The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-26
NOTES AND QUERIES.

NOTES AND QUERIES.
When and where was James Fisk killed.
S. P. 8.
At New York, January 6, 1872.
For what purpose were the pyramids CT Egypt
built2 ELEVEN.
As permanent tombs for the mummies Of
Egypt's rulers.
wha. was the probable population Of the world
at the birth Of Jesus Christ? " NJ l..
1t is estimated at fifty millions.
What was the number Of additions to the mem.
bership OF the four leading Protes tant denomina-
tons in this country for last year, II. P.
The increase in the number Of commu-
nicants was for the Baptists, 1857; for
the Lutheraps. 1875. 3Ss; Methodists. TIC, ass;
Presbyterians. 1850.
Is an application to become a citizen of thu
United States needed to get a passport to Ger.
manyI A. c.
The laws forbid issuing a passport to one
who Is not citizen, and a person who has
made merely declaration of his inten-
tion to become citizen may not receive
one.
What the source of the saying that II yoa
break mirror it is bad luck for seven years2
S. n.
This arose from the practice OF old
time magicians in employing mirrors in
their processes OF divination II the mir
ror broke while in such use, no answer
could be given to the searcher into the fu-
ture, so it was taken by the suyerstitious
to foretell evil fortune.
Just what is glucose, and what Is ii used iorf
C.. Z.
1t is the liquid sugar derived from corn
starch, the solid sorts of which are called
grape sugar. 1t is used chiefly as an adul-
terant OF cane sugar, in making table
syrup. confectionery, and artificial honey
as a substitute for cane sugar in canning
fruit and in place of barley malt in brew
ing.
When did India rubber first come into use?
7. L.
1t was introduced into Europe early in
the eighteenth century. and long before
that time had been known to the Peru
vians and the Chinese. A paper on it ap-
peared in the Transactions of the French
Academy Of Sciences in 1875, and as early
as 1170 it was used to erase pencil marks.
Not long afterward a solvent for 1t was
discovered. and the solution was applied
to waterproofing purposes.
What is the meaning Of ''sorosis?'' c. Fl. G.
In botany the name is given to fieshy
fruit compounded of many flowers, bracts,
and receptacles; the pineapple is an exam
pie. Its source is a Greek word meaning
heap or a collection. 1t has been said
that Mrs. Croly Jennie Junel chose the
name for the now famous wolnen's club
with the idea that the name would not
stand in the way of any object for which
the organization might wish to work.
What the dimensions and materials of the
walls OF Pekin? EEM
The walls of the Tartar City are fifty
feet high and forty feet wide, and a-e
elaborated with fortresses and loophoIed
parapets. The walls of the Chinese city
are about thirty feet in height and their
width is from twenty-five feet at the base
ty miles of them. Their faclngs are of
brick and stone. their filling Of earth and
concrete.
Who is the author of '.The shadows murnur,
but the deeps are Gurnb?'' . IL which Of Byron's
the waves come when navies stranded. come
as the winds come when forests rendedi''
THREE READERS.
Sir Walter Raleigh wrote in 1.-The ST.
lent Lover" Passions are lkened best
to floods and streams; the shallow MUIR
muir, but the deep are dumb 2. This is
from Sir Walter Scott's "Pibroch Of Donald
Dhu," but should be trausposed to begin.
Come as the winds come
Is not the size Of mans brain the greatest Of
all creatures when considered in proportion to
the size of his body? ,. In men is 4 large brain
4 sign Of power Of intellect? c. c. S.
No; the weight Of his brain is to the
weight of his entire body as about 1 to Sc,
while with canary the proportion is as
to 20. and in other small birds it is 1 to
r. ,. In general it is. though quality OF
brain accounts for fiaGy exceptions to the
rule.
Has the United States any war vessels on the
Great Lakes2 +. c. $
She has one, the Michigan, a small ves-
sci of obsolete type. In 1911 this country
and England agreed to reduce the armed
vessels to four boats of not more than 100
tons each for each country AT that time
a considerable fleet remained from the
naval operations on the lakes Of the war
of 1872. and as there was no way TO fetch
them to the sea, they were dismantled.
Since then but few occasions have led to
increasing temporarily this outfit.
In what war did guerrillas originate, what
treatment is it fair for enemy TO give them,
and they considered valuable by modern ex-
perts? A. d. W.
There probably was irregular
soldiery in the earliest war.
but the name guerrilla was first
given to some of the Spaniards who OPP
posed Napoleon from 1905 to 1915. Guer-
rillas should have the privileges of war I'M
less proven guilty OF such especial crimes
as murder, killing prisoners, or sacking
places. They may cause great annoyance.
but seldom have been of great service to
their cause.
Was there real Baron Munohausen? DICK
Yes; he was a member OF a noble family
If Hanover, and was born in 1920. From
1877 to 1879 he served in the Russian cav
llry against the Turks. Thereafter he was
accustomed to amuse his friends with such
ales of his experiences in war that he won
he reputation of being the greatest liar in
Germany. The first published collection of
mis- yarns was in English and was written
by Rudolph Raspe. 1t was soon translated
nto German. and with additions has often
,een reprinted. Munchausen lived until
1881.
How is "rnoth sugar. employed by entomo-
-Ogists in attracting specimens, made and used?
L. B. II.
1t is simply a mixture OF sugar and wa
ter. the sugar uureined preferably. The
,asto chCui1 bat thin euouob t,ca with