Part 2

=Canals.=--The Suez Canal is 90 miles long with a depth of 35 feet, and is 108 feet wide at the bottom. It cost $100,000,000. The Manchester Canal, between Manchester and Liverpool, is 35-1/2 miles long, with a depth of 28 feet, and 120 feet wide at the bottom. It cost $85,000,000. The canal connecting the Baltic and North Seas is 61 miles long, 29-1/2 feet deep, and has a bottom width of 72 feet. It cost $40,000,000. The Panama Canal, which is not yet completed, will be about 50 miles in length, with a width of 300 feet, and a minimum depth of 41 feet. The United States Government paid $50,000,000 to the new French Canal Company and the Republic of Panama, for property rights and franchises, and the total cost of the canal will not be far from $375,000,000. At the present time nearly 50,000 men are at work upon the canal, and the official opening is announced for January 1, 1915. When completed, it will be the largest work of its class in the world, although not the longest canal.

=Capacity of Cisterns or Wells.=--For each ten inches in depth, a cistern 2 feet in diameter will hold 19 gallons; 2-1/2 ft., 30 g.; 3 ft., 44 g.; 3-1/2 ft., 60 g.; 4 ft., 78 g.; 4-1/2 ft., 97 g.; 5 ft., 122 g.; 5-1/2 ft., 148 g.; 6 ft., 176 g.; 6-1/2 ft., 207 g.; 7 ft., 240 g.; 7-1/2 ft., 275 g.; 8 ft., 313 g.; 8-1/2 ft., 353 g.; 9 ft., 396 g.; 9-1/2 ft., 461 g.; 10 ft., 489 g.; 11 ft., 592 g.; 12 ft., 705 g.; 13 ft., 827 g.; 14 ft., 959 g.; 15 ft.; 1101 g.; 20 ft., 1958 g.; 25 ft., 3059 g.

=Capitol at Washington.=--The Capitol is situated in latitude 38° 53´ 20´´.4 north and longitude 77° 00´ 35´´.7 west from Greenwich. It fronts east, and stands on a plateau eighty-eight feet above the level of the Potomac. The entire length of the building from north to south is 751 feet 4 inches, and its greatest dimension from east to west 350 feet. The area covered by the building is 153,112 square feet. The dome of the original central building was constructed of wood, covered with copper. This was replaced in 1856 by the present structure of cast iron. The entire weight of iron used is 8,909,200 pounds. The dome is crowned by a bronze statue of Freedom, which is nineteen feet, six inches, high and weighs 14,985 pounds. The height of the dome above the base line of the east front is 287 feet 5 inches. The height from the top of the balustrade of the building is 217 feet 11 inches. The greatest diameter at the base is 135 feet 5 inches. The rotunda is 97 feet 6 inches in diameter, and its height from the floor to the top of the canopy is 217 feet 3 inches. The Senate Chamber is 113 feet 3 inches in length, 83 feet 3 inches in width, and 36 feet in height. The galleries will accommodate 1,000 persons. The Representatives' Hall is 139 feet in length, by 93 feet in width, and 36 feet in height. The room now occupied by the Supreme Court was, until 1859, the Senate Chamber. Previous to that time the court occupied the room immediately beneath, now used as a law library.

=Celluloid.=--Celluloid, from which many toilet articles and imitations of ivory are made, is composed from the cellulose found in cotton cloth or raw cotton. It is treated with a solution of nitric acid which forms it into a pulp very much like paper pulp. It is then washed with water, which removes most of the acid. It is partially hardened and camphor gum mixed with it, when it is rolled into sheets and thoroughly dried. In order to manipulate it, it is softened by steam and then hardened by drying. Celluloid is very inflammable. Wearers of celluloid combs and other ornaments should not expose themselves to fire.

=Certified Checks.=--A personal check becomes certified when across it is written "certified," with the name of the bank and the signature of the cashier or other official. The bank, then, becomes liable for the amount of the check. If the maker of a check has his check certified, he is jointly responsible with the bank for its payment, but if the receiver of the check has it certified, the maker of the check is released from all responsibility.

