The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-22

gold dollars oil a pound Troy of pure gold
make?-Mex-
He ranks all rear admirals. 2 Because
bis achievements are more recent and be-
cause the Spanish war developed fewer pop
ular heroes than did the civil war. 3. Gold
is valued. in our coinage. at the rate of
81 grains of the pure metal to the dollar.
A Troy pound of gold would thus give
S24s.@. l
How long have electric fire alarms been
In use?-Note.
About forty years. The first practical
trial OF a fire alarm telegraph system oc-
Cured in 1851 both in New York city and
Berlin. This was much modified before it
was adopted. The earliest record OF an
electric fire alarm is a British patent issued
in 1877. Prior 10 that there were many
automatic fire alarms that were not cleo
trio. That of Joseph Smith, patented in
England in 1s02. is an example. 1t was set
going at the burning OF any one OF its
lengths OF string.
/. Has a local postmaster the right TO
open matter If he thinks there Is writing
has not been paid2 2. To whom does one
apply and what does II cost for second
class mail rate? B. what is the Neda ana
eggs are used in the United States and the
world yearly?-Rockport.
/. He has. 2. To the nearest postmaster.
When he is satisfied that you are issuing a
periodical in good faith, that is not merely
an advertising sheet and has a list of
actual subscribers. he will issue a certif-
cate granting the right Of paying second
class postage. The rate is one cent a pound.
3 The Veda is the sacred book of the an
cient Hindoos: Odin was the chief god OF
- IL Co.~af-.rfoA- ~ do not
know.
What is a trial Of the pyx?-L. G.
An examination of coins reserved from
successive coinages TO be tested for weight
and fineness. In this country the trial Of
the pyx occurs annually az the Philadel-
phia mint on the second Wednesday in Feb
ruary. 1t takes place before the controller
OF the currency, the assayer of the New
York assay office. the judge of the United
States Court for the Eastern district OF
Pennsylvania and others designated by the
President. The coins tested are from the
other minis as we'll. If no defects are
found a report Of the proceedings is filed
merely; If deviaticns in excess of those al
lowed by law are discovered, the facts are
certified to the President, who has power
to remove the officers at fault. In England
SdCn Lid GdC4 year OCAOAC u
jury of six goldsmiths. The pyx is the
strong box il which such coins are kept.
What I'm lineage and fees IS necessary 10
join the Order of Cincinnati? z. What are
the requirements in the Colonial Danes?
Mrs. j.
Male descendants OF Continental officers
or os officers as high as colonel in the
French cooperating army are entitled to
w opoharohin IN the G0piQtU Of the Cinpin-
natl if deemed worthy. What the fees are
we do not know, but you can ascertain by
addressing the secretary general. Col. Asa
Bird Gardiner, Garden City, Long island,
N. Y. Daughters Of the CINCINNATI was
organized in New York in 1894. but 1t is
rot recognized by the society which has
formally disapproved its assumption Of the
name. 2 There are two Colonial Danes
of America. One insists that its members
shall be descended from some ancestor Of
worthy life, who came to this country prior
to 1850 and who rendered to this country
some efficient service during the colonial
period. Services rendered after 1776 do not
entitle TO membership. The secretary is
Mrs. William Reed. 103 Monument street,
West Baltimore, Nd. The other Danes
is patriotic and educational and not so eX-
acting as to descent, we think. Its secre-
tary is Mrs. Timothy Matlack Cheesman,
l56 Fifth avenue. New YORK city.
Do surgeon majors ever : participate in
active warfare? Must they really fight, or
are their duties strictly medical? How long
must a surgeon major serve who was a
the act of March 2. 1899. to the regular
army? What is his salary? When an off,
Ger in that capacity is sent to the Philip
pines, about how long before he may expect
IN he rptnrn1d 10 the limited StateSv-Stl-
pid.
1t is not clear just what you wish to as
certain, as. in asking the question, you have
confused two officials of the army, whose
| spheres are widely different. There is a
sergeant major in each regiment and there
is also a chief surgeon, whose rank is that
Of major, but the first is an enlisted man,
who has been appointed to the highest
grade to which a noncommissioned officer
can rise. The surgeon is a general medical
and surgical practitioner, who has been
trained for the army by the government, or
is appointed from civil life, and his work
is strictly confined to the general super
vision of the surgical and hospital work of
his regiment. He has two assistants, who
have the rank OF captain and lieutenant,
| respectively, and a number &C hospital at
PENDANTS, who are either privates or nom
commissioned officers. His work Is not at all
like that OF the sergeant major, who is
nearly always the drill master of the
awkward squads" Of the regiment, but
who has nothing in common with the com
missioned officers. You ask: How long
must a surgeon major serve who was a
volunteer in 1895 and commissioned by the
act of March 2, 1899. to the regular array?'.
II you mean a surgeon with the rank Of
major, he has no definite time to serve, but
holds his commission during his own pleas
ure and may resign at will, as he is not en-
listed. If. however. you refer to a sergeant
major. he must serve his full term of en-
listment, which is three years. This expla-
nation OF the relation which each one bears
TO the army organization will Indicate how
long before the person you refer TO may be
expected to return from the Philippines. If
he is a surgeon he may come practically
when he pleases. but IL a sergeant major,
he must stay until discharged or transferred
to some other point. With regard to your
| query as to whether they must really
fight or are their duties strictly medical"
it may be said. if you refer TO the surgeon.
that every war has demonstrated that, In
time OF action, the surgeons generally have
enough 10 do taking care OF the wounccd