Part 29

_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, 1,735; South General A. S. Johnston; killed, 1,728. Seven Pines and Fair Oaks, May 31 and June 1, 1862: North, General McClellan; killed, 890; South, General J. E. Johnston; killed, 2,800. Antietam, Sept. 16 and 17, 1862; North, General McClellan; killed, 2,010; South, General Lee; killed, 3,500. Chancellorsville, May 2 and 3, 1863: North, General Hooker; killed, 1,512: South, General Jackson; killed, 1,581. Gettysburg, July 1, 2, and 3, 1863; North, General Meade; killed, 2,834; South, General Lee; killed, 3,500. Vicksburg, July 3 and 4, 1863: North, General Grant; killed, 545: South, General Pemberton; killed, unknown. Chickamauga, Sept. 19-23, 1863: North, General Thomas; killed, 1,644; South, General Bragg; killed, 2,389. Wilderness, May 5, 6, and 7, 1864: North, General Grant; killed, 5,597; South, General Lee; killed, 2,000. Spottsylvania, May 8-21, 1864: North, General Grant; killed, 4,177; South, General Lee; killed, 1,000. The above figures are based on medical official returns, and do not agree with returns of Adjutant General. No two reports agree. Adjutant General makes killed at Wilderness 2,261, and at Spottsylvania 2,270; while General Meade’s report, based on reports immediately after the battle, states killed at Wilderness at 3,288; at Spottsylvania 2,146.

SILVER COINS AT A PREMIUM.

HEBRON, Ind.

Can you give a list of the United States silver coins that are at a premium?

FRANK RICHARDS.

_Answer._—There is a considerable demand for United States silver coins of rare issues to complete collections for coin cabinets. The following are quotations for a few of the rarer coins, taken from two coin price lists, one published in Chicago and the other in Reading, Pa.:

UNITED STATES DOLLARS.

Reading. Chicago. 1794, flowing hair $30.30 $12.50 1795, flowing hair 1.50 1.25 1795, fillet head 1.65 1.25 1796, fillet head 1.65 1.25 1797, fillet head, 6 stars facing 1.75 1.75 1797, fillet head, 7 stars facing 2.00 1.25 1798, fillet head, 13 stars, small eagle 4.75 1.25 1798, fillet head, 15 stars, small eagle 6.00 2.00 1798, 13 stars, large eagle 1.35 1.15 1799, 5 stars facing 2.25 1.40 1799, 6 stars facing 1.25 1.15 1800, spread eagle 1.45 1.25 1801, spread eagle 1.75 1.50 1802, spread eagle 1.45 1.35 1802 over 1801, spread eagle 1.50 1.35 1803, spread eagle 1.50 1.25 1804, excessively rare, “boss dollar” 500.00 200.00 1836, C. Gobrecht’s name in field 6.00 1836, flying eagle 3.00 1838, flying eagle 12.00 15.00 1839, flying eagle 18.00 15.00 1851, liberty seated 18.00 15.00 1852, liberty seated 18.00 15.00 1854, liberty seated 5.50 2.25 1855, liberty seated 3.25 2.00 1856, liberty seated 2.25 1.50 1857, liberty seated 2.75 1.50 1858, liberty seated 20.00 15.00

U. S. HALF DOLLARS.

1794, flowing hair, fair 3.50 2.00 1794, flowing hair, good 5.00 3.25 1796, fillet head, 15 stars 20.00 15.00 1796, fillet head, 16 stars 20.00 16.00 1797, fillet head, 15 stars 20.00 12.50 1801, fillet head 3.50 2.00 1802, fillet head 3.50 2.75 1815, head to left, good 3.50 2.60 1815, head to left, fine 5.00 3.50 1836, liberty cap, milled edge 2.00 2.00 1836, liberty cap, milled fine 2.50 2.50 1838, liberty cap, having “O” mark underhead 7.00 3.00 1852, liberty seated 2.50 1.50 1852, liberty seated, fine 3.50 2.00

QUARTER DOLLARS.

1796, fillet head, fair 2.00 1.75 1796, fillet head, good 3.50 2.00 1804, fillet head, fair 1.50 1.25 1804, fillet head, good 2.00 1.50 1823, head to left, fair 15.00 13.50 1823, head to left, good 25.00 20.00 1827, head to left, fair 15.00 17.50 1827, head to left, good 25.00 20.00 1853, liberty seated, without arrows 5.00 2.50

TWENTY-CENT PIECES.

1877 1.25 1878 1.50

DIMES.