Chemical Composition of Man

Huxley's table on the chemical composition of man of the average weight of 154 pounds was for years the standard, but it has recently been superseded by a new one compiled by the French Academy of Sciences. The table is appended:

Elements Pounds Ounces Grains Oxygen 111 8 0 Hydrogen 21 6 0 Carbon 21 0 0 Nitrogen 3 10 0 Phosphorus 1 2 88 Calcium 2 0 0 Sulphur 0 0 219 Chlorine 0 2 47 Sodium (salt) 0 2 116 Iron 0 0 100 Potassium 0 0 290 Magnesium 0 0 12 Silica 0 0 2

--_World Almanac._

=Chess.=--Chess is one of the oldest, and probably the most scientific, game known. Its origin is mysterious. It was mentioned in Oriental literature about 2000 B. C. It was originally played in India, Persia, and Arabia, and subsequently was known in Spain and Western Europe. It is said that it was invented in order to teach the art of war.

=Christmas.=--A festival commemorating the birth of Christ. Said to have been observed as early as 98. Some of the early Christians celebrated the event in May; others in April and in June. In the fifth century, it was generally observed on the 25th of December.

=Circulation of the Blood.=--Although even the savage had seen and spilled blood, the circulation of the blood, and the part that it plays in the human machine, was not discovered until about 1616, by the English physiologist, William Harvey.

=Climate and Temperature.=--Climatic conditions are dependent upon heat, moisture, and altitude. The greatest heat is at the equator and diminishes as one approaches either pole, but a place of high altitude near the equator may be cooler than another farther removed from it and occupying a shut-in or low position. It is warm at times, even near the poles. The climate is also affected by the winds, and very greatly by the ocean, and especially by ocean currents. Take England, for example: it is considerably further north than Boston or New York City, and yet its climate is much warmer or milder, due to its proximity to the Gulf Stream. Land near the ocean is likely to be cooler in summer on account of its prevailing winds, and warmer in winter because a large body of water reduces the cold. It is well-known that towns on the seashore do not suffer from extreme cold as much as do those in the same latitude further inland. The altitude has much to do with climate. Even in the warmest countries, where the heat is intense, the tops of high mountains are clothed with snow. Forests, by their shade, reduce the temperature.

=Coal Industry.=--In the United States the coal fields have an area of exceeding 160,000 square miles, but it is supposed that there are at least 310,000 square miles which contain coal. The estimated quantity of the available coal is exceeding 3,000,000,000,000 tons.

=Cocoa Industry.=--The world produces about 530,000,000 pounds of cocoa annually. The United States consumes about 130,000,000 pounds; Germany about 112,000,000; France about 60,000,000; England about 56,000,000; the total consumption being about 507,000,000.

=Coffee Industry.=--Brazil, about 1,300,000,000, Central America, about 201,000,000, Venezuela, about 97,000,000, other South American countries about 78,000,000, Hayti and Santo Domingo, about 84,000,000, Mexico, about 43,000,000, Porto Rico, about 34,000,000, Jamaica, about 10,000,000; a total of nearly 2,000,000,000 pounds annually. The United States consumes about 881,000,000 pounds a year.

=Coin.=--Money, in the form of metallic coins, probably superseded all other legal tenders. The first record of the coining of silver was in 869 B. C., and it was made in Rome as early as 269 B. C., and in Great Britain 25 years before the Christian Era. Gold was first coined in England in 1087. Copper money was introduced by James I of England in 1620. The United States mint began to coin money in 1793.

=Colosseum.=--The building of the Colosseum at Rome began in A. D. 80. It covers about five acres of ground, and has a seating capacity for nearly 90,000 persons. It was built in the form of an oval, with a diameter varying from 312 to 515 feet, the height being from 160 to 180 feet. In its arena, the gladiators fought among themselves and with wild beasts. At its dedication by Titus, 5,000 wild beasts were killed, and the celebration lasted for nearly a hundred days. Occasionally the arena was flooded with water, and sea fights took place.

=Comets.=--Comets are supposed to be made up of an innumerable number of meteors, with millions of miles of burning gas. They have regular orbits, but they have not been fully established and are more or less eccentric. They are not supposed to shine by their own light, but to obtain it by reflection. The orbit of comets was discovered by Hadley in 1682, who predicted their return. Sometimes the head and tail part, and remain so. Their number is unknown, but there are supposed to be thousands of them. The comet formerly was looked upon as a source of danger, and it was supposed that the near approach of one of them would destroy the earth or any other celestial body. Recent research, however, indicates that comets have not sufficient density to cause damage, although they might affect the atmosphere. The principal thing to be feared, however, if there is any danger, is that the envelopment of the earth by the comet's gas would destroy life, but most astronomers have agreed that the atmosphere of the earth would be sufficient protection. So far as is known, no comet has ever caused any injury, and as they have existed from time immemorial, there would appear to be no reason for alarm.

