The inter ocean curiosity shop for the year 1883

So well known now is this little annual cyclopedia of facts in agriculture, manufactures, commerce, politics, literature, science and the arts, that this sixth volume of OUR CUR...

_Answer._—The history of phrenology is embodied in the lives of its expounders. Although the prominent thinkers of mediæval Europe acknowledged many of its principles, it was no...

_Answer._—The Great Dipper only appears to revolve, owing to the revolution of the earth. Of course, it makes an apparent revolution every twenty-four hours, the same as the sun...

_Answer._—Why the magnetic needle points northward is not positively determined. There are several theories but none of them explain all the phenomena of the needle. That which...

It is said that the novels written by Alexander Dumas should be read in a particular order, each one being a continuation, as it were, or in some respects a sequel, to those pre...

_Answer._—Enos Thompson Throop, at one time very prominent in politics, was born at Johnstown, N. Y., Aug. 21, 1784. Choosing law as his profession, he was admitted to the bar i...

_Answer._—The fastest recorded railroad speed in the United States is given in the New York Clipper Almanac, as follows: The train which left West Philadelphia for Jersey City o...

In Our Curiosity Shop of Jan. 11, C. A. Sharp asks for the location of the Garden of Eden. The Bible tells us that “a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence...

_Answer._—This recent dramatical representation of the passion of Christ claims its origin and justification in sentiments akin to those which it is said inspired the old religi...

From the above data we have prepared the following table showing the average number of cords consumed for domestic purposes only (stated in cords and hundredths of a cord), the...

Nine-tenths of the persons who have inquired of me about Dakota land entries since my brief note in THE INTER OCEAN did not inclose stamps or postal cards for replies. I have an...

_Answer._—According to that eminent physicist, F. W. Rudler (see his contribution to the Encyclopedia Britannica on “Earthquakes”), “even at the present day, after all that has...

_Answer._—The steamer Lady Elgin was cut to the water’s edge by a sailing vessel named the Augusta, heavily loaded with lumber, which struck her amidships, during the night, Sep...

_Answer._—1. In 1799, after laying siege to the stronghold of Acre, Syria, for sixty-one days, Napoleon Bonaparte resolved to raise the siege and return to Egypt, where his pres...

_Answer._—In the constitutional convention of 1787 Mr. Pierce Butler, a delegate from South Carolina, moved the adoption of clause 3, section 2, article 4 of the Constitution, w...

_Answer._—Five of the greatest American statesmen concerned in the founding of this Republic were Washington, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, and John Adams. Seven of the most di...

_Answer._—The Bermudas were discovered successively by Juan Bermudez, a Spaniard, in 1522; Henry May, an Englishman, in 1593: and Sir George Somers in 1609; the discovery in eac...

_Answer._—The ordinary means of lighting and warming Esquimaux igloos, or winter huts, is a large basin of oil furnished with moss wick. These basins are scolloped from soapston...

_Answer._—“French pools” are sometimes called “Paris mutuals.” This system of betting consists of selling tickets on each horse at a certain price. On the race-courses of this c...

_Answer._—Giordano Bruno, the leader of the modern school of pantheistic philosophy, was born at Nola, Naples, about the middle of the sixteenth century. He joined the order of...

New Hampshire $282,595.51 Rhode Island 200,000.00 Massachusetts 3,981,733.05 Connecticut 1,600,000.00 New York 1,183,716.69 New Jersey 695,202.70 Pennsylvania 777,983.48 Delawar...

_Answer._—Asbestos is a fibrous, white, gray, or green mineral, not easily fusible. The most beautiful specimens come from Corsica and Savoy, though some are found in the Alps,...

_Answer._—A description of Washington Territory was given in answer to another subscriber a week ago. In Arkansas the land gradually rises from the Mississippi westward, reachin...

_Answer._—Among the old Greek legends is one that near the island of Caprera, in the Mediterranean Sea, there dwelt two—some versions say three—damsels whose music was so sweet...

_Answer._—No doubt it is sound policy to make use of convict labor for the public good and the improvement of the criminals themselves, but the real question is, How is this to...

_Answer._—The first chaplain of the Senate of the United States was the Rt. Rev. Samuel Provoost, of the Episcopal Church, Bishop of New York. The first chaplain of the House of...

_Answer._—After the union of church and state, during the reign of Constantine the Great, as the church attained great temporal power and wealth, imposing rites and ceremonies w...

