man.

Barrett Cheever, D. D., a Congregational clergyHe has written several popular books of travel and biography, among which are the "Island World of the Pacific" and "Life in the 1 Sandwich Islands."

HARI-KARI-THE BOOMERANG.

LIDA, Kan., March 13, 1880. 1. What kind of a death is "hari-kari," and by what tribe or nation is it practiced? 2. Is the weapon called "boomerang" a myth; if not, what savage tribe or na tion use it? J. G. F.

Answer.-1. It is a form of suicide performed ir Japan by cutting open the abdomen by two crosswise cuts with a short sword. Nearly all Japanese officials carry on their person two swords; one long, to fight an enemy with, and the other short to perform bari-kari with, if their own honor is at all damaged. It is a very common practice, as by so doing a man's honor is saved. Officials are often commanded to kill themselves by this method when by any act they have fallen into disgrace, and by 80 doing their children inherit all their property and their father's position, but not so if the suicide has taken place unbidden. Persons who have suffered unendurable affront, which cannot otherwise be satisfied, sometimes kill themselves in this way, and thus satisfy their revenge on their enemy. 2. The boomerang is an instrument used in war and in he chase by the aborigines of Australia. It is about two feet in length, flat on one side and rounded on the other, and is made of hard wood bent into a curve nearly resembling an obtuse angle. The method of using this remarkable weapon is verv peculiar. It is taken by one end with the bulged side downward, and thrown forward as if to hit some object twenty-five yards in advance. Instead of continuing to go directly forward, as would naturally be expected, it slowly ascends in the air, whirling round and round, and describing a curved line till it reaches & considerable height, when it begins to retrograde, and finally sweeps over the head of the projector and falls behind him. This surprising motion is produced by the reaction of the air upon a missile of this peculiar shape. The Australians are said to be very dextrous in hitting birds and other small animals, as being behind the thrower they are unaware that they are the object of attack.

If so,

CHARACTERS IN "LITTLE WOMEN.' GREELEY, Iowa. March 10, 1880. 1. Was there such a person as "Laurie?" If so, did he marry "Amy?" What became of him, and give his real name? Is Louisa M. Alcott married? what is her name? LOUISA M. STRONG. Answer.-1. It has been stated that Miss Alcott's sisters and their play-fellows suggested the characters in "Little Women," but this does not imply that she gave in that story the history of members of her own family. Her sisters probably suggested the characters, and then home life gave color to the narrative. Many things have led people to suspect that in "Jo" Miss Alcott gave glimpses of her own experience as a girl, but in carrying "Jo" forward in story she gave her, as & woman, experience wholly unlike her "Jo" marries and has a family of her own. Miss Louisa M. Alcott is still unmarried. So it is said that May Alcott, Louisa's youngest sister, who had artistic aspirations and went to Europe, suggested the character of "Amy" in "Little

the

an own.

Women." But the experience of Amy was not like that of May. Amy went abroad and married young Lawrence, who had played the lover to Jo and been rejected. May Alcott, after studying painting under William M. Hunt, of Boston, went abroad, and years after "Little Women" was published married Mr. Ernest Nierison, the son of a Swiss banker. She did not return to this country, but resided with her husband in Paris, where she died last December. No one has the right to say that any of the characters in "Little Women" were portraits from life. They are the creations of the author, and must, in simple justice, be so regarded.

SAGO AND PARKS.

WOODHULL, April 5, 1880. 1. What is sago made from and the description of its manufacture? 2. What are the largest parks in the world? 3. What is the area of Norway and Sweden? HONEST JOHN.

Answer.-1. Sago is a variety of starch obtained from the pith of the stem of the sagopalm, an East Indian tree, which grows in low lands in all the islands of that part of the world. It is a low tree, with a thick trunk, of which the woody part is an inch or two only in thickness, the whole cavity being filled, at a certain stage of its growth, with the farinaceous pith. This is mixed with water, which is passed through sieves, and the starchy matter is allowed to settle. The two most important varieties are the common and the pearl sago. 2. The national parks of the United States are the largest. 3. Sweden, 170,979 square miles; Norway, 122,280.

