Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-27

what 40 you neeQ TO Know? Is
there some point about your business
Or personal life that puzzles you? Is
there something you want to know
without delay? Submit your question
to Frederic j. Haskin. director CT our
Washington Information Bureau. He
is employed to help you. Address your
inquiry to The Evening Star Informa-
ton Bureau Frederic j. Haskin, di-
rector, Washington, D. c., and inclose
2 cents in coin or stamps for return
postage.
O. What is the correct pronuncia-
tion of "vitaphone"? 1t is not in the
dictionary--E M. L.
A. The ii" is given the long sound
and the word is accented on the first
syllable. The word was coined for
the Vitaphone Corporation. whose
products only.
@. Are comets often visible in the
daytime with the naked eye?-J. MEG.
A. In the last hundred years, only
two comets have been sufficiently bril-
liant to b. seen by day with the
unaided eye. One OF these was in Feb
ruary, 1913; the other in September,
1882.
O. Where does the heaviest rainfall
in the world occur?-J. d.
A. So far as known at the present
time. the heaviest precipitation occurs
on the southern slopes of the HI
malaga Mountains in Northern India.
Here during the monsoon period, usu-
allv from May to September, inclusive,
the heaviest rainfall has been recorded.
At Cherrapunji in this region the
average annual precipitation is about 40
feet, or slightly less than 500 inches.
O. Why is the guinea pig" so call
ed?"-N. E.
A. The guinea pig is SO called be-
cause it was thought to have come
from Guinea. which is in Africa. How
ever, this was a mistake because the
guinea pig comes from South America.
@. How many two-cent stamps are
used every day?-J. II. P.
A. Approximately 100000 two
cent stamps are used daily. according
to figures based on the year ending
June 80, 1928.
O. How old is Lila Lee?-E. A.
A. Lila Lee was born in 1905. She
started with Gus Edwards. when she
was 5 years old, in Band Box Revue.
She left the films to devote her time
to James Kirkwood. jr., her small son.
She is now in talkies.
@. When were treaties involving ex-
Internationally first made with China?--
j. H. c.
A. AS early as 1859 China and Russia
entered into a treaty proVidlng LOT
modified form of extraterritoriallty; Inc
existing system of extraterritoriallty:
however, had its origin in a number OF
treaties between China and the pow
ers. commencing with 1843, in which
year the treaty with Great Britain was
negotiated. This was followed in 1914
by treaties with the United States and
France, in 1847. Sweden and Norway;
1871, Japan. BY 1918 these countries
and in addition Denmark, Italy Bel
GUM. the Netherlands, Portugal. Spain
Sweden. Germany Austria Hungary,
Peru. Mexico. Brazil and Switzerland
had concluded similar treaties. Ger
MANY and Austria Hungary lost their
rights as result of the World War.
@. Where do the Marines learn to fly
airplanes?-E. S.
A. They learn to fly at Pensacola
Field, Fla.
O. Who was the first white man tc
see Niagara Falls?-H <.
A. For many years Father Hennepin
was known as the first white man to
see Niagara Falls. but recent research
has revealed the fact that French mis-
sionaries and explorers reached the
Falls before him. La Sale made his
first expedition to Niagara in 1869, and
on his second visit in 1878 was accom-
panied by Father Hennepin. Hennepin'
earliest account of the Falls was pub
lished In his Description de la Louisi-
ane'' In 1888. He was undoubtedly the
first European to describe and depict the
Falls.
Q. Why is "Cwt" used as the abbre
Walton for "hundredweight" ?-J. E. B
A. The &c" is the Roman symbol
for 100 and "wt." is a shortened form
of weight"
9. What languages are spoken Ii
Gwitzerland?-O. A.
A. The principal languages of Swift