1796, fillet head, fair .75 1.00 1796, fillet head, good 1.50 1.25 1797, 13 stars, fair 1.00 1.25 1897, 13 stars, good 1.75 1.75 1797, 16 stars, fair 1.00 1.25 1797, 16 stars, good 1.75 1.75 1798, fillet head, fair .75 1.00 1798, fillet head, good 1.00 1.50 1800, fillet head, fair .50 1.00 1800, fillet head, good .75 1.50 1801, fillet head, fair .75 1.00 1801, fillet head, good 1.00 1.50 1802, fillet head, fair 1.50 1.25 1802, fillet head, good 2.50 2.00 1803, fillet head, fair 1.25 .75 1803, fillet head, good 1.75 1.25 1804, fillet head, fair 4.00 1.75 1804, fillet head, good 5.50 2.00 1800, head to left 1.25 .60 1811, head to left .70 .60 1822, head to left, fair 1.50 1.50 1822, head to left, fine 2.00 2.00 1846, liberty seated 1.00 .50

HALF DIMES.

1794, flowing hair, fair 2.00 1.25 1794, flowing hair, good 3.00 2.00 1795, flowing hair, good .70 .50 1796, 15 stars, fillet head, fair 1.50 1.00 1796, 15 stars, fillet head, good 2.00 1.50 1797, 15 stars, fillet head, fair 2.50 .75 1797, 15 stars, fillet head, good 2.50 1.25 1797, 16 stars, fillet head, fair 1.50 .75 1797, 16 stars, fillet head, good 2.50 1.25 1800, fillet head, fair .40 .25 1800, fillet head, good .60 .50 1801, fillet head, fair 1.25 .75 1801, fillet head, good 2.00 1.25 1802, fillet head, fair 25.00 10.00 1802, fillet head, fine 40.00 30.00 1803, fillet head, fair 1.25 .75 1803, fillet head, good 2.25 1.25 1805, fillet head, fair 1.50 1.00 1805, fillet head, good 2.50 1.50 1846, liberty seated, without stars, fair 1.50 .50 1846, liberty seated, good 2.00 .75 1846, liberty seated, fine 2.00 1.00

SILVER THREE-CENT PIECES.

1863 .60 .25 1864 to 1869, inclusive .25 1870, large star in center .20 1871, large star in center .20 1872, large star in center .20 1873, large star in center .90 .60

Such quotations are subject to frequent fluctuations, but New York auction sales of old United States coins, reported from time to time, indicate that coin purchasers can make a fair profit on the above prices.

THE SALVATION ARMY.

BELLE RIVER, Wis.

Will the Curiosity Shop please to give some information regarding the “Salvation Army,” its origin, object, and modes of work?

W.

_Answer._—Eighteen years ago, when General Booth began his work in London as a Methodist minister to the artisan classes, he was confronted by the great question, how to bring the gospel to the hearts of the ignorant and degraded so as to make it a vital power. After many trials and failures he began the organization of what is now known as the Salvation Army numbering at present 320 corps, with 760 officers who give their entire time to the work, having over all a “general.” Their creed is the literal gospel, and it is preached by them in no less than 6,200 meetings a week. Their territory is divided into thirteen districts, each under the care of a “major,” who inspects and controls all the corps in his district. To each corps is assigned a “captain,” assisted by one or two “lieutenants,” who devote all their time to conducting meetings, visiting those enlisted, and organizing work among the unconverted. The system of promotion is slow and guarded. When a person professes a change of heart he must at once rise and confess it before his former associates. He is then placed under the supervision of the sergeant of the district in which he resides, whose duty it is to report him to the captain if he fails in the proper performance of any religious duty. He must always wear the letter S in some conspicuous place, and is soon given the charge of a part or the whole of a street. If faithful in these duties, godly in character, and of good general ability, he may be recommended by his captain for promotion. The major refers him to the general, and if he answers satisfactorily a long list of questions asked him by the latter he is sent to the “training barracks” at Clapton, whence, after from six weeks to three months, he is dispatched to some distant field as lieutenant. Each officer is expected to lead from nineteen to twenty-five meetings a week, and spend eighteen hours in visiting families. The army has become so large that the management of affairs devolves upon the majors. Its property is held by an attorney in the name of the general. All who are able must contribute toward the general expenses, and most of the corps are now self-supporting. The salaries are met by general subscription.

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF BRITISH ARMIES.

CHICAGO, Ill.

Who is the present Duke of Cambridge, Commander-in-chief of the British armies? Please give an outline of his career.

INQUIRER.

