Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-07
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN.

Q. How many radio sets are there
| I'm Canada?-P. s. M
| A. According to a recent estimate
! there are 800, 900 receiving sets in use
in Canada. The greater percentage of
| these are in the rural districts.
O. What is the mass of the sun in
cubic miles?-V. S.
A. The mass of the sun is $500 600 =
| 900. 900, 900 cubic miles.
Q. Did Robert Fulton ever try any
experiments with boats on Rock
| Creek? I have been told that at one
| time there was tablet at the point
where Piney Branch emptieS into
| Rock Greek which mentioned his
name in connection with experiments
at that point.---M. G. II.
A. Robert Fulton spent some time
at the home of Joel Barlow, which
was situated on the banks of Rock
Creek. Fulton was Barlow's guest
when. on February g. 1909, he wrote
to the President. II have invited some
members of the Senate and House Of
Representatives to call at Kalorama
on Sunday next at 1 o'clock to see
the experiment of harpooning and in
vestigate the principle of torpedo at
| tacks." These experiments were made
in Rock Creek.
Q. I would like to know the depth
of Death Vailey.-E. l..
A. The lowest point of Death VAL
| ley Calf, is 276 feet below sea level.
O. Is "Polotsk" Russian or Polish?
M. f. S.
A. Polotsk is now a Russian town.
1t was captured by stephen Bathory
in 1879 and became Polish by the
treaty of 1882 1t was definitely an
nexed to Russia in 1872.
Q. Should lightning rod be con
nected to the soil vent pipe?-E. E. r
A. The Bureau of Standards says
that the lightning rod should be con
nected to the vent pipe. If left dis
connected lightning Is likely to jump
from the rod to the pipe and damage
the roof. If the soil pipe is electrically
continuous with loaded joints to moist
earth there will be no appreciable
effects inside the house from
| lightning stroke.
O. VIII you please tell me if the
battle scenes in THE Big Parade
were taken in France during the war?
F. b. ON.
A We are informed that 1.-THE Big
| Parade" did not make use of ofhcial
| photographs.
O. What is the weight of a cubic
| foot of ice?-G. o. G.
A. One cubic foot of ice at 81 de-
grees F. weighs $3.50 pounds.
O. Will you tell me why the free
use of mails by our congressman is
called "the franking privilege"E-M. Is.
| A. The word frank" as applied to
| the franking privilege is from the old
| French word meaning free. For this
reason it was adopted with respect 10
[ the sending out of mail by certain
officials and privileged persons with
out the usual postal charges.
O. What is the meaning of ton
miles" and "car miles? e. II. D.
| A. Ton miles is a standard measure
/ of traffic, based on the rate of car
rage per mile of each passenger or
ton of freight. Car miles is the mile
age or aggregate number OF miles GOV,
cred by the entire rolling stock oil
any system in any given time.
| O. Is it better to decorate sheets
and pillowcases with lace or use en-
| broidered initials or monograms?-
A. B. NJ.
| A. Embroidery is more frequently
! used at the present time imam insert
ings of lace. 1t is not only always
| in good taste, but 1t is more practical.
An embroidered monogram is consid'
cred sufficiently decorative to make
| the absence Of laces unnoticed.
| O. What were the serial numbers
of the regiments sent over to France
during the first months, up to July /
| of the World Warm. r.
A. The regiments Of the 1st Divi
sion, first sent to France during the
World War. were the 10th, 18th, 26tf
and 28th Regiments.
@. Kindly explain what an altim
eter is and it's use.-W. w.
A. The altimeter is used for meas