Evening star., 1928-10-19
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

four fire districts. with established OFF,
GERS having authority to take charge.
These were the first English fire depart
,,sntS that we know of. The first fire
apartment in the United States was
organized when the first engine made
its appearance in Boston, in 1878.
@. How is storage oxygen produced
for submarine use?-J. j. B.
A. The Bureau of Standards say.
that the two commercial methods fo
the production of oxygen which ar
used at the present time are the electro
lyuc method and the fractionation
air.
Q. What is a Cartesian diver an
now docs it work?-B. H.
A. A Cartesian diver is a small ho
low glass figure placed in a vessel o.
water that has cover so arrange
Lnat by compression the water can
1orced into the figure, producing tn
eHects OF suspension, sinking and float
ing according to the degree of pressure
u Is there any nourishment in ediblf
mushrooms?-J. II. H.
"A. mushrooms are good source of
vitamin B. Aside from the vitamin
content the nutritiye value of nush-
AOOLIlS - Small.
Q. Is Turkey interested in athletics9-
j. NJ. c.. '--'0 '-''
"A. AS feature of the Westernization
movement, Turkey is about to 90 in
vigorously for athletics. beginning with
SIate-SuperVlSed gymnastic training
aIter the Swedish and German models
g What is Indian Summer and how
dlo IL get its name?--H. P.
A. indian Summer is a name apnlied
W snort season OF pleasant weather
which occurs in the Central and Atlantic
coast States usually during the months
OF october and November, but more
rarely in December Indian Summer is
characterized by an almost cloudless
SKY, calm or light air. hazy atmosphere
ana mild temperature in the day-
time although cool at night This period
may last two or three weeks and ma,
occur two or three times during a sea-
son. The theory has been advances
that early settlers may have given the
bright warm days of Autumn the name
OF Indian Summer because it was as
gaudy as the Indians in their war
paints. Another idea is that at this
season the Indians often went to war
because the bright Autumn coiors served
as camouf1age for them. There is no
acCuaI record of the use of the term
until 1774. when it was in general Use
throughout the Atlantic States.
O. Please give the name of the
largest canyon in California.-C. B.
A. kings Canyon is the largest can
yon IN California. Kern Canyon is the
next in size.
@. Why was the thistle selected as
The national flower of Scotland?-F. w.
A: The thistle, the national flower
OF Scotland, was adopted during the
reign OF Malcolm II, in 1910. At that
Time the country was invaded by the
Danes, who attempted to storm one of
the largest and most powerful fortresses.
The enemy advanced stealthily at nigh.
and on reaching the castle removed
their shoes and plunged into the moat,
expecting to swim across. The moat
was dry, however, and filled with a
growth OF thiStleS. The cries of the
enemy aroused the inmates of the castle,
so that Scotland was saved. In graft
tude the Scots adopted the thistle as
their national flower.
@. Will you please give me some in
formation on how a parachute works?-
A. E. Men.
A. A parachute jumper leaps from
the plane, waits two or three seconds,
in order to be clear of the plane, then
pulls the rip-cord on his parachute.
This cord releases the canvas pack
and the parachute opens automatically.
@. Why did the churches and mon
asteries of the Middle Ages face the
West?-R. A.
A. The affairs of the early Christian
churches faced the East. The princi-
pal entrance to the church faced the
West. There is tradition to the effect
that the altar was so placed in order
that the priest could face the direction
from which came Christianity.
Q. What was the route of the first
passenger railway in the world?-J.
NJ. B.
The railway buii. by George
Stephenson in 1925 ran from Stockton
on-TeeS to Darlington.