Evening star., 1939-10-14
Hoskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
By Frederic J. Hasktn.

eric J. Hasktn, director, Washington,
d. c. Please tpclose stamp for reply.
@. What was the greatest naval battle
OF the World War?-E n. p.
A. 1t was the Battle of Jutland which
was fought between the British and Ger
man, fleets on May 81, 1916.
@. How many boys and girls are un-
employed?-L. T. G.
A. According to the National Youth
Administration. there are 1000 900 young
people in the United States who are out
Of school and out of work.
@. Are there any spiders that change
color?-M. B. D.
A. The crab spider assumes the color
Of the flower on which it lives and hides
In the heart of the blossom awaiting It's
prey
@. Was land in Pennsylvania once
measured by how far man could walk?
S. J. H.
A. In 1887 the Proprietors of Pennsyl-
vania obtained from the Delaware In
dians a grant of land extending into the
back country as far as a man could walk
in day and half Three fast walkers
were hired who covered about 65 miles.
@. Is it harmful to clean rifle with
soap and water?-F NJ K
A. The National Rifle Association saws
that one of the best solvents for clean
ing rife is hot water and soap. This
should be pumped through the bore with
cleaning rod. The bore should then be
dried and preservative grease applied
Q. Please give some information about
the snow cruiser which Admiral Byrd
will use in the Antarctic M. G.
A. The giant $4,000 pound cruiser was
built at cost of sl5oOOo Equipped
with four 10-foot tires weighing TOO
pounds each and Diesel engines with a
combined 400 horsepower, the cruiser will
have a top speed of 25 miles per hour.
1t will carry four men, years supply of
food, and fuel for 5000 miles.
O. Has any psychologist ever made a
study of the effect of Orson Welles'
broadcast of Wells War of the Worlds
on the American public?-G. K. M
A. Prof. Hadley Cantrill a member of
the department of psychology at Prince
ton University and an associate editor of
the Public Opinion Quarterly, has made
case study of the panic. This was
conducted under the support of the Cen
eral Education Board and will be pub
lshed by the Princeton University Press
early next year under the title of The
Invasion From Mars
@. Did Beethoven compose any op-
eras?-J D. H.
A. His only opera was "Fidelio,' which
had its premiere in Vienna in 1905 and in
New York City in 1889.
@. What is the largest w. P. A. con-
struction project that has been COM
pleted?-L M. H.
A. The largest single undertaking of
the Works Project Administration is the
recently completed New York Municipal
Airport.
Q. Is there any estimate of how much
Mahatma Gandhi spends for food?-
T. K. J.
A. 1t is said that the amount spent
for his food is about IS month. He is a
strict vegetarian and all of his meals
are prepared by his wife.
@. How did st. Petersburg Fla. get
its name?-O. G. H.
A. The city was first settled in 1883
and named for ST. Petersburg. Russia,
by Peter Devens, a Russian engineer,
who built the first railroad into the town.
@. When was the rule first used in
boxing which compels a fighter who
knocks down an opponent to go to 4
neutral corner?-L. M H.
A. This rule was in effect for the first
time at the Tunney-Dempsey fight in
1927 in Chicago by mutual agreement.
Thereafter it was generally accepted by
all boxing commissions and is now uni
versally in use
4.
A. They were coins issued by Great
Britain for use in America in 1922 and
made by William Wood, after whom they
were called Woods coins, or Rosa Amer
lcana. They were of a mixed metal re-
sembling BRASS, and the royal letters
patent denominated them two pence,
pence and half pence The diverse was
stamped with laureated head of George
L. reverse with double rose, from which
issued five barbed points They bore
the legend Rosa Americana, 1922 Utile
Dulci.
q. Why is 1t traditional for women not
to enter the church without hats?-C,
E. B.
A. The covering of womens heads in
the church is expressly commanded in
the Bible, Corinthians, xi.5: But every
woman that prayeth or prophesieth with
her head uncovered dishonoreth her
head"
@. Is the Stephen Daye press Illus
trated on the stamps commemoratinp
the tercentenary of printing still in ex-
istence?-J. H. M.
A. The press is in the possession of the
Vermont Historical Society. 1t was re-
Gently on display at the Fifth Educa-
tional Graphic Arts Exposition in New
York City.
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