Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-31

The answers to questions printed
! here each day are specimens picked
| from the mass of inquiries handled by
our great Information Bureau MAN
tanned in Washington, d. G. This val
liable service is for the free use OF the
public. Ask any question Of fact you
NAV want TO know and you viii get
an immediate reply. Write plainly.
! incJose 2 cents in coin or stamps for
return postage. and address The Eve
ming Star Information Bureau. Fred
eric j. Haskin, director, Washington,
d. c.
@ How many people did the Hous-
ton Convention Hall seat?-L. l..
A. 1t seated $4,000 people and was
325 feet long. 270 feet wide and go
/ feet high.
@. Why is it not practicable to run
automobiles with natural gas?-~T. M. D.
A. The Bureau of Standards says
that automobiles could be run success
| fully on natural gas. but the gas would
have 10 be compressed into steel GYM
ders which would add consloeraoie
weight. The amount Of natural gas
equivalent to gallons Of gasoline
would require enormous containers il
| IT were not compressed.
/ O How many members have the
| Association of Post Office Clerks and
! the National Federation Of Post once
| Clerks?--J, B. ,
A. The membership Of the United
! National Association Of Post once
| Clerks numbers $4,000. The member
! shin of the National Federation Oh
F.! post Office Clerks numbers $4,000
@ How does the reclamation of the
| zuider Zee rank with similar projects?
/ r w.
! A. This project is regarded as the
most ambitious of its kind in the world
| O. When were playing cards in
I yented?-J S
I A. Many nations claim the inven-
| ton of playing cards. but 1T Is gener-
! allv believed that they came IRON
: Asia. probably China. The great Chi
+ nese dictionary 1673l states that they
| we're invented in the reign of the En-
peror Seun-ho in 1920 AID. Some
| authorities are of the opinion that they
we're invented 1890 to amuse Charles
/ VI King of France. who was subject
| to fits of melancholy The inventor
/ proposed to represent the Tour classes
/ of men in the kingdom--the clergy oil
/ hearts: the nobility and military by
! the points of spears, now known as
spades: while diamonds stood for citi-
! zens. merchants and trades-pcople
the clubs referring to peasants and
/ farmers.
| G. How many real Egyptians are
there now In Egypt?-J. NJ. S.
A. The total population approx.
mates n189.97S. The majority OF
these are Bedouins. Arabs. Nubians anc
foreign whites. The Copts. who repre-
sent the native old Egyptian stock Of
Ecvpt. we're estimated in 1907 to num-
Der 667 .036 Orthodox Coptic members
of the ancient Christian church o.
Egypt. In 1925 this number was cstl'
mated to have grown to 706.322.
@. When were umbrellas introduced
into England?-O. c.
A. The umbrella is tievelopment
the movable canopy used in the Orien
from ancient times in ceremonial pro
cessions for persons Of rank. 1t wa
introduced into England from Ital,
carly in the eighteenth century.
O. Who we're the Seven Sleepers?-
r. NJ.
A. InFY WPESz the w NiA az
Gent legend II is supposed that dur
ing the persecution Of the Christians
about $50 AID, these seven Christian
brothers of Ephesus took refuge IN
cave. Their retreat was discovered ant
the mouth of the cave was walled up
Two hundred years later the cave wa!
accidentlv opened and the men emerged
having slept through the centuries a.
though but a single night. They founC
the Christian religion accepted in TN
CITY, where they were honored ant
feted. and where all of them died on tn
same day,
O What city is known as the Gibrai
tar of America ?--H. <. M.
A. This name is often applied u
Quebec on account of its position anS
strong Notifications.
O. What is a heptameter2-M. A. II
/ A. A heptameter is verse of sever
metrical feet
O. why should Lamb have called
Spenser the poets poet?-W. I.
A, Charles lamb was an enthusiast
tic adrnirer of Edmund Spenser anc
regarded his flights of fancy anC
imagery as so far above other poets
efforts that it required the high artistic
sense developed by STUDYING the art o.
writing poetry to appreciate Spenser,
@ What President vetoed the great
s