_Answer._—He is first cousin to Queen Victoria; being the son of Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, tenth child of George III., of whom Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, the Queen’s father, was fifth child. He succeeded to the title of his father, July 8, 1850. In 1837 he was promoted to a colonelcy in the British army. In 1854 he was Lieutenant General commanding the first division sent to aid Turkey against Russia in what is known as the Crimean war. He led the troops at Alma and Inkerman. There was a good deal of dissatisfaction expressed at the slow progress of the war, and under the plea of ill-health he returned to England, where, in 1856, he succeeded Viscount Hardinge as Commander-in-chief. In 1862 he was raised to the rank of Field Marshal. He has never married, but—like his Uncle William IV., who lived for many years with Mrs. Jordan, the actress, rearing a numerous illegitimate family by her, and his Uncle Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, who, in violation of the royal marriage act, married a subject, the Lady Augusta Murray, who bore him two illegitimate children—he has persistently lived for many years with Miss Fairbrother, once known as a beautiful actress, by whom he has several illegitimate children, well provided for out of his large income.

THE ANTIQUITY OF MAN.

BRUSHY PRAIRIE, Md.

Please give a synopsis of the observations and opinions of the best geologists of the present time as to the antiquity of man upon the earth.

R. ASHLEY.

_Answer._—To summarize the earliest recorded geological evidences of man’s life as briefly as possible it may be said: 1. In the words of Professor Archibald Geikie, of Edinburgh University, “The geological deposits which contain the history of the human period are cavern loam, river alluvia, lake bottoms, peat mosses, and other superficial accumulations.” Human remains are not found imbedded in stratified rock, as in the cases of the fossilized plants and animals of the lower orders. The entire period in which any supposed evidences of the existence of man have been discovered is the Miocene or middle epoch of the Tertiary period. They consist of a few flint flakes, fancied to have been used, possibly, as human implements, but so roughly shaped that it is admitted they may be simply natural; and some bones of animals, scratched as if scraped by men, but more probably by the teeth of wild animals. No geologist of high repute acknowledges any of these crude objects and marks as proof of the existence of man in the Miocene period. It has been claimed that traces of man were found in California, in Calaveras County, and on Table Mountain, in the next later formation, the Pliocene. But M. Favre, reviewing the whole subject up to 1870, and Mr. Evans, President of the Geological Society of London, still later, in 1875, declare that the existence of man in any epoch of the Tertiary period is unproved. 2. The next period is the Quaternary, which immediately precedes the geological epoch in which we are living, known as the “recent epoch.” The Quaternary period is subdivided into three epochs, of which the earliest was the “glacial,” the second the “champlain,” and the third the “terrace.” During the first of these the northern regions of Europe, Asia, and America appear to have been capped with ice down to about the latitude of 40 degrees north. During the second the glaciers melted, the ice cap receded toward the pole, and the greater part of the now cultivable regions of the northern hemisphere were flooded with seas and lakes, underneath which heavy sedimentary deposits were found. During the third epoch land continued to rise; the lakes were drained off; mighty rivers took the place of many of the lakes, cutting deep channels through the old flood plain-deposits left by glaciers and lakes, and leaving terraces or bluffs, such as are seen along the Mississippi, Missouri, and other great rivers. In this formation, in the terraces of the river Somme, near Abbeville, M. Boucher de Perthes discovered, about 1858, chipped flints, associated with the bones of the mammoth, rhinoceros, hyena, horse, etc., which are generally regarded as human implements. Similar discoveries were made at Hoxne, England, in strata underlying the higher level river-gravels, but overlying the glacier deposit, which seems to fix this discovery in the champlain epoch. A well-shaped human skull was found in a cave at Engis, near Liege, Belgium, associated with bones of extinct and living species, beneath a crust of stalagmite, which are believed to belong to the middle or latter part of the Quaternary period. Near Nice, in a cave at Mentone, a few years ago, was found the skeleton of a man, associated with the bones of the cave-bear and the cave-lion—long extinct in that region—and the bones of living species, such as the reindeer and stag, with twenty-two perforated teeth of the stag lying around his head as if they had been worn as a necklace. In what is called the Aurignac cave in France were found seventeen human skeletons of both sexes and all sizes, along with entire bones of extinct animals, and human implements and ornaments. The cave was closed up with a slab, and outside of it was a deposit of ashes and cinders, with burnt and split and knawed bones of extinct animals, covered with talus, or a sloping heap of broken rock and earth. Coming down from these discoveries to those of apparently later times, the habitations of more civilized men have been discovered in what are called the “lake dwellings” of Switzerland, of New Guinea, South America, and in some parts of Africa. Such are the chief indications of the antiquity of man, reckoned by geological periods and epochs; but how to reduce these latter to years is still an unsolved problem; so much so that some geologists claim that the beginning of the terrace epoch, which, as above shown, contains the earliest well-defined human remains, does not extend back more than 7,000 to 10,000 years, while others date it back from 50,000 to 60,000 years. Professor Le Conte sums up his review of this question by saying: “In conclusion, we may say that we have as yet no certain knowledge of man’s time on the earth. It may be 100,000 years, or it may be only 10,000, but more probably the former than the latter.” The fact that the deposits in which human remains and implements have been discovered are all confessedly “superficial” gives opportunity for unending disputations as to the origin of such remains, the date of their deposit, and the time requisite to produce subsequent physical changes.