Answer.-1. Eighty-two degrees and fifty minutes, by Parry, in 1827. 2. Columbus sailed on his third voyage to the new world in 1498, and found the colony there very much disorganized. A commissioner was sent from Spain to inquire into the difficulties. His first act was to put Columbus in chains. The great indignation expressed throughout Spain caused the King to disclaim having ever authorized such proceedings. Columbus sailed from Cadiz in 1502 to search for a passage through what is now the Gulf of Mexico, and after coasting about for some time, and suffering much from famine and hardship, he returned home, where he lay sick some months, and being broken down in bodily strength, and having, in his own words, "no place to repair to except an inn, and often with nothing to pay for his sustenance," the discoverer of the new world died in the act of repeating the words, in Latin, "Lord, unto Thy hands I commit my spirit."

SAN MARINO.

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind., March 6, 1880. Is there a republic in Europe known by the name of San Marino? If so, when and by whom was it founded? In what part of Europe is it? O. E. REYNOLDS.

Answer.-San Marino, the oldest and smallest republic in the world, is situated in Eastern Central Italy, and is governed by a legislative senate of 60 members, elected for life; an executive council of 12, two-thirds of whom go out every year, and two presidents, elected for six months. The territory of the republic is 22 square miles in extent, and embraces five small villages, with a population in 1874 of 7,816

The capital, of the same name, is perched on the crest of a mountain 2,635 feet above the sea, and commands a splendid view of the Appenines on one side, and at sunrise of the Dalmatian coast, across the Adriatic, on the other. It is said to have been founded early in the fourth century by St. Marinus, a converted stonemason, who fled from Remini (thirteen miles north) during the Diocletian persecution. There is a standing army of 131 officers and 819 men, and it has an annual revenue of about $22,000. The principal products are fruit, silkworms, and wine. This little republic exists, of course, by the sufferance of its powerful neighbors, but owes much also to the good sense and energy of its citizens, the most distinguished of whom has been Antonio Onofri, a contemporary of the First Napoleon. There is a history of the republic by Melchiorre Delfico.

85 feet. It is supposed that a large part of the space inclosed by them was occupied by gardens, orchards, and open fields. Its site is partly occupied by the modern town of Hillah, which has now 7,000 inhabitants. The ruins of Babylon, however, strictly speaking, consist mainly of three mounds-Babel, the Kasr, and a mondu now called Amrau.

IMMIGRATION FROM NORWAY AND SWEDEN. CHICAGO, March 23, 1880. Please give us the estimate of the immigration from Sweden and Norway for the last twenty-five years. B. R.

Answer.-From 1820 to 1830 there were from the two countries 94 persons: from 1830 to 1840 1,201; from 1840 to 1850, 13,903; from 1850 to 1860, 20,931; from 1860 to 1870, 117,799, and from 1870 to 1878, 110,564. During last period 64,176 were from Sweden, and 66,388 from Norway.

GENERAL WILLIAM NELSON. WILLMATHSVILLE, Mo., March 29, 1880. Please give us a short biography of General William Nelson. W. N. WHEATCRAFT. Answer.-General William Nelson, was born in 1825 at Maysville, Ky. He entered the navy in 1840; served in the Mediterranean and South Pacific squadrons; participated in the siege of Vera Cruz, 1847; was made Lieutenant Commander in 1861, and commanded the gunboats in the Ohio River, but soon exchanged the naval for the military service; was made Brigadier General Sept. 16, 1861; organized Camp Dick Robinson and another at Washington, Mason County; was successful in engagements in Eastern Kentucky; commanded the second division of General Buell's army at Shiloh; wounded at the battle of Richmond, Ky.; placed in command at Louisville when threatened by General Bragg; made Major General of volunteers in July, 1862, and was shot dead by General J. C. Davis in an altercation at the Galt House, Louisville, Sept. 29, 1862.

