Evening star., 1927-04-08
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.


@. Where was opium first sold?--
L. A. r.
A. From the first to the twelfth
century the opium OF Asia Minor ap-
pears to have been the only kind
known in commerce. In the thir-
teenth century Opium thebalcum is
mentioned by Simon Januensis, ply
sician to Pope Nicholas ~, while
neconium was still in use In the
sixteenth century opium is mentioned
by Pyres Q516l as a production of the
kingdom of Cous (Kuch Behar, south
west of Bhutan) in Bengal. and of
Malwa. It's introduction into India
appears to have been connected with
the spfead Of Islamism. Opium is
said to have been introduced into
China by, the Arabs probably in the
thirteenth century, and 1t was orig
inally used. there as a medicine, the
introducing OF opium-smoking being
| assigned to the seventeenth century.
O. How was double time COMPUTED
during the war?-I. W.
A. Double time in computing retire
ment was reckoned from the date OF
arrival in foreign possessions to the
! date of departure tharefrom. For the
| 20 per cent increase of pay, double
time was reckoned from the date OF
sailing from home port to lthe date
| of arrival in home port.
O. How is the oil Of catnip made
that trappers use in catching wild
cats. and how do they use it,
| c. j. r.
A. Oil of catnip is made by extract
| ing oil from Catnip, after whica il
goes under a distillation procAssA 1t
is applied to the bait and attracts any
of the feline family.
O. How many lives were lost wheP
the Sultana sank?-E. r. w.
A. The steamer Sultana was lost as
result of an explosion on April ~,
1865 The majority of the passengers,
numbering $500 and including 1865
Union soldiers and officers from Con.
federate prisons. lost their lives. A
few were saved by clinging to floating
wreckage and few more were picked
up by men who rowed out in skiffs.
O.. What does the Treasury do when
it has a surplus?-K. +. L.
A. The Department of the Treasury
says that any surplus that It accumu-
tdlCA II uses " ICduCC t1lS puyAtC hCbNs
O. Who was "Mile-a-minute Muir.
phy' and what became of him?-F. 3.
A. "Mile-a minute" or Charles NJ.
Murphy in June. 1899, pedaled bicy-
Gle a measured mile in 60-odd seconds.
He later became a New York police
man and served on the motor cycle
squad.
@. How many postmen belong TO the
National Association Of Letter Car
riers?-O. A. p.
A. The association now has $4,000
members.
Q. Do gypsies ever become di-
yorced?-C. B.
A. Divorce is fairly common among
gypsies.
@. What material is used for the
sails of sailing ships?-E. f.
A. Canvas or duck is used.
O. What is carotin?-G. V.
A. Carotin is a yellow organic com
pound to which carrots owe their
color. This has been extracted with
the juice and used for coloring butter.
@. 1 wish to buy a copy of the
painting of the frigate Constitution
where shall ] send the 20 cents? =
Fl. P. F.
A.. All that is necessary is to in
close the price in stamps. actual
money, money order or check in an
envelope addressed to Old Ironsldes,
Boston, Mass.
Q. How many negro banks are
there in this country "A. L. w.
A. According to the Negro Year
book there are "a banks in the
country which are entirely conducted
by negroes and in the interest OF
negroes.
0. What is the meaning of the
word shasta IT. B.
A Shasta is of Indian origin,
coming or being derived from the
word di--three-referring to a
triple mountain.
@. What was done with the
American dead in the Mexican War?
Were the bodies brought back?-
o. S. V.
A. There is one national cemetery
in Mexico, located at Mexico city.
The American dead of the Mexican
War are buried there.
@. In what way is charcoal used
in coming money?-M. G.
A. 1t is used as a fiux to clear
the molten metal.
@. Where is the longest cable in
the world &C. s.
A. The longest section of cable is
part of the cable running from
Vancouver, British Columbia. to Aus
tralia, owned by British company.
The total distance is 1919 miles.