Evening star., 1928-12-10
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

This Is a special department devoted
solely to the handling of queries. This
paper puts at your disposal the services
of an extensive organization in Wash
ington to serve you in any capacity that
relates to information. This service Is
free. Failure to make use OF 1t deprives
you of benefits to which you are en-
titled. Your obligation is only 2 cents
in coin or stamps inclosed with your
inquiry for direct reply. Address The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washing
ton, D. G.
O. Please give short biography of
Nils ASther-E. A.
A. Nils Asther first appeared in Euro
pean productions in 1913. He came to
this country In 1927. He was born in
Malmo. Sweden. has hazel eyes and
brown hair He Is 81 years old. 6 feet
inch tall and weighs ITO pounds. He
is not married.
@. How should oil be applied to a
base ball bat?-E. L.
A. A small amount OF natural oil
should be applied to a base ball bat
thoroughly rubbed in, the bat should be
pun away III q COOl uly pidCCs
@. Was Georges Carpenter ever
heavyweight champion?-J. T.
A. Georges Carpenter was never
world heavyweight champion. He was
the French champion and fought with
Jack Dempsey for the world title.
@. Is 1t necessary to send written
reply to an at-hOme or afternoon tea
invitation?-A. L. P.
A. No written declination or accept
ance Is necessary on receipt of any type
of at-home or afternoon tea card. If
it is impossible to put in an appearance
at the hour signified in the invitation
the proper course Is to send by post OF
messenger a visiting card in an en-
velope so that 1t will reach the hostess
II possible while the reception Is In
progress.
@. Who surrendered the sword of
CORVALLIS at Yorktown?-C. Dec.
A. Gen. O'Hara bore the sword of
Cornwallis at the surrender at York
town. Gen. CORVALLIS suffered a sud-
den illness which prevented his ap-
pearing. Gen. Lincoln received the
sword, which was Immediately re-
turned.
@. How many automobiles were man.
'tactured last year in England, France.
Germany and Italy?-P. S. C.
A. Their output was: England. 231.-
920 France, 0,000; Germany, 10000;
Italy, 54,559.
@. Who is sponsoring the Central
Asiatic Expedition of which Roy Chap
10 q q
A. The expeditions of Roy Chapman
Andrews have been conducted under
the auspices of the American Museum
of Natural History, New York City.
@. Are there any specimens OF the
earliest shorthand?-C. j. C.
A. Godfrey Dewey, in q monograph
on shorthand. says: Abbreviated writ
ing to take down lectures and also for
the preservation OF poems recited at
the. Pythian, Nemean and Olympic
games was practiced by the early Greeks
and there are specimens of ancient
Greek notae or shorthand in the Vati-
can Library at Rome. the Bibliotheque
Rationale, Paris, and the British Mu-
scum"
c. Were many convicts sent from
England to the Colonies?-S. 8.
A. Between 1717 and IT'S not less
than 10000 convicts from British
prisons were sent to the Colonies.
q. Why are poppies frequently asso-
ciated with battlefields?-M. M.
A. Superstition looks upon poppies
that bloom on battlefields as the blood
Of the slain soldiers. The Romans re-
garded the flower as the symbol of
death and dedicated 1t to Somnus. god
OF sleep. A strange fact about the
poppy IS that when placed with other
flowers 1t will either wilt or cause them
to droop and die.
O. Is there tunnel under the
Lachine Canal above the city of Mont
real?-W. A.
A. The authorities OF the city of
Montreal have recently agreed to the
construction of tunnel. II will con-