INDUCTION OF MAGNETS.

VOLGA CITY, Iowa, March, 5, 1880. Can you inform me how to make a horseshoe magnet, or rather how to temper the steel and charge it with electricity? I have a large electric battery, but can't charge the horseshoe magnet. J. W. WHIPPLE.

Answer.-The bar may be hardened by heating to a red or white heat, and suddenly cooling by plunging it into cold water. The simplest and probably best manner to charge the magnet in this case will be to wind it with an insulated copper wire, and connect the wires with opposite poles of your battery, occasionally breaking the circuit. This can be best done by dipping one of the wires in mercury. magnet can be much more readily charged when soft than after it has been hardened, but it will not retain its power so long. A small soft iron bar should be placed across the two ends of the horseshoe to retain its power.

CITY OF BABYLON.

The

MANTENO. Ill., March 28, 1880. Give the size of the city of Babylon, number of population, and size of wall which surrounded the city. W. S.C.

Answer.-Babylon, an ancient city of Chaldea, was situated in the plain of Shinar, on both sides of the river Euphrates. The form of the city was a square, each side of which was 120 stadia (about fourteen miles) in extent; that was inclosed by brick walls, the height of which was About 335 English feet, and the thickness about

OLD AMERICAN COINS.

CAPRON, Ill., March 14, 1880. Will you let me know if there is anybody in Chicago that buys old coins, and the dates that are the most valuable. JAMES S. ROWE. Answer.-There is no one in Chicago that we know of who makes a business of buying or selling old coins. A few weeks ago we gave an article in "Our Curiosity Shop" on old European coinage. We will now give the list of the old United States coins up to present date, and the prices usually paid for them by dealers in oid coins. In some cases a private collector might pay more to complete his collection: 1793-Half cent, 75 cents; one cent, $2. 1794-Half cent, 20 cents; one cent, 10 cents; five cents, $1.25; fifty cents, $3; one dollar, $10. 1795-Half cent, 5 cents; one cent, 5 cents; five cents, 25 cents; fifty cents, 55 cents; one dollar, $1.25. 1796-Half cent, $5; one cent, 10 cents; five cents, $1; ten cents, 50 cents; twenty-five cents, $1; fifty cents, $10; one dollar, $1.50. 1797-Half cent, 5 cents; one cent, 5 cents; five cents, 50 cents; ten cents, $1; fifty cents, $10; one dollar, $1.50. 1798One cent, 5 cents; ten cents, $1r one dollar, $1.50. 1799-One cent, $5; one dollar, $1.60. 1800-Half cent, 5 cents; one cent, 3 cents; five cents, 25 cents; ten cents, $1; one dollar, $1.10. 1801-One cent, 3 cents; five cents, $1; ten cents, $1; fifty cents, $2; one dollar, $1.25. 1802-Half cent, 50 cents; one cent, 2 cents; ten cents, $1; fifty cents, $2; one dollar, $1.25. 1803-Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, 2 cents; five cents, $10; ten cents, $1; one dollar, $1.10. 1804-Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, $2; five cents, 75 cents; ten cents, $2; twentyfive cents, 75 cents; one dollar, $100. 1805-Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, 3 cents; five cents, $1.50; ten cents, 25 cents. 1806--Half-cent, 2 cents; one cent, 3 cents. 1807 -Half-cent, 2 cents; one cent, 3 ceuts; ten cents, 25 cents. 1808-Half-cent, 2 cents; one cent, 5 cents. 1809-Half-cent, 1 cent; one cent, 25 cents; ten cents, 50 cents. 1810-Half-cent, 5 cents; one cent, 5 cents. 1811-Half-cent, 25cents; one cent, 10 cents; ten cents, 50 cents. 1812-One cent, 2 cents. 1813-One cent, 5 cents. 1815-Fifty cents, $5. 1821-One cent, 5 cents. 1822-Ten cents, $1. 1823-One cent,

