The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05
NOTES AND QUERIES.

NOTES AND QUERIES.
On what day of the week did september Is fall
| in 1901 b. B. b.
on Tuesday.
Who wrote the lines: "ohi woman in your
| hours of ease" etc. A. 9.
Sir Walter Scott. The lines occur in his
poem. 'Marmion-"
How many negroes are there in the United
States? r. ,. b.
over eight millions. probably. but the
figures of last years enumeration have
not been given out
What has been the increase Of population in
Canada every decade since 1897 ALBION.
The census figures have been. 1861, g.
e,4is; 1s71, SsSS,024; 1881, 4,S2islo; 1891. T.
So, 239.
Who was the dcserter who carried the plans Of
Fort Washington to the English commander in
17T62 L. J.
William Dement,, adjutant general of
Robert Magard. commandment of the post.
In what year did the Johnstown food occurf
. On what day did June l. 1857. come? o. B.
In 1889 on May 81. 2. Wednesday.
VIII you please give me the distance in miles
from London, England. to ST. Petersburg, Russis7
X. G.
The travelling distance is IA miles. the
actual distance some 200 miles less.
What is the meaning of ''AmeerY'' p How
many children has the Emperor Of German2
X.
A Mohammedan ruler: those of At
ghanistan and of Bokhara are the more
| important ones. . Seven.
How many miles Of railroad are there in the
United States? q What proportion of the rail-
roads OF the world located in the United
statesf 3. How many persons are employed by the
railroads in the United States7 J. s.
About $4,000 q About 40 per cent. g.
Very nearly one million.
Was ever a man known to have been attacked
| or eaten by sharkf J. c. G.
Yes. though such a thing may never
| have occurred in temperate waters. In
the tropics there are several species that
| attack man, the most formidable being
the white shark. which sometimes attains
| a length of forty feet.
| Is Memphis a chartered city, or is IL still the
county seat of Shelby county, NJ. F.
| 1t is a chartered city, having been re-
| Incorporated in 1891. after having over
come the financial difficulties that led to
| the surrender. in 1879. of the original char
| ter, and is the county seat of Shelby.
What five States have the lowest percentages
| of illiteracyY j. N p.
| Returns of this character from last
| years census are not yet available. The
five lowest States in 1880 were Nebraska
3.1l per cent; Wyoming. S-E; Iowa, 3.6l;
Kansas, 3ss, and South Dakota, AZ
| These percentages are based on the total
population of those ten years old or older.
How can write my name on saw with aeida
WI Z. B.
Coat the steel surface with wax made
| of equal parts of beeswax. Burgundy
| pitch, and asphaltum. scratch the name
| in the wax coating and apply nitric acid
to which about four parts OF water have We
! the acid and clean the steel within ben
| zine.
! Why was William H. Seward appalled, at the
momentous consequences of President Lincolns
action in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation?
| NJ. Z. W.
| 1t was the most important document
| ever written by President, was fraught
| with momentous consequences. and all
| that, yet We think that William H Sc
ward was not appalled,
1 Can you give me anything concerning the dates
| Of the birth and death OF certain Hail. whose
| initials do not know and cannot ascertain, who
was distinguished mechanic at the Harper's
Ferry Arsenal for many years. and invented it is
believed. breechoading earbine and also was
the suggester Of interchangeable parts, the first
one in the United States, and in fact, in the
world? j. g.
We cannot supply this information.
viii the railroad from Moscow to Port Arthur
run through any territory other than what be-
longs to Russia? t. j.
Yes: unless before the road is finished
Russia seiZes the territory through which
il passes. This is hardly likely, because
2 iUht nv with China
carry a railroad into Central Manchurfa
and to build from the latter point to Port
Arthur unless China herself decides to
construct the latter line And China Will
not soon be prepared for railroad building.
How old is General De Wet? .. What is the
best and newest edition Of the Encyclopedias
Britannica, and how many editions have been
given out in this country? 3. Is the American
Navy superior to the German. and il 50 in what
proportion? n L.
We do not know q The ninth Is the
| last edition, and presumably all the edi-
| tions have been circulated in America
| g. The American Navy is at present SUI
perior to that of Germany, but IT Will not
| be long, If present plans are carried OUT
| before the two navies will be about equal.
| Why are Presidents OF the United States inau-
| g1lrated on the ith of March instead OF on the
Soth of April. as George Washington VAS .,,ai
| What part OF the Scripture airms the belief that
| il person commits suicide he Will not be sayedf
I Z l.. j.
1t was originally provided that the
| American Constitution should go INTO e1-
feet as soon as nine States had ratified 1t,
| and as soon as the ninth State had taken
! this action the Congress of the Confed-
| eratia:, named March 4. 1889, as the day
| W men the new Government should begin.
| Ii was necessary. of course, first to hoid
| elections for President, Vice President
and members of both Houses of Con-
| gress This took time. and it was not I'M
| I'll the goth day of April. 17S5, that General
| Washington, who had been unanimously
! elected President could come to New
| York city (Which was then the CapitaD
| and be inaugurated- But his first term of
| office expired the 18th of March, 1l93.
| 2 we do not know.
What was the original package decision, and
what was the outcome of it! H.
| A decision of the United States Supreme
Court in May, 1899. which held that liquor
might be carried into any State and sold
| in the original packages without regard
| to local Drohibtory or restrictive laws.
| The result was the establishment in
States that had prohibition laws of many
original package liquor shops In July,
| 1890. Congress passed a law that made all
| such beverages brought into a State or
Territory Immediately subject to its laws.
as If they had been introduced within its
| borders, without exemption, because they
| had been introduced in their original pack
age.