The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

The gAs in coal buukers Is confined; no FIRE occurs
until the eas reaches a flame. We do not believe
that the gas generated In an oil tank will explode
under ordinary conditions, or that atmospheric heat
will be great enough to explode II, OIL tanks are
struck by lightning. but not very often. In 1870
one tank in pennsylvania and one In West virginia
were struck by lightning. and in 1896 seven sucI
tanks. Several tanks exploded that year, however.
VIII you kindly inform mo what disposition was
made Of the 81. ooo,ooo appropriated by the state
officer OF the volunteer service charges that not a
cen, was spent for tho purpose for Which i. yaSin:
iour high oficer Ia probably too high to be nc.
quainted with the truth, which. you may remember.
is hid at the bottom Of a we'll. The appropriation OF
1000, 900. increased later to 81. 5oo.o o tsee chap.
tiers 1s1 and 6T2, Laws OF 1899. was not intended
to "beneht the volunteers. but to pay for putting
volunteers into the field, and for squipping tho
century organizations like the losth Regiment.
the 10th Battalion, &c. Tho money has been e1.
pended az the act required.
As a soldier OF the United States I would like very
much tn have you explain the law in regard to tho
penalty OF some one NOT entitled to wear the uniform
OF q soldier. Il. A. c.
There lie no Federal law to prevent unauthorized
persons from wearing the exact uniform Of any rank
in the army or the navy. The heAi porter of a
Washington hotel was described recently in THE
suN as wearing a MajorGenoral's uniform. There is
a State law turhidding unauthorized persons from
wearing any part NJ tho uniform OF the National
Guard, or any device of rank similar to those OF the
Guard. under penalty OF 800 fine. This law ac.
counts for the change IN the designation of rank
made by the various bicycle clubs. whose officers had
worn shoulder straps, &c. They wear their enlblcns
of rank on their sleeves now. and have adopted new
symbols.
Kindly let me know from what book the play.
The Bells" was adapted. and where ] am likely to
obtain the book or the play. ! believe Henry Irving
played 1t here seven years ago. A.E ".
Tho h,pl 10 Frcl a N ~ ~ n's 80 In,f p,l,pa,a -
translated into English as " The Polish Jew" You
can find It in some of tho older libraries, and at
the larger book stores.
pleasantness" n. NJ.
Petroleum v. Nasty nhe late David r.. Locke in
his "Swingin' Round the Circle. e published in 1861.
What is the quality and extent OF the examina-
tons prescribed by the War Department for civilian
candidates for appointment to second lIeutenanci, s
in the United States Arlnyr +. G. L.
The examinations are physical, mental aud moral.
and are severe. Several candidates heretofore re.
ported on adversely by the examiners have been
appointed; so II you have sufficient backing You can
get a place, regardless of passing the examinations.
What per cent. of Now York city's population lives
In flats or apartments G. Il. H.
EiKhty-two per cent. of the population of the old
city" live in buildings containing three families or
more; $3.50 per cent. live in buildings containing ten
families or more.
Can you tell me any facts relating to a threat made
by the Prince de JoInville, in 1919 10 capture Eng
sd n one m1 in E En nd Vel III boy yoi not oti man, FS our hey Sy
ring boats, anu beat them" Who was the author OF
We cant. We do not believe the Prince de Join
willie said anything of the kind.
!: Please inform me as to the relative size and
lation Of Germany at the last census? &C.
l. Texas has all area of 20. 2DO square miles. Ger
many one Of 2Os. $50 miles. on Dee. ., 1895. the
| population of the German Empire was 50, : 1913.
l.. In what States of the Union has the Democratic
free silver" or thr Chicago r~latforln2 .. In what
States has it repudiated free silver and adopted the
straddied the question j. Ii. s.
]. In California Colorado, Florida. Georgia. Iii.
nois. Indiana. Iowa. Kansas. Maine, Michigan. Min.
nesota. Missouri. Mont, ana. Nebraska, Nevada. North
Dakota. Ohio. Tennessee, Texas, Vermont. .shing.
ton, and Wisconsin. 2. In none. 3. III Arkansas.
Connecticut, Delaware. Massachusetts,. New Hamp-
shire. New Jersey. New York Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island.
told of the original John Jacob Aston and his son.
VILLAIN !. Aston viz. that on a certain ocraSiona
and asked him to contribute to a charity. He did
5Si T'J JaGSb 's hsto s' and r rnG SSm nniy si 'nrn T 1aaeg g+ on
tlemen were surprised and one of them said; WHY.
Your As som ESu s aFs ST us $500 4" S@ontF 6b, Veil 2niy rs s, lied
Mr.. Aston, You sec. he has a rich father and
original with John Jacob Aston, for Phiiadeiphiqn
told it to me as original with a living Philadclphinn.
II was in Punch a generation ago, and probably
may be found in some ancient Greek author, like SO
many other new stories"
Memo me impuno lacessit." Can yon give me-,
the name of the author or originator OF this inscrip-
ton or motto, which is under the scotch coat If
arms c.. ". s.
1t is the motto of the Scots knightly Order of the
Thistle. 1t is not of classical origin. SO far as VIC
learn. We do not know who chose or invented it,
toios fleet at 8 A; NJ, SUNDAY; May /, Isas. MSniia
time. What was the accepted or standard time in
New Jersey. coincident with that EVENT. j.. ID r..
As Manila is about thirteen hours east of New York.
it was about 4 p. NJ. Saturday. April 30. 1898, by our
local time, that he began the battle. Arumor of the
battle reached here that night.
In "a to 90. or thereabouts. the old Broadway Russ
pavement was taken up, and the subje It in dispute
was a square block. ~ inches to . feet square on
tor. and grooyed diagonally in this * shape on top |
an oblong Block. Please decide. c. S.
We think the block was quite large. about as large
az your first friend says.
/. How did Williamsbrtdge,. Bronx borough, New
York city. get its name 2. How did that section Of
Westchesterk known as ThrOR's Neck get its name.
/. We do not know the origin of the name vii.
liamsbridge. The older maps make it Williams
Bridge. evidently the bridge OF some person named
Williams. The Bronx Valley has a number of similar
bridges. named after the men who built them or
whose farms hdjoined. woodlawn was Hunts
Bridge. and further up Is Gulding's Bridge, now
Golden's Bridge, ?. Throg's Neck liz said to he a
corruption OF Throckmorto ls Neck. John Throck.
morton took mp the land now called Throg's Neck
and Throg's Point early iii the Dltch period.
j. H.--There was a leap year in 1891 and there will
be one in 1904, but there will be none in 1900.
"a. I've do not know the average age Of par
rots. Some parrots are said to have attained the age
OF 200 ears, !
C.. J. C.-Ths office OF Ferdinand Peck. the Com.
pissioner.Gerrral Ia The PARIS Exposition If 1900. is
at 10 Broadway.
Il ". G',r. Paul Jones, the commander of the
Bon Houme Richard. was born al Kirkbear. Kirk.
cudbrigl I hire, Scotland.
an oliver Wendell h lines died ON Oct. :,