Common Measurements

Diameter of a circle × 3.1416 = Circumference.

Radius of a circle × 6.283185 = Circumference.

Square of the radius of a circle × 3.1416 = Area.

Square of the diameter of a circle × .7854 = Area.

Square of the circumference of a circle × .07958 = Area.

Half the circumference of a circle × half its diameter = Area.

Circumference of a circle × .159155 = Radius.

Square root of the area of a circle × .56419 = Radius.

Circumference of a circle × 31831 = Diameter.

Square root of the area of a circle × 1.12839 = Diameter.

Diameter of a circle × .86 = Side of inscribed equilateral triangle.

Diameter of a circle × .7071 = Side of an inscribed square.

Circumference of a circle × .226 = Side of an inscribed square.

Circumference of a circle × .282 = Side of square of equal area.

Diameter of a circle × .8862 = Side of a square of equal area.

Base of a triangle × one-half the altitude = Area.

The product of both diameters × .7854 = Area of an ellipse.

Surface of a sphere × one-sixth of its diameter = Solidity.

Circumference of a sphere × its diameter = Surface.

Square of the circumference of a sphere × .3183 = Surface.

Square root of the surface of a sphere × 1.772454 = Circumference.

Square of one of its sides × 6 = Surface of a cube.

Area of the base of a square, round or triangular pyramid, or of a cone, × one-third of its altitude = Solidity.

Area of square × .7854 = Area of largest circle within it.

Area of circle × .625 = Area of largest square within it.

=Spheres.=--Square of circumference × .3183 = Surface of sphere.

Square of diameter × 3.1416 = Surface of sphere.

Square root of surface × .5642 = Diameter of sphere.

Cube of diameter × .5236 = Solidity of sphere.

Cube of circumference × .0169 = Solidity of sphere.

Cube root of solidity × 1.2407 = Diameter of sphere.

Diameter of sphere × .5774 = Side of inscribed cube.

Square root of solidity × .2821 = Radius.

Square root of solidity × 1.7725 = Circumference.

Cube of radius × 4.1888 = Solidity.

Cube root of solidity × .6204 = Radius.

Cube root of solidity × 3.8978 = Circumference.

=Communism and Socialism.=--Communism is a doctrine which would abolish individual rights, including the ownership of property. It began in England and France, but has never made any great progress. Socialism is allied to Communism, but is a milder form. It does not suggest the abolition of individual rights, but to make all rights subordinate to the good of the people. An acceptable definition of either has never been presented, and members of both parties differ materially. Socialism, however, has grown very rapidly, and the Socialistic Party in the United States is frequently successful. Some of our ablest scholars and investigators believe that Socialism will become prevalent, and that in it is vested many of the solutions to our economic problems.

Comparative Population of the United States

Increase Over Adjusted Census Preceding Census. P. C. Year. Population. Number. P. C. of Inc. 1910 91,972,266 15,977,691 21.0 21.0 1900 75,994,575 13,046,861 20.7 20.7 1890 62,947,714 12,791,931 25.5 24.9 1880 50,155,783 11,597,412 30.1 26.0 1870 38,558,371 7,115,050 22.6 26.6 1860 31,443,321 8,251,445 35.6 35.6 1850 23,191,876 6,122,423 35.9 35.9 1840 17,069,453 4,203,433 32.7 32.7 1830 12,866,020 3,227,567 33.5 33.5 1820 9,638,453 2,398,572 33.1 33.1 1810 7,239,881 1,931,398 36.4 36.4 1800 5,308,483 1,379,269 35.1 35.1 1790 3,929,214

Comparative Population of the Large Cities and Towns of the United States

1910 CLASS OF PLACES Number of Places Population

Continental United States 91,972,266 _All incorporated places_ 13,985 49,307,414 Places of 1,000,000 inhabitants or more 3 8,501,174 Places of 500,000 to 1,000,000 inhabitants 5 3,010,667 Places of 250,000 to 500,000 inhabitants 11 3,949,839 Places of 100,000 to 250,000 inhabitants 31 4,840,458 Places of 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants 59 4,178,915 Places of 25,000 to 50,000 inhabitants 117 3,971,624 Places of 10,000 to 25,000 inhabitants 346 5,215,820 Places of 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants 551 3,829,740 Places of 2,500 to 5,000 inhabitants 1,041 3,642,610 Places of less than 2,500 inhabitants 11,821 8,166,567

