec-ond vessel to be commissioned of the "electrical fleet." The third vessel, the flagship California, was commissioned commis-sioned August 10, 1921. The fourth of the fleet is the Maryland, commissioned commis-sioned in 1921. The fifth of the series is the Colorado, commissioned August Au-gust 30, 1923. The sixth and last vessel is the West Virginia, commissioned commis-sioned December 1, 1923, and displaces dis-places 32,000 tons and has 8 16-inch guns in the main battery. The airplanes attached to the heavy cruiser, U. S. S. Sa't Lake City, attained the highest merit in their class in aircraft gunnery during the years 1932-1933. The longest canal in the United States is the New Orleans-Sabine river section of the Louisiana and Texas Intercoastal waterways, 349 .miles long. The function of the navy is to maintain peace that misssion is as fundamental with the navy as it is with the policeman on the beat. To fulfill that mission we must have the strength that commands respect, the strength that will make the evildoer evil-doer pause before he challenges it, the strength that provides the necessary neces-sary sanction to law and is capable of enduring the triump of justice whenever it is challenged. It is possible for an airplane to fly lower than a submarine can dive. The Sea of Galilee, where airplanes land, is G80 feet below sea level, far beyond be-yond the record depth for underwater boats. The sailors of today are still referred re-ferred to as tars. The name tar was derived from the old custom of a sailor tarring his trousers, as well as other wearing apparel, in order to make them water-proof. The United States navy is the only navy in the world that has in its possession a Britiish royal standard taken by capture. This standard, now in the United States naval academy, was captured by Commodore Commo-dore Chauncey at York, Canada. The first commander in chief of the army and navy to hold divine service ser-vice for navy personnel was President Presi-dent Franklin D. Roosevelt. On Easter Sunday, April 1, 1934, the president, in the absence of a chaplain, chap-lain, stood on the quarterdeck of the yacht Nourmahal and read the service ser-vice from the Episcopal Book of Common Com-mon Prayer. The officers and crew of the Destroyer U. S. S. Ellis were present. In 1775 congress authorized the construction of an American fleet land on December 22, 1775, Esek Hopkins Hop-kins was commander-in-chief of the navy, with a salary of $125 per month. With the exception of the president of the United States, he is the only man in history to hold this title. The Stars and Stripes is the oldest I flag among the great nations of the world. The British Union Jack dates ifrom the year 1801, the tri-color of France from 1791, the German flag of red, white and black from 1867 ' and the flag of Austria-Hungary from the formation of the dual mon-jarchy mon-jarchy in 1867. Medals and i.ecorations are, for the most part, worn on the left breast. This custom may be traced from the practice of the Crusaders in wearing near the heart. Also, the left side was the shield side of the Crusader, for the large shield carried by the left arm protected both the heart and the badge of honor. |