Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-04

Stop a minute and think about this
fact. You can ask The Evening Star
Information Bureau any question Of
fact and get the answer back in Il per-
sonal letter. II Ia a great educational
idea introduced into the lives Of the
most intelligent people in the world
American newspaper readers. 1t IS q
part of that best purpose Of news
paper-service. There IL no charge ez-
cept 2 cents in stamps for return post
age. Get the habit Of asking gues-
Evening Star Information Bureau.
Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washing
ton, d. G.
@. What Is the derivation Of the
word alphabet?-R. K.
A. It is derived from alpha and beta,
first and second letters Of the Greek
alphabet.
O. How did the name South Sea"
come to be applied to the Pacific
Ocean?--M +. ".
A. The name vas given TO the Pa
cific by it's discoverer, Balboa AS the
Isthmus OF Panama, where he crossed
it, runs nearly cast and west, the Pa
cific forms its southern shore; hence,
to the Spaniards on the lsthnus IL was
the South Sea. Until the nineteenth
century this was the common name,
sometimes employed IN special man
ner for the South Pacific. 1t is still
frequently used.
@. Who introduced the custom Of
using the expression "oyez" in an
nouncing the opening Of court?--
G.. 3. r.
A. The expression, formerly employed
by court officers or criers in announc.
ing the opening of court. was intro
duced into England by the i'or.9ans.
together with other legal expressions
and forms. In the United States the
English translation. hear ye," IS st.ll
employed by most court criers in an
nouncing the opening Of court.
@. How near completion was THE
Mystery Of Edwin brood" wnen Dick
ems died?-L. 8. 7.
A. This novel was to have beer COM
pleted in IL monthly parts, but only
about 6 were written when ne died.
@. Is Edna st. Vincent Millay mar
ried?-E A. ".
A. Her marriage to Eugen Jan Bois-
sevain took place in 1923.
@. How intense is the heat Of an
acetylene torch?-M. S.
A. The Bureau Of Standards says
that the oxyacetylene flame is capable
Of producing a temperature in the
neighborhood of 5000 F.
Q. When was the first radio installed
on an American battleship?-S. A.
A. According to the Navy Depart
ment the first experimental radio
models installed on American battle
ships were attached in 1899 TO the cid
| u. s. s. New York and TO the U. S. S.
| Porter.
@. To settle an argument. did Ruth
| Elder actually pilot her airplane on
| her attempt TO cross the ocean?-R. L.
| A. Miss Elder says that she and
George Haldeman took turns plotting
their airplane the American Gill across
| the Atlantic Ocean.
@. What were the boundaries OF the
| old Roman Empire?-J. J. B
A. Thatcher and Schwill, IN Europe
| in the Middle Ages" say: IN the third
| century the Roman empire extcured
| from the Atlantic IN the west 70 The
Euphrates in the east: from the
| Sahara IN the south 10 the Danube.
Main. and Rhine on the north. Britain
also (modern Englandl had been added
| TO this territory. Since the oee,-ln,rg
| Of the Christian era the boundaries OF
the empire had not been greatly en-
larged."
@. What Is the origin Of the dog
| known as the Samoyede?-L. B. G.
A II IS possible that the S3moyece
sprang from the same original source
as the Chow Chow. namely from dogs
of the northland. The early habitat
| OF the Samoyede was ASiatic Russia.
particularly Siberia, the breed name
being derived from semi-noTadic
| tribe. the Samoyedes. Records indicate
| that these people. who are thought 70