=Compass.=--The compass was unknown to civilization until the close of the twelfth century, but there appears to be good authority for the statement that it was used in China centuries before the European nations were aware of its power. The compass consists of a piece of steel, usually in the form of a needle, which has been magnetized so as to maintain its magnetism indefinitely. It is set on a piece of cork or rests lightly on a pivot, and if allowed to move freely, it will point towards the North Magnetic Pole, the opposite end of the needle indicating the South Magnetic Pole. The needle does not point to the Geographical Pole, but to the North Magnetic Pole, which is some degrees south of the former. The earth is a magnet, and the magnetic needle is influenced by the currents of the earth, and, therefore, points to the North under the influence of these currents. No compass is absolutely correct, for the needle does not always point to the North with a full degree of accuracy. It is subject to variations, which are caused by outside influences, like the presence of metallic substances. Without the compass, navigation would be unsafe, if not impossible, for no mariner, without it, would know the direction he is sailing in at night or during a cloudy day.

=Corsets.=--The corset, or something similar to what is now worn, appeared in France and Germany in the 13th century, and a 100 years later was introduced into England. The cloth was interwoven with rods of whalebone or steel, but when the price of whalebone increased, other stiffening rods were used.

=Cosmetics.=--Vaseline, cold cream, and glycerine are perfectly safe to use, although the latter irritates some skins. Most of the cosmetics upon the market, including many of those advertised to produce a good complexion, are practically worthless, and undoubtedly quite a number of them contain poisonous drugs and chemicals. The writer does not recall a cosmetic which contains any virtue not found in cold cream, vaseline, or glycerine. Most cosmetics are made of cold cream or vaseline, highly perfumed, and are claimed to possess special virtues. The only way to obtain a good complexion is to keep the skin in a healthy state by constant bathing and by massage, either with the hands or with a towel, with a moderate use of cold cream or other similar article. Nothing has ever been discovered which will restore the bloom of youth, and all articles advertised for that purpose are practically worthless. If they contain any "bloom," it is in the form of a dye or color. No one should use any concoction or salve other than cold cream, vaseline, glycerine, or an almond preparation, without the advice of a physician.

=Cost of the British Royal Family.=--The annuities paid by the British people to the Royal family for its support are as follows: The King and Queen, $2,350,000; Queen Alexandra, $350,000; Princess Christian, $30,000; Princess Louise (Duchess of Argyll), $30,000; Duke of Connaught, $125,000; Duchess of Edinburgh, $30,000; Princess Beatrice, $30,000; Duchess of Albany, $30,000; Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, $15,000; Trustees for King Edward VII's Daughters, $90,000; total, $2,790,000. The King also receives the revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster. During recent years these have amounted to about $350,000 per annum. The Prince of Wales has an income also from the revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall, amounting to about $500,000 per annum. When the Royal children marry dowries are usually provided for them. The last of the children of the late Queen Victoria to marry, Princess Beatrice, received $150,000 as dowry from the British people by Parliamentary grant.

=Cotton Gin.=--One of the three or four greatest inventions of civilization. It was invented by Eli Whitney in 1793. The machine separates the cotton wool from the seed, and automatically cleans it with great rapidity. Previously, the work was done by hand, a most tedious process.

=Cotton Industry.=--From 16,000,000 to 17,000,000 bales of cotton are sold each year, each bale weighing about 490 lbs.

=Cradle of American Liberty.=--A name given to Faneuil Hall, in Boston, Massachusetts, from the fact that many meetings were held here during Revolutionary days for the purpose of declaring the citizens' rights and protesting against the interference of England.

=Credit Mobilier.=--This consisted of a stock company, organized in 1863, for the purpose of constructing public works, including principally the building of the Union Pacific Railroad. Without going into the merits of the case, it may be said that this organization received much criticism, as it developed that many of the members of Congress were supposed to be connected with it. It is said that some of these members were corrupt and used this organization to feather their nest. It constituted, perhaps, the greatest national scandal, placing under suspicion, as it did, many of our so-called statesmen.