PALACE OF THE CÆSARS.

MULBERRY, Ind.

Please give a description of the Palace of the Cæsars and the “Golden House” of Nero. How far were they apart, and how much did they cost?

J. J. R.

_Answer._—The Palace of the Cæsars, if we judge from the Latin authors, was of all palaces of its time the most magnificent. The palace of Augustus, built upon the site of the houses of Cicero and Catiline, was its beginning, and each succeeding Emperor altered and improved it. Tiberius and Caligula enlarged it, Nero added his Golden House, and Titus used the portion on the Esquiline Hill for his famous baths. It is now a mass of shapeless ruins, extending over three hills of Rome, and covering an area 1,500 feet in length and 1,300 feet in width, giving no hint of what it once was in architecture or embellishment. All is left to the imagination of the poet except the beauty of the Golden House, which soon outrivaled the splendor of the older palace of which it was a part. It is said to have been the houses of Augustus and Maecenas connected by arches and columns, and it extended over the Palatine, Esquiline, and Cælian Hills of Rome. The interior was covered with gold and precious stones, and adorned with the finest paintings and statuary that the world afforded. The circular banquet hall, perpetually revolving in imitation of the apparent motion of the sun about the earth, had vaulted iron ceilings, which, opening, scattered flowers upon the guests, and golden pipes through which ran sweet perfumes. In the vestibule stood Nero’s statue, 120 feet in height. The palace was surrounded by a triple portico a mile in length, and supported by a thousand columns, and within this lay an immense lake, whose banks were bordered by great buildings, each representing a little city, about which lay green pastures and groves, where sported “all animals, both tame and wild.” It is impossible to learn how much these palaces cost. They were not far apart, but reference to Tacitus Annals shows that they were distinct structures.

HOMEOPATHY IN THE UNITED STATES.

CAMBRIDGE, Ill.

Please inform me, if you can, who was the first teacher of homeopathy in this country, and the extent to which the practice of it has spread.

W. N. BOYER, M. D.

_Answer._—It is generally conceded that Hans B. Gram, a native of Boston, who studied in Denmark, introduced homeopathy into the United States in the year 1825. There are now twelve colleges of this school of medicine in this country, graduating from 300 to 400 students a year—380 in 1880—45 homeopathic dispensaries; over 30 hospitals; 15 periodicals devoted to this practice; and about 7,500 physicians and surgeons.

NEBRASKA AND LINCOLN’S MONUMENT.

FREMONT, Neb.

To settle a dispute, state whether Nebraska voted $500 toward the National Lincoln Monument at Springfield, Ill., and then took it back, or refused to pay it over to the Monument Association.

A. C. F.

_Answer._—By an act approved Feb. 15, 1869, the Legislature of Nebraska appropriated $500 “to aid in the construction of the National Lincoln Monument at or near Springfield, Ill.” In September, 1882, when visiting the monument, the Hon. Isham Reavis, of Falls City, Neb., who voted for this appropriation, learned incidentally from Mr. J. C. Power, the custodian, that the Association had never received the money. On his return to Nebraska he went to Lincoln, and by examination of the Auditor’s books found that the $500 had never been remitted, and that in due time it had by operation of law been covered back into the treasury with other unexpended balances. With the hearty co-operation of the Hon. C. H. Gere, of the _Nebraska State Journal_, who as a member of the Senate had participated in the act of appropriation, Judge Reavis induced leading members of the last Legislature to revive the appropriation. The Legislature of New York had set an example some time before by the reappropriation of the $10,000 which it had voted to the monument, but which had been permitted to lapse before it had been called for. Having been informed that the monument was then about complete, that the association was not in debt, and that the receipts from visitors for admission to the monument pay all current expenses, but that if the Nebraska appropriation was paid over it would be used in embellishing the nine acres of ground surrounding the monument, the Legislature, on or about Feb. 23, 1883, reappropriated the original amount of $500. After all, therefore, Nebraska has a share in this splendid memorial to the immortal Lincoln.

LOW TARIFF AND FIAT MONEY.

EMPORIA, Kan.

Your reply to J. R. Thompson has awakened in my mind a desire to know more about the Japanese currency and financial conditions. What led to the issue of the Japanese “fiat money,” as you call it? Was this paper money “convertible?” What was it based on? When was it redeemable, and how? What was the financial standing of the government at the time, and what is it now?

E. D. HUMPHREY.