New Britain herald., 1925-08-31
CUSTOMS ANSWERED

tended research he undertaken. All other questions will receive q per sona) reply, Unsigned requests cnn- not he answered. All letters are conf1dcntial,-ltlitor
 Q, What was the estimated dam age from forest fires In the year 1924?
 A. Nearly 92,ooo forest fires swept 29,0o0,O0o acres of public and private land during the calendar ! year 1924. Tho actual money dam age was s3S,0O0,000 exclusive of damage to young growth, water shed protection, wild life and re- creational facilities.
 Q, Do foreign countries publish weather maps similar to those is- sued in tho United States?
 A. Daily weather maps based on tcIcgraphiC reports, arc publish- cd in most civilized countries, though not all, In south America the only country that issues a weather map is Argentina. No weather maps are issued in Africa south of the equator
 c. What are the oldest songs of which we have any knowledge?
 4. One of the oldest songs in the literature familiar to us is the Nic- i tory Song of Deborah in the 5th | G of tOld Testament, though there are songs of the Egyptians and Baby lonians which are even older than this.
 l Q. Who is tnc author of the i phrase "Go west, young man, go west 2"
 A, The phrase is popularly at 1 trihuted to Horace Greedy, but really belongs to John l.. R. SouIe, editor of the Tcrre Haute Express. In 1S11 he and Richard Thompson, 1 aft rewards secretary of the navy, were conyersing in Soule's sanctum. Thompson had just finished advis- ing Soule to go west and was prais- | ing the talents of the writer. 'Why John," he said, you could write an article that would be attributed 10 Horace Greedy, if you tried" He 1 did try, writing 3 column editorial | on the subject under discussion and 1 started in hy saying that Horace Greedy could never have given a | young man better advice than that Contaipcd in the words "Go west, young man." The public attributed the remark to Greedy who after wards reprinted the Express edi- tomal in the Tribune with a foot note endorsing the epigrammatic advice.
 Q. What is the difference be- tween the mastodon of prehistoric times and the elephant of today?
 4. The principal difference Is in the shape Of the mastodon's teeth, l which are nearer the Dnotherium ! type, and in the fact that their 1 bodies were heavier and their heads nattcr than those of the modern elephant
 Q. What is the meaning Of the nanle Elnora?
 A. The name, like Helen, Flea nor and Nora, which are all diff frront forms of the same name, means light.
 Q. What kind of a language is tho Rumanian language?
 A. It is a romance tongue, spoken in three different dialects - Daco- Rumonian, the Macedo-Rumanian and the Istro- Rumanian. It deveI- opNd from the vulgar Latin spoken in BaCia and MOCsia, under varying influences which affected little the grammatical structure of the lan- guaGH, but greatly changed the vo- c1bulary. About $500 words are Slavic, about 2,G00 come from tbe vulgar Latin, ahout 700 are Turk ish. G5o Greek, 500 Hungarian and 80 Albanian.
 Q. For how long did the inHu- rn2a last in this country in the years 1918 and 1919 and is there any estimate as 10 tho total num- ber of deaths?
 4. During June, July and Aug ust, 1918. inc influenza epidemic was raging in Europe, especially in the German army. In September. 1t was breaking out in the camps here, and from that time on through 1918 and 1919 if ragged in this country. The estimated toll of deaths was t4S,452.
 Q. Who was Echo in Greek mythology?
 A. A mountain nymph, servant of Juno, who fell in love with Mar cissus and pined away until noth- ing was left of her but her voice.
 c. Where is the city of Prairie du Chicn?
 A. It is in Crawford county, Wisconsin, 9S miles west of Madi- son. It is q manufacturing town with population of @,5S7.
 Q. Why is copper used on the bottom of ships?
 A. Copper and more often cop per alloys are used on ships to pre- vent the adherence of the barnacles and other marine organisms. II Is probable that there is a formation of copper chloride and of zinc chloride from the hrasses, which may have a poisonous effect on the organisms.
 c. What arc the oldest races of people and the oldest languages?
 A. Philologists have not yet reached a decision as 10 the most ancient language. Certainly Hebrew,