5 cents; twenty-five cents, $10. 1824-Twentyfive cents, 40 cents. 1825-Half-cent, 2 cents. 1826-Half-cent, 2 cents; one cent, 50 cents. 1827-One cent, 3 cents: twenty-five cents,

$10. 1828-Half-cent, 1 cent; twenty-five cents, 30 cents. 1829-Half-cent, 2 cents. 1830-Half cent, 2 cents. 1832-33-'34-Half cent, 2 cents. 1835-Half cent, 1 cent. 1836Fifty cents, $3; one dollar, $3. 1838-Ten cents, 25 cents. 1839-One dollar, $10. 1846-Five cents, 50 cents. 1849-'50-Half cent, 5 cents. 1851-Half cent, 1 cent; twenty-five cents, 30 cents; one dollar, $10.90. 1852-Twenty-five

cents, 30 cents; fifty cents, $2; one dollar, $10. 1853-Half cent, 1 cent; twenty cents (with no arrows), $2.50; one dollar, $1.25. 1854-Half cent, 2 cents; one dollar, $2. 1855-'57

Half cent, 5 cents; one dollar, $1.50. 1856-Half cent, 5 cents; one dollar, $1.50. 1858-One dollar, $10. 1863-4-5Three cents, 25 cents. 1866-Half cent, 6 cents; three cents, 25 cents; five cents, 10 cents; twenty-five cents, 30 cents. 1867-Three cents, 25 cents: five cents, 10 cents. 1868-9-Three cents, 25 cents. 1870-Three cents, 15 cents. 1871-Two cents, 10 cents; three cents, 25 cents. 1873-Two cents, 50 cents; three cents, 50 cents. 1877-8-Twenty cents, $1.50. These prices are for good ordinary coins without holes. Fine specimens are worth more.

MOSES

MIDIANITES-METEMPSYCHOSIS.

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., March 15, 1880. 1. Did Moses write the first five books of the Old Testament? 2. If so, why does he speak of himself in the third person? 3. How was it possible for Moses to write an account of his own death and burial? 4. What was the religion of the Midianites when Moses was with them? 5. When did the Egyptians first get any idea of the soul's immortality, and of heaven and hell? LANE & DAWSON.

Answer.-The above questions were referred to the Rev. Henry G. Perry, a prominent divine of this city, who replies to them in the following words: "It is not the intent, nor is there space here elaborately to discuss these topics of query in particular, so much as to meet them in a measure to satisfy such through search and response, touching Holy Scripture, the expressed belief explained thus of interest, the interrogatives enumerated seek to elicit. 1. To Moses the writing of the Pentateuch (first five books in the Bible) is attributed, as so believed by Jew and Christian. It is said, without exception, till some centuries since, one Aben Ezra caviled over a few passages. His strictures, however, termed frivolous, we are told, of reason, cannot retire the fact that the Pentateuch was penned but by Moses. Of a sample objection, to be explicit, that Moses could not have done all this work upon stone, as the sole existing material to indite on: Greppo, on Champollion's Hieroglyphic System, claims that Moses may have used papyrus, and points to an Egyptian manuscript in the Turin Museum of an act in III. Thouthmosis' time, before Moses some centuries. The five books of Moses, so called, are about a 2,500 years' history. And to him, of high authority, is said: We owe our knowledge of the the world's beginning, of the first parents of mankind, inventors of arts, original of nations, the founders of kingdoms and empires, institution of laws, formation of religious rites, and of ancient mythology. And, it is added, as most considerable, the means of propagating that sense of God, and of religion, mankind brought into the world with them, and how it came to be corrupted. We conclude, as for admonition,

how horrible the day would be, to find us without God in the world; if given over and left to ourselves utterly, darkened humanity, without Divine revelation, which the canon of inspired Scripture contains, conveys, and certifies.