_Answer._—The true name of this celebrated dwarf was Charles Heywood Stratton. He was born in Bridgeport, Conn., Jan. 4, 1838, and died at his residence, Middleboro, Mass., July...

_Answer._—Bull Run (first), July 21, 1861: North, General McDowell; killed, 481: South, General Beauregard; killed, unknown. Shiloh, April 7, 1862: North, General Grant; killed,...

_Answer._—The treaties made with Japan by foreign nations when that country was wholly unsophisticated in treaty-making and inexperienced in the laws of international commerce,...

_Answer._—He was Francis Edward James Keith, a Scotch nobleman, born at Inverngie Castle, Aberdeenshire, in 1696. He and his elder brother, the Earl Marischal, espoused the caus...

_Answer._—The divisions of time established by geologists are based upon the formations of strata and the advents of different forms of animal life. The history of the earth is...

2,100 Honolulu $75.00 $30.00 6,050 Auckland 200.00 100.00 6,625 Wellington 230.00 120.00 6,795 Lyttleton 235.00 122.50 7,000 Port Chalmers 240.00 125.00 7,200 Sydney 200.00 100....

_Answer._—Just as other American farmers are. First, by escaping direct taxation for the support of the General Government, a form of taxation that always bears on farmers and t...

Seeing an Inquirer, in the Curiosity Shop, asks information in regard to Arkansas, I will say that the Eastern Central portion of the State is nearly level, and very fertile. Al...

_Answer._—We first read of a Democratic party in 1807, with such men as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison for its leaders. It is sometimes referred to by historians as the “Dem...

1. When were the salaries of postmasters changed from a percentage on stamps sold to a percentage on stamps canceled? 2. What is the postage on newspapers to Great Britain? 3. C...

So much for the financial condition of France. As regards her ability to cope with England in the event of war, it is largely a matter of opinion. One hazards little in predicti...

In answer to H. H. H., of Chicago, who asks in Our Curiosity Shop which is the oldest lake craft now in service, I will say: The oldest lake craft now in service is said to be t...

_Answer._—The Salem witchcraft was only one of the results of the superstition, as old almost as man himself, that certain persons, through intimate connection with the spirit w...

_Answer._—The “Bad Lands,” or “Mauvaises Terres,” of the old French fur-traders’ dialect, are an extensive barren tract in Dakota, Wyoming, and Northwestern Nebraska, between th...

United States 93,000 Canada 6,145 Rest of N. America 1,738 Germany 21,275 Great Britain 17,696 France 15,375 Russia 14,698 Austria 12,160 Spain and Portugal 5,260 Scandinavia 5,...

_Answer._—John Halbig was born in Bavaria in 1814, and educated at the Munich Academy, where he is now professor of statuary. Since 1846 he has modeled more than 1,000 works, ch...

_Answer._—It says that you are nearer right than your friend. It is likely that he gets his notion from noting the total expenditures for the “military establishment” as given i...

_Answer._—The Chinese are indeed remarkably fond of proverbs. They not only employ them in conversation—and even to a greater degree than the Spaniards, who are noted among Euro...

It is to avert taking this large amount of spirits out of warehouse and throwing it upon the market more rapidly than it is called for that the distillers are so lustily petitio...

C. T. Smith, Braddyville, Iowa—The United States Government has erected a line of towers in Illinois on about the meridian of Urbana, and similar towers in other places, includi...

A Subscriber, Walnut, Iowa.—Whether persons who have been shipwrecked shall be carried free of charge upon other vessels is optional with the captains of said vessels. If landed...

Wm. G. Miller, Arkansas City, Kan.; No method of manufacturing merchantable diamonds has ever been discovered. A French chemist claims to have made very minute crystals of diamo...

1 Henry H. Bingham. 2 Charles O’Neill.[18] 3 _Samuel J. Randall._[18] 4 William D. Kelley.[18] 5 Alfred C. Harmer.[18] 6 James B. Everhart. 7 I. Newton Evans.[19] 8 _Daniel Erme...

GREAT BRITAIN— Agriculture in, 103 Carrying trade of, 103 Celts of, 43 Chief cities of, 131 Commerce of, 103 Debt of, 40 Emancipation in, 52 Franchise in, 81 High Court of, 157...

STATES— Debts of, 98 Formed from others, 62-63 Nicknames of, 181 Repudiating debts, 43-44 Returning to a Territory, 181 Security for U. S. loans, 79-80 Vote of in November, 1882...