Evening star., 1933-05-24
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

The resources of our free Informa-
tion Bureau are at your service. You
are invited to call upon 1t as often as
you please 1t is being maintained solely
to serve you What question can we
answer for you? There Is no charge at
all except cents in coin or stamps Tor
return postage. Do not use post caros.
Address your letter to The Evening star
Information Bureau, Frederic j. Haskm,
Director. Washington, D. C.
@. Please give some information
about Flag day.-G. F. L.
A. The original Flag day was June
IA, 1777, when the act establishing the
flag of the United States was passed by
Congress June IA, 1851, at Hartford,
Conn. was the first time Flag day was
observed as such. June IA. 1877. the
Tooth anniversary of the original act
of Congress which established the
United States flag is spoken of as the
first official recognition of Flag day: 1t
has never been officially established by
an act of Congress or presidential proc
lamation ether than by the original act
of Congress passed on that day which
established the flag itself.
@. When did wallace Reid. Rudolph
Valentino and Milton Sills die?-A. A.
A. Wallace Reid died January ID,
1929. Rudolph Valentino died August
%, 1926. Milton Sills died September
IS, 1880.
@. How many canaries are imported
A. In the fiscal year 1892 41s,sss
canaries were imported.
Q. Why was Alaska purchased?-
r. M.
A. The Territory of Alaska was
bought by the United States from the
Russian Empire by the treaty of March
80. 1867, for $7,200,000. through the
Secretary of State, w. H. Seward
There has never been any official rea-
son given for the purchase other than
that Russia wished to get rid OF 1t and
the United States consented to buy 1t
because of its proximity to the North
western States. 1t was not realized at
the time how rich in natural resources
is Alaska and the price, which now
seems pitifully small, then seemed too
great 1t was long spoken OF as Sew
ards folly.
@. What system of stenography did
Queen Elizabeth give royal recogni-
tion?-P. o.
A. A system was devised by DR.. Tim
othy Bright, published in 1888 and
dedicated to, Queen Elizabeth. He was
rewarded with a Yorkshire living and
given sole right for Is years to publish
and teach any new methods of charac-
ter writing.
@. What is hemicycle?-J. G.
A. The word means half circle.
It Is a curved or approximately semi
circular structure, as that of some
arenas of an orchestra or part of a
room; hence, wall built in that form
or a painting on such a wall, as the
hemicycle of the Ecole des Beaux Arts.
@. Where did the ancients get their
purple dye?-W. S.
A. It was obtained from the molluscs,
purpura haemastoma and murex
brandaris.
@. Was rural free delivery popular
from the beginning?-L. P. j.
A. Rural free delivery was first sug-
gested by Postmaster General Wana-
maker in 1891, but 1t was two years
before the consent Of Congress was OBJ
tanned for three experimental routes
which were placed in operation in 1896
in West Virginia. Nine months later
there were 81 routes in operation in 20
States.
@. When does the mandate over
Palestine expire?-R. E. R.
A. There is no expiration date fixed
for the British mandate over Palestine