2. Manner of expression, and of fact, simply individualizing, e. g.: “And Moses said;” “And Moses and Aaron did," thus and so.

3. That he knew, as to "Moses, the servant of the Lord," communicated; q. v. Deuteronomy, xxxiv., 4, of a sequence-last, of the Pentateuch, as conclusive-the complement, and narrative, but prefatory of Joshua following viz.. "After the death of Moses." [Vide Joshua, i., 1.] 4. One of Abraham's sons by Keturah was Midian, whence Midianits (in Arabia Petra) was named. To which, however, if originally the term "good people" were applied, they evidently had erred from the faith, if not fallen into practices more or less incident to their abnormal surroundings and outgrowth. Hence the dubious comment conclusive; the Midianites "at least had some good governors and families among them, as appears by what follows," only of a se quence, tha was not maltreated by them. In fine, that they appear as though idolatrously inclined, not to be too exclusively definite in religious technicality. The gloss serves simply, so to speak, saving the skirts of Jethro and his family, viz': It is most likely, this prince (or priest) was a worshiper of the true God, and not an idolater: for Moses, we may be confident, would not have married Jethro's daughter had she been bred in a false religion.

5. From the religion of the ancient people of India-in which, we learn, the first traces of a belief in a transmigration of the soul are found -such belief passed into the secret doctrine of the Egyptian caste of priests, that the soul had to continue 3,000 years after death in the bodies of animals ere reaching the habitations of the blest. This was, in other phraseology, metempsychosis; though, it is alleged, the idea of the soul as a pure intelligence was unknown to the Egyptians—a complex, indefinite, and mest unsatisfactory view of the "spiritual" at best, to which our revealed religion is in striking contrast.

EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES.

CHICAGO, March 2, 1880. In your answer to No. 6.902, you say that on Jan. 1, 1863. the President issued a proclamation declaring the freedom of all slaves that were in the States that were then in rebellion against the government of the United States, except such portions of States as were held by the Federal Government. Will you please state what portions of States were loyal at that time, and how the slaves were freed that were held by loyal owners, and did the government idemnify them for the loss of their slaves? J. L. SMITH.

Answer.-The States referred to were Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, to all or parts of such States as were not in rebellion at the time of the emancipation, Jan. 1, 1863. The only slaves that were paid for were in the District of Columbia. A bill passed both houses, and was signed by the President on the 16th of April, 1862, abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia, and allowing an average payment to slave owners of $300 as compensation for each slave. A like bill to compensate slave holders in States not in rebellion where slavery existed was defeated in the House of Representatives by the Democrats and the mem

not

On

bers from the border States who were friends of the Administration. This was the last effort to compensate the loyal States for the emancipation of their slaves. On June 19, 1862, slavery was prohibited in all the Territories. Jan. 1, 1863, in the States in rebellion. The bill proposing the amendment to the constitution abolishing slavery in the United States, was passed Jan. 31, 1865, but was not a law until ratified by two-thirds the States, when it became a part of the Constitution.

WEALTH.

MONROE, Wis., March 1, 1880. 1. What is the value of church property in the United States? 2. What is the value of all the railroads in the United States? 3. What is the value of all the liquors in this country per year? A. L. TULL. Answer.-1. The value of church property in the United States is $354,483,581. 2. The capital and funded debt is $4,468,591,935. 3. $91,897,776, to which may be added $4,000,000, the value of what is imported, but, in return, a portion of the home manufacture is sent abroad.

Answer.-1. There were 1,903,541 tons of grain shipped East by the lakes and 1,233,491 ons by the railroads. In connection with this we will add that there were 35,765 tons of animals and their products shipped over the same by the lakes and 1,157,652 tons by rail. 2. According to the latest reports Maine produced, $11,718,122 worth; Wisconsin, $15,744,989, and Minnesota, $4,538,804.

LENGTH OF HUMAN LIFE.

