The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-07-07
PUZZLES IND QUERIES.
Some Problems Which are Really
Worth While Working Out.
OuestEona


| regard to warshipsf
13. The fly has many facets, or little
eyes, forming each large eye. The fy has
pair Of claws to each foot, like other in
sects, and, in addition, has flap, or sucker.
between the claws, which acts as an eif
pump and enables him to walk with back
down. In flies the hinder pair of wings are
not developed, hence he has but one pair
TO use; but he is smart. The busy bce
makes only 100 strokes with it's wings In
| one second; the despised fly makes 330.-
| Asa w. Slayton.
The wings have no covers or cases.-O.
| Heiser.
Il. Meerschaum is soft, whitish clay,
hydrate of magnesia and slick, feels soapy
when first dug, is lighter than water; found
| IN Greece and Turkey, especially Asia
Minor. The pipes made of it are colored
| dark by the tobacco smoke.-Asa W. Slays
ton.
When first taken out It is soft, and pro.
duces lather like soap. 1t is manufactured
| In Germany into tobacco pipes, which ara
boiled in oil or wax and then baked.-O.
| Heiser.
1t is composed of silica, 600: magnesfa,
261; water, 12--Wm. Haspham.
IS. The light reflected from the bright
part OF the moon is received from the SUM-
Besides the bright portion, we sometimes
see the whole outline family, and call is
the "old moon in the new moons arms
the dun part Is seen by earth-shine, or
light reflected from the earth; but all the
| light IS first received from the sun.-Asa
W. Slayton.
10. With reference to the earth alone, the
| moon does not revOlve on its axis, because
the same side is always turned toward us.
But with reference to the stars, it turns on
its axis or makes a siderial revolution
once In q days, 2 hours, AZ minutes; but
because the earth moves forward nearly
one-thirteenth part OF its way around the
sun during the moons revolution around
the earth, the synodic revolution. or from
new moon to new again. Is % days II hours,
Al minutes.-Asa w. Slayton.
Mr.. Shaler's view regarding the moon
may be correct; but we prefer to accept, for
awhile yet, the doctrine of scientists who
teach the contrary.-Wm. Haspham.
II. Because the earth is an oblate spher-
old In form, the only places on its surface
where piummet could hang at equal dis
tances from equal amounts Of matter on
all sides are the poles; also, at any point
on the equator there would be equal
amounts OF matter at equal distances on
all opposite sides of the plumb-line; hence.
at the poles and at any point on the
equator are the only places where plumb
lines point to the earth's center. ANY
two plumb-lines in opposite iatitudes,
or in the same latitude, would meet
before reaching the center of the earth:
and, II the earth were a probate spherOid
in form, they would meet beyond its
center.-Asa w. Slayton.
We believe that the perpendiculars,
GENTLY produced, at the center of gravity,
which II is safe to suppose Is not far from
the earth's center.-Wm. Has pham, Co. E.
55th Ohio.
If the earth was perfect sphere they
would, but being an oblate spherOid, the
Ipyfnc at rt,f -nIa al
level, they would meet above the center OK
the earth.-J. III.
In any event these lines do not meet at
the center OF the earth, but might probably
meet at the equator. AS | understand the
question, these perpendicular lines are
supposed to continue until they meet each
other, which they do at the equator, but
not at the center of the earth, as both
latitude and longitude are not reckoned in
that manner. L think the question is
somew hat tricky, or at least obscure as to
meaning.-O. Heiser.
10. A 10-inch" gun is one the bore Of
which is 10 inches in diameter.-Asa w.
Slayton, VIM. Haspham, and o. Heiser.
10. Brown powder is made of 70 parts Of
inter, Is of charcoal and three of sulphur.
Our U. 5. military service powder is IS
inter, Is charcoal, 10 sulphur. Cocoa pow
der IS the same composition as brown
powder. Chinese powder is made of 81 S
There are 20 varieties of gunpowder in use,
varying In proportions OF the three ingredi-
entS and mode of making. There are 81
nitrate explosives, 10 potassium chlorate
explosives, SO of the gun-cotton kinds and
III nitro -glycerine Or dynamite kinds.-Asa
w. SlaytOn.
Sulphur 1913 parts, inter 1915, 1871 char
coal.-Wm. Haspham. Brown powder diff
GERS from ordinary powder by using half
c haired wood (charbon roux) instead Of
Observation-Disclosures.
20. am not a ship-carpenter, but think
a protected cruiser has curved plates Of
works and the machinery; while an
cruiser, whether of wood or iron,
lthe last nowadays, OF course,) has the
armOr of Harveyized nickel armOr along
the sides from nearly a foot above the
" ater-line to four feet below, and varying
rom IL to IS inches thick on brOadside to
to inches fore and aft. Cruisers are
built more for speed than for hard blows.
They are the cavalry of the Navy; the
artillery and infantry are the battleShips.
Asa W. Slayton.
An armored cruiser has vertical side
armor, while a protected cruiser" has no
sidearmor but has a thick turtle-back-
shaped deck of steel located above the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
NOte.-My answer to IS in a former series.
instead of being the one printed, was.
The spectrum is the oblong space COW
,red with the seven primary cOlors into
which light is susceptible of being decom-
,Osed." tSee QuackinbOS.) The answer
o SO of the same series, we think, will be
ound not far from coinciding, in brief
way, with Chambers.-Wm.H aspiNm, Co
J, 55th Ohio.