The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02


centage OF alloy In this country the term
| seigniorage has been applied TO the differ
ence between the coinage value OF silver and
its bullion value. The United States have
on hand stock of silver bullion bought at
an average price OF about 20 cents an ounce.
The coinage value is sl.2s an ounce. The
difference between 90 cents and sl2S lis the
so-called seignioraRe.
Are the charter members Of q club the
2. Under whose plan are the stars arranged
| on our American 1ag?-S- v. L.
| 1. They are the ones who become MEM
bers when the club is organized or inco--
porated. They need not necessarily be
present. 2. The War Department.
What was the number. each. of white and
colored votes cast at the last presidential
election in the State, and also in Marion
county?-A Reader.
We know of no means of supplying this
information. Every six years the State
takes classified census of voters, the
latest, if we are not mistaken having been
in 1886. The colored vote in the presidential
year can be Appropriated from those fig
ures, which can probably be secured on APP
plication to the secretary of state
Did any member of the Continental Con-
gress vote against the Declaration of Inde-
pendence?-S. T. c.
The declaration was adopted unanimously
by the States, though in two of the States
negative votes were cast, not enough to
make those States vote against it, These
States were Delaware and Pennsylvania;
in the former one out of three, and in the
latter three out of seven opposed it; after
it had been adopted, however. they signed it.
uvac hQ CHI
fame, first put into commission? What
were her noted fights, and was she ever
T. e S. as''"9' '"0 1Ase''Ae p''"'e'' =
She went into commission first in 1887, I'M
der command of Captain Samuel Nicholson.
Two of her principal fights we're with the
Guerrero, 1872. and with the Java, 1872. She
was employed against the Algerine or Bar
barry pirates in 1884, and was the flagship
OF Commodore Preble in his attack on
Tripoli, Aug. 8. 1904.
How many regiments are there in the
United States army? q Would alfalfa in
jure a Six-year-old orchard of pecanS if
planted between the trees, leaving six-foot
time to plant, and howl. w. M.
There are ten regiments of cavalry, seven
of artillery and twenty-five of infantry,
total of forty-two regiments. 2. Not at
first; at all events, not for years. Plant it
in the spring when you plant other grass.
Plant in drills and keep it well cultivated.
Is there such thing as '.the Irish Ian
guage?' 2 Can any one under twenty-one
years old join the regular army of the
United States?-Subscriber.
Yes. 1t is a branch of the Gaelic, and is
spoken exclusively in the Arran islands, off
the west coast of ireland, and by some old
persons on the mainland. q With the con-
<1f l,fc
under twenty-one may enlist in the army.
With the same consent a person under eight
cen may enlist as a musician, not as
bandsman, but as drummer or trumpeter.
BY what process are raisins dried and pre-
pared for the market?-No name.
The best raisins dried on the vines;
the vines are cut almost through and the
grapes allowed to dry. Most raisins are cut
from the vines when quite ripe and dried
in the sun, or if the weather is bad, in
steam-heated rooms. Raisins dried in hot
rooms, however, even if of the best grapes,
are not as good as sun-dried. Great care is
needed in drying them that they are not
spoiled by over or by under drying. When
dried they are packed according to their
quality.
What is the best way to make a canvas
tent waterproof?-U. A. p.
Take the tent apart, then soak it in a
bath made of one part of neutral sulphate
of alumina concentrated alum cake) and
ten parts of water. After a thorough soak
ing in this, soak it in this bath; boil one
part light resin one part soda crystals, ten
parts water, until the soda is dissolved, then
add one-third part common soap to separate
the water and collect the soap; dissolve this
soap with an equal amount Of palm oil soap
in thirty parts of water In this last liquid
soak the canvas. Then rinse it clean in
clear water.
Can private in the regular army in
times of peace be advanced to commits
stoned officer without performing some act
that would put the. government under OBJ
legations to him or bring him to the notice
OF COngreSS.-E. d. S.
Yes; from time to time the laws have
provided for the commissioning of enlisted
men. The last and most important provi-
sion was passed while General Harrison
was President. 1t provides that any en-
listed man who has seen a certain period of
service can apply for examination for a
commission provided his application is ap-
proved by his commanding officers Once
a year a board of five in each department
gives the applicants a preliminary examin-
alton, and those who are approved are sent
before an examining board which gives
them a searching examination touching
war education and military knowledge.
Those who pass such examination are made
second lieutenants after West Point grad
yates are assigned. No man is made an
officer for any single act of courage; he
must have education and military expe-
rience.
What is the length of the Russian road
across Siberia? 2. What is the origin of the
Red Cross Society, and what is it's modus
operandi? 8. Tell us, if possible, the ancestry
of General Lawton, the fighting general? is
he South Carolinian?-L.
More than AGO miles. 1t begins at the
European frontier, on the Ural mountains,
and runs to Vladivostock. 2. The so-called
Red Cross is really the International Order
of the Red Cross. 1t originated in 1863, when
M. Henri Dunan, Swiss, called a conven-
ton at Geneva to discuss the formation of
relief societies to help the wounded in war;
The meeting was successful and all civil
liked nations except our own (then in the
middle of war;, joined. The American
society was formed later, and we think is
not affiliated with the Geneva society,
though it works on the same basis, only
more extensively. The foreign society con-
fines its work solely to the wounded in war;
our own has helped the yellow fever suf-
ferers, cholera sufferers. flood sufferers and