The record-union., 1892-12-15

For responses to questions of practical
VAIue. Mere puzzles, and the curious and
coltiIhon, answers to which ought 10 be found
IN Ihe ordinary home library, VIII receive no
attention Queries published without re-
sponses are invitations to furnish answers to
make TINS department an Information ex-
change also. Communications must be brief
and signed with name and address
EDS. REcoRD-UN1ox Do the fine
steamships City of New York and CITY of
farls, which have made such fast time,
and OF which so much has been written,
SAL under the American or under foreign
flags? Please reply and settle a dispute.
E. AND S., Sacramento.
Until the lst of January they will be
unGer foreign flags, as they have been all
along. On and after January lst they
Will sail under American colors. Several
other Atlantic steamers will make like
change with the early weeks of the new
year.
EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN What is the
scheme talked of in the papers of ship
canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson
River, aud why is it urged.
STUDENT, Yolo.
1t is asked that a canal for ships be
built from the lakes to The Hudson, be-
cause the River st. Lawrence is equally
with us open TO British as to American
vessels; because many hold that the
nlted States ought to wholly control a
waterway within its own territory be-
tween the interior, or great lakes country,
and the Atlantic, in order, in case OF
urgent need, TO afford cities on the great
lakes the protection of our navy. Then
very often grain-Iadened vessels are frozen
up at Buffalo before their cargoes can
be transferred, with the result of loss to
consumers. IL there was a ship canal they
could reach salt water and escape blockade,
Saving IN the cost of transportation is
claim made also. Finally, that Canada is
already moving to open waterway on
her own territory from salt to fresh water;
that is, from The Atlantic to Lake Supe-
rior. These are the claims. They are all,
however, susceptible to answer, and we
are by no means admitting their sound
ness by stating the fact. Reasons on both
sides are strong, and they must be care
fully weighed TO arrive at d correct judg-
ment. Such construction would cost an
enormous sum; 1t IS by no means settled
that Canada will build the canal on her
side; suitable lake navy could be built
at less cost than a canal and maintained
at no greater expense than on the high
seas. Kali transportation is adequate now
for commercial demandsor, il NOT, will be-
while it is very doubtful if ship canal
tolls would pay for maintenance in COM
petition with rail facilities. That grain
fleets are sometimes frozen up on the
great lakes is true, but that happens as
often as not before the vessels reach the
harbor where the canal would touch,
These are some of the reasons pro and
con. A call by the Duluth Cham Der of
Commerce has been sent out for con-
vention to be held at Washington on this
subject soon after the holidays.
EDS. RECORD UNION: Is it the inten-
tlon to plant one or two rows Of trees
around Capitol Park? g., Sacramento.
Two. One inside the walk line; one on
the outer edge of the sidewalk space
EDS. RECORD UNION: Where one Re-
publican Elector is chosen, as in the case
of Mr.. Bard, and the other eight are
democratic, does the Republican meet
with the others and vote also?
GRAMMAR SCHOOL, Sacramento.
Certainly. He casts his one vote, and
it must be counted in the general result.
letters sent to and examined in the Dead
Letter Office? ;. H., Bridgeport.
They are returned to the writer if at all
important and the address can be ascer-
tanned. But the greater mass OF them is
destroyed.
EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: Can you give me
a QeIlUlIIOU OI GI6ClI1ClGy! W nat Is ltY
ELMER g., Woodbridge
Yes, we could give you several-none
of them satisfactory. Early electricians
thought electricity to be fluid, but, as
Paper and Press recently wittily re-
they now talk little of the trans
mission of the current" of electricity,
but admit that they do not know what
it is.
LrDo u PuoopOITNrO>-. T, +lo-, ,.t, .
thing as the breeding of pearls? l have
seen such a term used, but no explana-
tion of 1t. ANNIE L., Woodland.
There is no explanation to be made, ex-
cept that the statement that pearls breed
is unmitigated falsehood. There is
nothing in it, notwithstanding the learned
essays OF Professor Dewey before the
Asiatic Society, and several people of
India who claimed to have raised pearls
from pearls. What has been done can be
done. Shut UP in a box true pearls along
with some grains Of rice. After long
time what appears to be seed pearls will
be found in the box, while the genuine
pearls will suffer But what are supposed
to be new pearls are not That at least
was the result of many experiments re-
ported.
EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: Is it meant by
'amber- hued'' to convey the idea that
amber is always honey yellow and clear?
Or has not amber many colors, and if so,
why is the term amber-hued so freely
used by writers. II. L. B., Sacramento.
Amber is many-hued; it has the color
of honey, then again is white, then clear
as crystal, then light blue, and again
transparent green. But the fossil gum
used so much for pipe mouthpieces,
watch-charms, etc., is mainly honey yell
low, and hence the term referred to, be-
cause this yellow-hued amber is so much
more plentiful and common than that of
other color.
METEOROLOGICAL