Evening star., 1939-12-09
Answers
To Questions
BIZ Frederic J. Hnskin.


A reader can get the ans,Der to any
question of fact by ,Drtttng The Epe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Hasktn, director, Washington.
D. c. Please tncIose stamp for reply.
@. Where was the first news agency3
B. R. c.
A. The first news agency was organ
ized by Charles Havas in Paris In 1885.
Havas began by translating articles for
the French press. In 1910, he established
news service by carrier pigeon between
Paris, London and Brussels.
O. Who invented mahjong?-W. p. B.
A. According to the generally accepted
legend it was invented about 5000 years
ago by Chinese fisherman named SEE,
who hired men to fish from boats His
employees became seasick, and, believing
that the malady was imaginery, he In
vented the game to keep their minds
from their condition.
@. What causes honey dew?-E. g..
A. Honey dew, the saccharine exudate
found on the leaves Of many plants In
hot weather, is sometimes caused by the
punctures of aphids or scale insects and
sometimes produced by fungi. 1t is
eagerly sought for as food by ants and
also used by bees, wasps and other In
sects.
O. Did Mohammed have a favorite
wife?--T. S.
A. The favorite wife of Mohammed
was Ayeshah, who married the prophet
when she was only 9 years old. She was
so greatly beloved that he often said she
would be the first of his wives to whom
the gates of paradise would be opened.
Historians say that to the charms of her
beauty she added knowledge Of matfe-
matics, rhetoric and music. In his last
illness Mohammed requested to be car
ried to her house and died in her arms.
@. Who invented the incandescent
light?-E. A. C.
A. Sir Humphry Davy, the physicist,
was one of the earliest men to expert
ment with the production of electric
light. In 1902 he demonstrated that
electric current can heat carbon and
strips of metal to incandescence and give
light. In 1909 he developed his arc
light. Experiments along this line con-
tinued until the invention in 1879 by
Thomas A. Edison of the incandescent
lamp. These principles are used in all
the incandescent lamps made today.
@. How many cigarettes does the aver
age smoker use in a year?-K. z.
A. In 1888 the per capita cigarette
consumption in the United States
amounted to 100 packages
c. What is the population of Santa
Claus, Ind. Pr. T.
A. The famous little town has less
than rs inhabitants.
O. Why is the month of June associ-
ated with marriage?-C. T. R.
A. The name June is derived from
Juno, the goddess of women and of mar
riage.
@. Is any money saved by the use Of
the new small currency?-D. U.
A. AS the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing issues over million dollars Of
new money every day, the saving in
quantity Of expensive paper amounts to
about $2,0000O0 a year. The currency
of reduced size was put into circulation
on July 10, 1929.
@. What bird lays the smallest egg?-
w. j. M.
A. The hummingbird lays an egg about
the size of pea.
@. Who is the patron saint Of Shoe
makers?-M. B.
A. The patron saints of shoemakers
are st. Crispin and his brother Crispian,
who supported themselves by making
shoes while they preached to the people
of Gaul and Britain. In compliment to
| these saints the trade OF shoemaking is
called the gentle craft.
@. What is the cost of torpedo used
| on American submarines?-F. D.
A. A single torpedo costs from 5000
| to $1,000.
@. How many taxicabs and drivers are
there in Washington, D. C.?-C. K. B.
A. AS of June 80, 1899, there were
| 4,907 taxicabs and 5,627 drivers.
@. Who were the Bigendians?-O. r. S.
A. In Swifts "Gulliver's Travels" they
were a party in the empire Of Lilliput,
who made it matter of conscience to
break their eggs at the big end. They
were looked on as heretics by the ortho-
dox party, who broke theirs at the little
end.
@. Is it true that experts can read any
secret code?-W. R. C.
A. Col. George Fabyan. the cipher ex-
pert, at one time made the statement:
II have yet to find message in secret
| code that cannot be read" He said that
| the biliteral cipher invented some 800
years ago by Sir Francis Bacon is the
| most dangerous because capable Of being
most infinitely varied.
@. What was the name Of George
| Washingtons white horse?-E. S.
A. Washington's favorite white charg-
er was known as Lexington. He also
| rode Braddock, Greenway, Fairfax,
| Dolly and Nelson on frequent occasions
@. How many counties are there in
| Texas?-J. A. B.