The San Francisco call., 1897-03-11

Tho, rortv name was Jefferson, in 1896. Sub
sequent the party became known as tne ne,
publican Democrat In 1879 the hypneh,zea
party dropped the name Republican ana be-
came known as the Democratic party, py
which name it has ever since been known. AZ
the time of this change there was wnat was
Known as the National Republican party,
with John Quincy Adams as canuldate lot the
Presidency. In 1856 the present hel upiican can
party was formed and John Z. fiemohs rem was
the candidate for the Presidency, put ne was
defeated by James Buchanan.
IDAHO AND UTAH-A correspondent IN com.
municat ton says that the nickname OF ldano
is .sGem oil the Mountain" and that the nick
name of Utah is Mormon State" and quotes
an ency pedia from which he obtained
these As already announced in this depart
ment the recognized books 90 not give 4uy
nicknames for either OF these Sta'es. Esq., ins ne
In its assertion. 1t has given the dennllon
OF Idaho for nickname. The name is inoian
and means ''gem OF the mountain MorMoh
state" though not popular name, is un-
doubtedly correct.
A MILE. R, Oakland, Cal. The ordinary
mile. or.statute mile, in the United States and
in Great Britain is 1850 yards OF three feet
each, equal to $3.50 feet. A geographical or
nau tical mile is ~ the mean length OF min
ute of latitude, equal to 6OS2 oo feet; (Z) the
length of minute of the meridian CORE
snondipg to the radius of the curvature OF the
particular latitude, varying from 6o4o 20 teet
at the equator to 6107.S5 feet at the poles; (o)
the length i minute OF aongnauan o on pcsr' sne
tainty the United states coast survey mas
adopted the value OF the nautical mile as
equal to one-sixtieth part Oh the lengtn OF
degrea on the great circle OF sphere whose
surIace is equal to the surface OF the earth.
Thu value gives one nautical mile equal 70
6O8O.27 feet which is very nearly .ne SSiue M OF
British Hydrographi offic One square mile
contains GAO acres, 3,097 900 square yards,
27,s7S, 400 square feet, and 4,o14, 4,4os,ooo
square inches.
FRACTIONAL CURRENCY-J. N, City. When
specie payment was suspended In January
1862, both silver and gold disappeared from
circulation. The place of subsidiary coin was
for time supplied with tickets. due bills and
other forms of private obligations which were
issued by merchants, manufacturers ana
others whose business requ red them to make
change. Congress soon interfered ana author-
lied, first, tine use OF postage stamps LOT
change; second q modified form OF postal
stamp, called postal currency. and, nnalIy.
fractional paper currency in denominations
corresponding TO the subsidiary SILVER coins:
This department is unable TO discover that
there ever were any "75-cent greenDacks
issued by the United States, and as the law
authorized the issue of fractional paper cur
rency" in denominations corresponding to the
Subsidiary coins" ana there being no Io-celt
pieces it is safe TO say that no 75-cent green
backs were ever issued tor general clrculal-oh'
THE MILITARY AcApEMY-C. c., City. A per-
son seeking appointment to the Military
Academy of the United States must apply to
the member of Congress from the district In
which he lives. Appointments are usually
made one year IN advance of the date of ad-
mission by the Secretary of War, upon the
nomination of the representative. These NOM
nations may be made either after competi-
tive examination or given direct, at the option
of the representative. The representative may
nominate legally qualified second cand date,
to be designated the alternate. The alternate
will receive from the War Department letter
of appointment and Will be examined at the
same time as the regular appointee, and II
duly qualified will be ad mitted to the academy
in the event of the failure of the principal to
pass the prescribed preliminary examination.
Appointees must be from II 10 % years OF age,
free from any inirmity which may render
them unfit for military service, and be able to
pass careful examination in reading, writ
ing, orthography, arithmetic, grammar,
geography and history of the United States.
The pay of cadets is $40 year, and upon
graduating they are commissioned second
lieutenants in the army. Tho Government
provides quarters and board for the cadets.