Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-31
Hoskin's Answers
To Questions
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskt71.

question OF fact by ,Drtttng The Eue.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric J. Haskin, director, Washington,
D. c. Please tnclose stamp for reply.
q. Why Is signature sometimes
called John Hancock?-J. T.
A. There, guess King George will be
able to read that" was the remark Of
John Hancock on signing the Declara-
ton of Independence. His was the first
signature and 1t was written in so bold
q hand that the expression, John Han
cock" became the synonym for signature.
Q. When did the Panay sink?-C. J..
A On December u, 1887, japanese
shells sank the United States gunboat
Panay, with loss of two lives.
Q. What Is the widest and narrowest
parts Of the English Channel?-G. E.
A. The Channel at its narrowest point.
the Straits of Dover, is 20 miles wide.
The widest point, between Sidmouth and
Saint-Malo, is 14o miles.
@. Is there word which describes a
person whose chief interest is in the
past?-L. G. H
A. A preterist is one whose main in
terest or pleasure is in the past; a
person opposed to change.
Q. How many days after conception Is
a baby born?-A. M. r.
A. Ordinarily birth occurs 269 DAYS
after conceptfon.
Q. What is the amount of loss due to
fre?-F. F.
A. According to the National Fire Pre-
vention Council. the fire loss in the
United States in 1889 amounted to
s313,ooo,ooo
@. What is the famous Latin quota.
ton about nothing human being foreignp
H. G.
A. This refers to the line "Humani
nihil me alienum puto'-"I think that
nothing human is foreign to me-" which
occurs in Terence's play "Heautonti.
morumenos." The title is Greek. and
means THE Self-Avenger."
Q. Why does the expression, to bell
the cat, mean to undertake a dangerous
mlssion?-M. c.
A. 1t is an allusion to La Fontaines
fable OF an old mouse who proposed
That bell should be hung on the cats
neck, to warn Of its coming. A young
mouse inquired, who will bell the cat?"
Q. What qualities are distinguished BY
the sense Of taste?-S. E.
A. -Four distinct gustatory Qualities
are appreciated - sweetness, bitterness.
acidity and salinity.
Q. What is the largest electric bulletin
sign on newspaper building?-M. Oh.
A. The New York Times sign is the
largest Of its kind. It is 800 feet long,
contains 1886 900 feet Of wire. SO 600 SOL
dered connections, 3 tons of copper and
14,800 lamps
@. Is it compulsory to have a BODY
embalmed?-A. P. A
A. The American Funeral Director
says that embalming is not compulsory
IN any State. However, when a body is
to be shipped from one State to another,
this Is required. Furthermore, every
State has some kind of law making It
compulsory to bury an unembalned body
within certain number of hours after
death.
@. Who was the last King of France?
w. C. H.
A. Louis Philippe, whose 1s-year reign
ended in 1845.
@. What South American countries
have the largest Italian population7-
T. c. H.
A. Argentina and Brazil each has an
italian population of 100000.
@. How many teeth do dogs haves
L. H.
A. They have AZ permanent teeth.
Q. What percentage of the worlds
telephones are owned by governments?
L. W. R.
A. On January I, 1889, 405 per cent
of all telephones we're government owned.