The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-03
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

Where was William Jennings Bryan born?
IS. L. +.
At Salem, Marion county, Illinois, March
49, 1860.
What city in Mexico derived its name
from drug?-Subscriber.
Jalapa, the plant, and it's derivative the
drug Jalap, take their name from the Mex
lean city Jalapa or Xalapa, near which the
plant grew abundantly. We know of no
city that actually took it's name from a
drug.
Please give the name of the different we'd
ding anniversaries?-A.
The first wedding anniversary is not kept
as rule; when observed it is the paper
wedding. Other anniversaries are: Five
years, wooden wedding; ten years, tin; fif-
teen, crystal twenty years, china; twenty
five. silver; fifty, golden; sixty years and
seventy-fve years, diamond wedding.
What is the fastest flying bird?-T. P. c.
The chimney swift is said to be the fast
est bird on the wing. 1t Is said to have
flown a thousand miles in twenty-four
hours. Many birds have been known to fly
shorter distances at greater speed, how
ever; the carrier pigeon, for example, has
been known to fly at the rate of mile a
minute.
Is there any difference in the level of the
Atlantic and Paclflc oceans opposite Lake
Nicaragua?-R. G.
There seems to be, though we find no def
mite statement on side or the other At
the Isthmus of Panama the difference in
the level Of the two oceans is about twelve
feet; we suppose it is about the same on the
Nicaraguan coast, as there is no external
difference of conditions there.
Please state the size of our standing army
II, lima Of
1t consisted of ten regiments of cavalry,
with strength of 6.6l1 officers and men;
Abs artillery, officers and men; 14,O25 in
fantry, officers and men, and miscellaneous
officers and men to make the total strength
on Dec. /, 1897, amount to 2S.267. The retired
list contained 1861 officers and men.
Are lands in Cuba owned in large or small
tracts? Are they owned mostly by natives
or Spaniards? Are there any public lands
IN Cuba?-J. e.
Principally in large tracts. The large
plantations are owned mostly by folk who
are Spanish sympathizers, even if they are
Cuban born, though many of the planta-
tons are owned by American companies
There are crown lands, but no public lands
in our American sense of the word.
In case of the capture of the Philippines
by our fleet and land troops, would a divi-
sion of the territory be made between the
government, the soldiers and the sailors?
-R. d.
Almost certainly no such division would
be made. Perhaps, in time, the homestead
system might be put into operation and
soldiers ana sailors bounty lands be Gre
ated; but there would probably be no actual
division as you suggest. and certainly no
interference with private property.
Please give me a description of the plant
ginseng and of its uses?-G. f. r.
Ginseng is a Chinese. and american plant,
the Chinese being Aralia Panax and the
American A Quinquefolia. 1t is a shrub
with clusters of five leaves. as the name
indicates. The root is divided and the plant
is said to owe its name to this fact, the
Chinese shinfeng. meaning like a man
that is, having two legs The root is used
by the Chinese as most valuable medicine,
but non-Chinese chemists have not been
able to discover medicinal properties in it.
Please name the rulers of Asia and At
rica.-T. p
Naming them alphabetically, they are:
Abyssinia, Africa. Menelek of Shoa, Negus
Negusi. or Emperor Afghanistan, Asia. Abb
dur Rahman Khan. amir, or prince; BaIuch-
istan formerly called Belochistan), Mir
Mahmud Khan Bokhara, Asia, Syed Abdul
~Ns'NN~' oAAs ~N-i4"' A>uoiiS A1Su, A~AhpSiOr,
Corea, Asia. Ii Hsi, Emperor; Egypt, Afri-
ca, Abbas, Khedive; Japan Mutsihito, EN-
peror; Khiva, Asia, Syed Mohammed Ra-
him, Khan; Liberia. Africa. William David
Colman, President Morocco Africa, 8Iu-
ley Abdul Aziz, Emperor; Oman, Arabia
(Asia). Seyyid Feysal bin Turkee Sultan, or
sovereign; Orange Free State, Africa, NJ
4. 6teyns President; Persia, Asia, Muzaf-
fer-ed- Dia-Mirza, Shah, or Emperor: Trans
yaal, or South African Republic, Stephanus
}. Paul Kruger. President; Trlpoli. Africa,