The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27


bottom OF Havana Harbor; but Congress
mas authorized a new and heavier battle
snip with the same name. A hospital shir
called the Maine is being used tn carry
sick and wounded soldiers from South Az.
| RIGA to London.
What explanation do scientists give of the Light
furnished by firefies? T. T.
Contrary to ordinary belief, scientists dc
not lay 1t to phosphorus, which is not pres
ent in the luminous organs to a notable ex-
tent. but to the slow combustion Of granu-
lar matter, or possibly of fatty substances.
The yellow cells of these organs are ira
| versed by many air ducts, which supply
oxygen in abundance.
From what sources does marble come? S. G.
Vermont produces about half Of this
countrys entire output of marble, tho
quarries of Rutland county being the most
important ones of the State. Building
marbles are taken from various localities
in New York, Maryland. Georgia. and East
| Tennessee, the latter State supplying q
very fine grade of decorative marble.
Washington. California and other States
of the Rocky Mountain Range have mar
bles, too.
How long has illuminating gas been in user
| w. L.
William Murdoch, who is taken as the
inventor of practical gas lighting, burned
gas in his house and office at Redruth,
Cornwall. England. in 1892 Six years later
he built gas works. Several experiment.
| tiers had made gas and burned it as a Gu
riosity before this. the earliest Of them
ante-dating him by hundred years. The
first manufacture OF gas in this country
was In Baltimore in 1921.
What limits do writers give to the so-called
/ Middle Ages? SEER
Authors do not agree on this point. The
overthrow Of the Roman Empire Of the
West in 476 is generally accepted as the
beginning of the era, but the Battle OF
| Scissors, 4S6; the accession of Charlie
magne, 1856. and the dissolution of the
Frankish Empire, S43, have each some adj
| herents. The modern epoch is considered
to have commenced with the fall of Con-
stantinople. 1853; the invention Of print
| ing. about 1850. and the discovery OF
America, in 1892.
What income is the Government receiving from
the war tax. and what articles contribute large
portions Of it: A. 8 C.
These revenues amount 10 little over
hundred million dollars year. or this,
fermented liquors pay 80 per cent, chew
ing and smoking tobaccos about 10 per
cent, cigars and cigarettes over per cent,
and bankers over 8 IL per cent. Schedule
A, including telephone and telegraph mes
sages, express receipts. and documents
generally. brings over third of all the
receipts. and the assessment on proprie-
tary articles accounts for nearly per
| cent.
Why are the Chinese 90 much opposed TO rail.
roads and telegraphs? T. f.
Their objections are based in their SUI
perstition as to the luckiness or unlucki-
ness of sites for houses, graves. and so on.
The Chinaman believes that a judiciously
chosen burial place will bring wealth and
distinction to the posterity of the person
buried. and he often defers burial for
months while he searches for a lucky spot.
Making lines of railroad or telegraphs, or
opening mines changes the aspects OF many
such sites. in his belief; hence his opposi-
ton He has. of course. other reasons
equally absurd TO US.
How 90 .n;IIcrs cleanse low grades Of wheat Of
foreign substances? Il. T. A.
The two chief processes are sitting and
exposing thin cascade Of the grain TO an
air blast. Substances that cling TO the
grain. such as dust. smut, and rust. are
removed in perforated cylinder in which
reyoIve brushes. the dust passing through
Tue HOlt5. bs pun INC 81 am up"h uh
inclined plain the round seeds are separ-
ated because of the superior velocity they
acquire in rolling compared with that OF
long grains that slide. BY such operations
good wheat can he secure1 from grain OF
which not more than half is fit for max
ing -four.
What is meant by bonded warehouse. and to
what use is it put? l. D.
storehouse in which are stored dutia-
bic goods whose owner gives bonds that
ensure the payment of the duties within
a credit period provided by law. He may
then sell the goods and pay duty practi-
cally as he sells them. Meanwhile the
warehouse. though ii may be of private
ownership. is under governmental super
vision. An importer or manufacturer may
thus at his best convenience get goods
ready for sale and have them at hand,
without being put Immediately to the in
vestment Of capital involved in paying du-
ties or internal taxes.
Is Joshua Giddings to be elassed as an Aboli-
tionisti ?. Did he oppose the annexation Of
TexasG 8. What finally became OF him?
FREE SOIL.
No. in the strict sense OF the word, hut
he held that slavery was serious evil,
that Congress had no right to protect it
in the States, nor TO permit it in the Dis
trict of Columbia and the Territories. He
also opposed the return by free States or
the General Government Of fugitive saves,
and held that Congress should break up
the coastwise slave trade. 3 He did zeal
ously. 8. After twenty-one years in Con.
gress. some of his experience there being =
highly tumultuous. he was made, in 1861.
Consul General to British North America,
and died in Montreal in 1861
Who was the "Storm King an. what were
his famous theories? ii. A. b..
James p. Espy who, while Government
observer. arranged for the
iaily publication and distribution OF wealth
ar bulletins. Alexander H. Stephens, il Is
said. suggested this practice. Espy's the
Dry OF storms was published in 1871. and
excited great deal of controversy. 1t
was in effect, that every great atmospheric
disturbance began with the uprising 0f
body of air that was rarified by heat and
that this uprising continued. resulting in
heavy rain. He was right in part but
lid not grasp the later and now generally
accepted theory OF rotary action in storms.
Espy also believed that by maintaining
fires over large area and starting the
upward movement. rains could be brought
On. He argued that by such means navi-
cation could be maintained In the Ohio
during the dry season. and vainly urged
Congress and the Pennsylvania Legislature
to make an appropriation for the experts