The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-12


You are mistaken regarding the relative
weights of silver pieces; the half dollar
and quarter are not half and quarter the
weight of the dollar. The dollar contains
412h grains, whereas the half only con-
talns 1S6 grains and the quarter SO. This
difference In relative weights was made
necessary at the time when silver was pro-
portionately more valuable than gold;
that is, silver half dollar containing
206A grains was more valuable than half
dollar in gold. At that time there were
no silver dollars coined. and the reduction
in tine weights Of halves and quarters was
found necessary to prevent the exporta-
ton OF the pieces of white metal. as
there would be considerable profit in
taking them abroad and melting them
down. You are correct as regards
the seigniorage. 1t is 10 per cent
of the bullion which the Government takes
to defray the cost of mlnting. Now for
the questions. a. Free-silver men are of
course willing that the Government should
retain the seigniorage. ~ They do not ask
that silver be circulated on its merits. but
that Congress maintain it on a parity with
| gold at a fixed ratio and that the coinage
be unlimited. They maintain that this act
would bring the price OF silver to parity
with gold and keep it there. (3) Previous to
was unlimited coinage, but the price Of
silver was 3 cents more than par with
| gold, the two metals standing then as now
in ratio one to another.
| WEIGHT OF AIR-Subscriber, Alameda.
The weight of air has been tested by CON-
pressing it in receptacles by the air-pump.
thus showing that the weight of these re-
ceptacles is increased, and conversely by
exhausting the vessels of air and proving
their weight to be lessened. One hundred
cubic inches of air are thus found to weigh
81 grains, and one cubic foot 636 grains, or
something less than ~ ounces. This is at
the surface Of the earth and at the tenn
perature of 30 deg. Fahrenheit. Heated
air or air at high elevation is lighter.
ANYONE. F. B., Berkeley. An anyon
is barbed spear used by many early
| natives. The Franks in the seventh GEN.
fury employed anyons both for thrusting
and hurting. The slaves were armed with
| iron. so as to leave but little OF the wood
uncovered. The head had two ha1bs.
| When hurled or thrust at an opponent the
head OF the anyon became liked IN the
flesh by means of the barbs. rms form
OF spear was mostly adopted by the Anglo
Saxon and other Teutonic nations.
POPULATION OF lOWNS-A. y. L., Clty.
The census of 1890 is the only correct
means of ascertainiDg the figures you ask
for According to this Eureka, CAL, has
1853 inhabitants; San Diego 1873 and
Fresno 1855. Port Angeles. Wash. has
316; Aberdeen. that State. 1888; Seattle
| 42.S37 and Tacoma 36,0O6. There is no
| Everett in Washington and there are three
South Bends. Newport. Or. has 121 in
habitants; Eugene 1856 and Portland
46, 1856.
| The CENTRAL AMERICA-F. p. City.
On Tuesday, September 8. 1857, the
steamer Central America formerly
named the George Law left Havana.
Captain William L. Herndons naval officer,
in command. She carried number of
passengers returning from California
and gold amounting to S2.0OO.OOO. The
ship encountered cyclone In the edge of
/ the gulf stream and her lack OF water
tight bulkheads and general unseaworthi-
| ness allowed water TO extinguish the
| fires. so that steam could not be used to
keep the ship under control or to pump