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Constitution, ship

(Encyclopedia)Constitution, U.S. 44-gun frigate, nicknamed Old Ironsides. It is perhaps the most famous vessel in the history of the U.S. navy. Authorized by Congress in 1794, the ship was launched in 1797 and was ...

Monterey

(Encyclopedia)Monterey mŏntərāˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 31,954), Monterey co., W Calif., a port on Monterey Bay; founded 1770, inc. 1850. It is a popular resort, the home of many artists and writers, and one of ...

Laffite, Jean

(Encyclopedia)Laffite, Jean zhäN läfētˈ [key], c.1780–1826?, leader of a band of privateers and smugglers. The name is often spelled Lafitte. He and his men began operating (1810) off the Baratarian coast S o...

Virginia Beach

(Encyclopedia)Virginia Beach, resort city (1990 pop. 393,069), independent and in no county, SE Va., on the Atlantic coast; inc. 1906. In 1963, Princess Anne co. and the former small town of Virginia Beach were mer...

croquet

(Encyclopedia)croquet krōkāˈ [key], lawn game in which the players hit wooden balls with wooden mallets through a series of 9 or 10 wire arches, or wickets. The first player to hit the posts placed at each end o...

Harwich

(Encyclopedia)Harwich hărˈĭj [key], town, Essex, E central England, on the estuary of the Stour and the ...

Hopkins, Esek

(Encyclopedia)Hopkins, Esek, 1718–1802, American Revolutionary naval hero, b. Scituate, R.I.; brother of Stephen Hopkins. He commanded a privateer in the French and Indian War, and in Dec., 1775, he was appointed...

Hall, Basil

(Encyclopedia)Hall, Basil, 1788–1844, British naval officer and traveler. In the service from 1802 to 1823, he commanded vessels on scientific assignments and voyages of exploration. He wrote of them in his Accou...

Gillingham

(Encyclopedia)Gillingham jĭlˈĭng-əm [key], town, SE England, on the Medway River, part of the unitary borough of Medway (which also includes Chatham and Rochester). Some of the former Chatham dockyards were in ...

Menzel Bourguiba

(Encyclopedia)Menzel Bourguiba mănzĭlˈ äbo͞oˈ ro͞oˌkībäˈ [key], formerly Ferryville, town (1994 pop. 47,521), N Tunisia, on Lake Bizerte. It was founded as a naval installation during the period of Frenc...