The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-21
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

MoUNTAINs-S. C.. s., City. There is a general
impression that an elevation of land must be
al least 1000 feet in order to become noun
tain. Professor George Davidson, for thirty
years connected with the Coast and Geodetic
Survey, and who has had great deal to do
with the measurement of mountains, does not
agree with that idea, and he holds that there
is no fixed limit to distinguish a mountain
from hill. The latest definition of noun
tain is that sit is an elevation of land OF con-
siderable dimensions rising more or less
abruptly above the surrounding or adjacent
region. Ordinarily no elevation is called a
mountain which does not form conspicuous
figure in the landscape, hence what is a
mountain in one region might be regarded as
simply hill in another. A region may
have q great elevation above the sea
mountain. Thus the plains, or the region be-
tween the Missouri and the Rockies, have an
elevation on the western edges as great as that
OF the Appalachian range. Elevated regions
not mountains are called plateaus. Elevations
of considerable height, if quite Isolated or
precipitous, are often called rocks, as The rock
of Gibraltar. Peak is occasionally used in the
same way, as Pixies Peak, the peak of Teneriffe,
and in the United States in regions formerly
occupied or explored by the French the word
butte is employed, with the same or somewhat
natural elevation of the earth's surface. nat
ural eminence of indefinite height. The term
is applied generally to an elevation smaller
than a mountain and higher than a mound,
but the terms are merely relative, elevations
of the same height being hills in one region
and mountains in another, according to the
more or less mountainous character OF the re-
gion. Twin Peaks are either mountains or
hills, just as the speakers choose to designate
them.
QUEEN VICToRIA-B. w. S., City. Several at
tempts on the life of Queen Victoria have been
made during her reign. The first was on Con-
stitution Hill, June 10. 1S4O soon after her
marriage, the assailant being potboy named
Edward Oxford; May 80, 1912, John Francis
fired at her while she was on Constitution Hill
and when he was but few feet away from her
carriage; the same year a boy named Bean
leveled pistol at her Majesty as she was driv-
ing along from Buckingham Castle to the
missed fire; in May, 1850, Robert Pate, an ex-
lieutenant of the hussars, struck the Queen
with stick as she was driving through the
gate of the home of the Duke of Cambridge,
the blow leaving mark on her cheek and
smashing her bonnet Arthur O'Connor on the
10th of February, 1872, leveled pistol at her
March 2, RoderieK Macean Deliberately i fred red
at the Queen as she was driving from Windsor
station to the castle.
PRESIDENCY = Inquirer, City. The new
Duchess of Marlborough takes the lead in the
order of presidency at court. According to
English court etiquette, women take the same
rank as their husbands or brothers. The order
of presidency is as follows down to dukes:
The Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, the
ereign, Archbishop of Canterbury. the Lord
High Chancellor, Archbishop of York, Lord
President of the Council, the great Lord Cham
berlain, the Earl Marshal. The last four named
rank above all peers of their own degree;
dukes according to their patent of creation q,
dukes of England 2, of Scotland; 3, of Great
Britain; 4, of Ireland). The following is the
dukes: Marlborough, 1902; Brandon, I'LL:
Portland, 1716; Manchester, 1719; Newcastle,
1855; Northumberland, 1855; Cumberland,
1888; Wellington, 1914: Sutherland, 1893;
Westminster, 1874; Fife. 1889, and Argyle,
1892.
SUPREME CoURT-RAILRoAD MENU. s. G. NJ.
Pixley, Tulare County, CAL The names of the
Judges of the Supreme Court OF the United
States were published in this column on Satur-
day. the 9th inst. The names Of the five lead
Ing rairoad-men were published on the 18th.
This correspondent, as well as others, should
know that answers cannot appear within a
day or two after letter of inquiry is received.
pr the reason that they are prepared as soon
as possible and then filed according to date of
answer and printed in regular order.
DANCING CoNTEsT-A. o. s., City. On the 10Th
of August, 1893. Robert Mcclellan, harness
maker, and Frank Perry, horseshoer, com.
pleted Waiting contest in the city of San,
Jose which lasted nineteen hours, beating the
previous worlds record of sixteen hours. made
by Professor Carter in Tammany Hall. New
York, April 1917, 1878. The two men who
broke the record were paid $40 each by Pro-
lessor Kenny, dancing-teacher and inaugurator
OF the contest
POLITICAL CoMPLExIoN-U. S. G. NJ, Pixley.
Tulare County, Cal. The political complexion
of the fifty-fourth Congress that will meet
next March is: Senate-Democrats, 80; Re-
publicans, AZ; Independent, 5. House of
Representatives-Demo 1O4; Republic
Calls, IA; Independent or Populist, Z. On
joint ballot: Democrats, 143; Republicans
2s6; and Independent or Populists, IL,
CIGARETTE CRUSADE. r., City. The analy-
sis made of the tobacco OF two kinds of cigar
cites during the crusade made in this City sew.
eral years ago failed to disclose any opium.