=Crusades.=--The name of wars carried on at intervals from 1095 to 1270 by the Christian nations of Europe against the Saracens, for the purpose of gaining possession of the Holy Land. There were eight Crusades, and the soldiers who engaged in them wore a cross on their breast or right shoulder as a sign of their religious faith. Hence the name Crusades from the Latin _crux_, cross.

=Crust of the Earth.=--Very little is known of the interior of the earth, except that it is supposed to be a molten mass. The aggregate thickness of the strata or rock-layers, as far as known, is less than thirty miles.

=Daguerreotypes.=--Early photography owes its origin to the discovery of the daguerreotype. A plate, made of thin copper or other metal, was covered with a silver preparation. This was placed directly in the camera, and there was no method of transfer, as there is from the ordinary photographic plate, from which innumerable prints may be taken. It went out of common use with the invention of the photographic plates and paper, and with the discovery of instantaneous photography. The taking of the daguerreotype required long exposure, which was decidedly objectionable, and the result was coarse and tame. After taking, the daguerreotype passed through acid solutions for the development and permanency of the picture.

=Damage by Lightning.=--Statistics vary, but considerably more than 6,000 buildings are injured by lightning every year, causing a loss of about $3,000,000. About 700 people are killed every year, and more than 800 are injured. It is said that lightning kills between 4,000 and 5,000 domestic animals a year, valued at about $130,000.

=Deaf and Dumb.=--About 90,000 of the inhabitants of the United States are deaf and dumb, more than half of that number being born with this affliction. Of this number about 47,000 are males, and somewhat over 43,000 females.

=Deeds.=--A deed is an instrument in writing, conveying real estate, with or without buildings upon it, from one party to another. All deeds should be registered. Printed forms, to be filled out, are for sale at stationers. It is better to employ a good lawyer or conveyancer.

=Dictionaries.=--Probably the first dictionary was produced in China, and was said to contain 40,000 characters. In the 15th and 16th centuries, encyclopedias were published. The first authoritative dictionary was in Latin, and was translated into eight languages about the year 1500. Chamber's Encyclopedia was published in 1728, and Johnson's famous English dictionary in 1755. Webster's American dictionary was first issued in 1828.

=Digestibility of Foods.=--Apples, sweet, raw, 1 hour, 30 minutes; Asparagus, boiled, 1 h., 30 m.; Beans, boiled, 2 h., 30 m.; Lean beef, roasted, 3 h.; Fresh salted beef, boiled 2 h., 45 m.; Old salted beef, boiled, 6 h.; Beets, boiled, 3h., 45 m.; Bread, fresh, 3h., 30 m.; Cabbage, pickled, 4 h., 30 m.; Celery, boiled, 1 h., 30 m.; Chicken, boiled, 2h.; Chicken, roasted, 4 h.; Cheese, old, 3h., 30 m.; Duck, roasted, 2 h.; Eggs, raw, 2h; Eggs, soft boiled, 3 h.; Eggs, hard boiled, 4 h.; Fish, boiled, 1 h., 30 m.; Fish, fried, 3 h.; Game (most kinds), roasted, 4 h., 15 m.; Liver (calves), fried, 2 h., 30 m.; Lamb, grilled, 2 h., 30 m.; Milk, raw, 3 h., 15 m.; Milk, boiled, 2 h.; Mutton, boiled and broiled, 3 h.; Nuts, 5 h.; Oysters, raw, 2 h., 55 m.; Oysters, stewed, 3 h., 30 m.; Onions, stewed, 3 h., 30 m.; Pork, fat, roasted, 5 h., 15 m.; Pork, salt, boiled, 3 h., 15 m.; Potatoes, fried or baked, 2 h., 30 m.; Rice, boiled, 1 h.; Sausage, grilled, 3 h., 30 m.; Tripe, boiled, 1 h.; Trout, boiled, 1 h., 30 m.; Turkey, roasted, 2 h., 30 m.; Veal, roast or grilled, 5 h.

Distances Between Cities in the United States

(Not air-line distances, but traveling distances.)

FROM New York Chicago Philadelphia St. Louis Boston Baltimore Cleveland Buffalo San Francisco Pittsburgh Cincinnati Milwaukee New Orleans Washington Minneapolis