Evening star., 1947-03-04
Answers to
Questions
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

IAu6SllOnS
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.
A reader can get the answer to any
sssr nformation RI ao ~ sureau % s1s ssress
close cents for return postage.
@. How long has it been the Gus
tom to serve wedding cake?-T. E. S
A. The wedding cake had it
origin in ancient Rome, where ther'
existed a form of marriage in which
the bride and groom together at
cake made Of salt, water and flour
@. Is a license required for pros
pecting on land which is the publi
domain?-W. B. r.
A. There are no limitations OF
prospecting on the public domain
No license is required. AS a genera
rule, If a person wants to make {
claim on public domain he mus
make a discovery" do 500 worth
Of work and stake out his claim
which is usually 1900 feet long ans
600 feet wide (about 20 acres. H.
may stake as many claims as h,
likes. To hold each claim, however
he must do 500 worth of work eacf
year until $500 worth has been done
He may then apply to the Genera
Land Office, Department of the In.
terror. Washington, D. c., for 9
patent.
@. What is the. procedure that a
veteran must follow If he wishes to
be buried in Arlington National
Cemetery after his death?-C. j.
A. No arrangements may be made
prior to the death Of the veteran
Upon death, the Superintendent OF
Arlington Cemetery should be noti-
fled Immediately. If death Is out
side the District OF Columbia, the
family must pay freight charges te
Washington, D. G. The Government
pays all other burial charges pro.
vided the body is brought from the
railroad station directly to the
cemetery. In the event that the fu.
neral is to be from a church ir
Washington, the family will have tt
take care of the interim expenses
@. May a game be patented2-
J. w. g.
A. A game may be patented only
if invention is present. Ordinarily
games are placed on the market
under a trade name. The rules TO,
playing the game may be protected
by copyright.
@. Is the actual place where
Christ was born known and marked
in any way?-V. N.
A. The grotto beneath the Church
Of the Nativity in Bethlehem is ac-
cepted by many scholars as the place
Of Christ,s birth, A star set in the
floor is inscribed with the words,
"Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Chris
tus Natus Est" (Here of the Virgin
Mary Jesus Christ was born.
@. Are small boats sent through
the Panama Canal singly or in
groups?-H. I. G.
A. Since some water from the
locks in the Panama Canal is lost to
the ocean each time the locks are
used, all small boats are sent
through the canal in groups. The
boats go through under their own
power. The fee is 80 cents per net
ton, according to the Panama Canal
rules of measurement.
@. What was the largest crowd tc
see football game in the Yale
Bowl?-J. r.
A. The largest crowd ever to see
game in the Yale Bowl was 74,7S6
Capacity crowds have witnessed
several games in past years, espe.
cially for Yale-Harvard and Yale.
Army games. Yale played before
three sellout crowds in 1946-the
Columbia, Dartmouth and Prince.
ton games. Because of the curren,
general admission ticket plan fol
many sections, present capacity IL
10000.
@. Can packages Of food or cloth.
ing be sent to Berlin, Germany
H.V.R.
A. Such packages are now &C.
cepted for mailing to all sectors o1
Berlin, subject to certain conditions
@. Is 1t true that during the Siege
of Paris In the -Prussian Wal
the starving people ate rats?-F
G. L.
A. The sufferings of the Parisians
during the siege were beyond belief
Dogs, cats and rats were eaten, and
rats were sold for as high as 90
cents apiece.