AURORA, Ill., Feb. 21, 1880. Is the average length of human life on the increase? THOS. E. BOYCE.

Answer.-The average length of life is now placed on as reliable statistics as have been obtained so far on vitality, at thirty-three years. About a quarter of a century ago it was held that thirty years was the average age of human life. Whether the change has been wrought by improved medical knowledge or by more perfect statistics is a debatable question.

STANDARD OF COINAGE.

PORTAGE, Mich., Feb. 26, 1880. Please explain the standards of coin. R. EADER. Answer.-The standard fineness of coinage throughout nearly all of the countries is nine parts gold and one part alloy, and silver in the same proportion. The standard weight in this country is the brass troy-pound weight procured by the Minister of the United States, in London, in 1827, for the use of the mint.

THE BRANDED HAND.

FOOSLAND, Ill., Feb. 25, 1880. Who was it that was branded (S.) on the hand for slave-stealing,who branded him, and what country was he branded in?

Answer.-Captain Jonathan Walker. He was branded in the jail at Pensacola, Florida, in 1844.

For full particulars see THE WEEKLY INTER OCEAN of August 8, 1878.

FIVE SUNDAYS IN FEBRUARY.

AMBOY, Ill., March 25, 1880. I rise to answer question 7,073-how often does February have five Sundays and when will the next occur? Answer-During the century once in twenty-eight years, which is a solar cycle. It occurred twenty-eight years ago, in 1852. and

twenty-eight years before that, 1824, but before 1824 it was forty years' space or 1784. Same number of years will intervene from the year 1880, which will be in 1920 the next time.

The reason it does not occur in twenty-eight years from 1880 is that the year 1900 is not a leap year; if it was, it would reoccur in 1908. You will notice that all the years named in which it has occurred the Dominical letters were D. C., which must be the case every time, and 1900, not being a leap year, uses only one letter. This causes the letters to spread, and it takes till 1920 before D. C. comes in for leap year. From this time out it runs through two centuries without interruption once in twenty eight years, because the year 2000 will be leap year. So it will take till the year 2100 before the solar cycle is disturbed again. There the forty years are repeated. The 4th of March for the inauguration of the President and Vice-President of the United States occurs on Sunday precisely in the same order. C. W. YOUNGGREN.

METEORIC SHOWER OF NOVEMBER. FISH CREEK, Wis., Feb. 22, 1880. Was the predicted meteoric shower of November, 1879, visible in this country? J. H. Answer-It was only slightly visible in this country. It was principally confined to Asia.

RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP.

WAYNESVILLE, Ill., March 20, 1880. In February, 1879, myself and family went to Kansas, intending to stay if we liked it, otherwise to return. Not liking it sufficiently well to make it our future home, I sent my family back in November, 1879, and followed them in January, 1880. The Democrats are boasting that I cannot vote at any of the elections this year. I claim that I can vote, not only for Grant in November, but at the spring elections. Please inform me whether I can vote. Was not out of the State a year, so think I did not lose my residence,

CHAS. E. EVANS. Answer.-Accepting your statement that you had no settled intention of changing your place of residence, and provided you did nothing inconsistent with this declaration (such as voting in Kansas), you are entitled to vote at any and all of these elections. The Supreme Court has so decided, in the case of Wilkins vs. Marshall, 80th Illinois, page 77, appealed from the County Court of Peoria County, and heard by the Supreme Court at Ottawa, September term, 1875, Mr. Justice Breese (Democrat) giving the opinion of the court. We copy the following from the decision: "We gather from all the testimony in the case the strong impression, if appellant could find, in his journeyings, a better climate than this, and other things suited, he would take up his residence in it. Not finding such, after an exploration of seven months, he returned to his old home, and we cannot say he had forfeited it as his residence by means thereof, as he had gained no other residence. We think it quite clear, from the testimony, that appellant did not leave this State with the settled intention of becoming a resident elsewhere. It was only conditional, and so long as it remained conditional, his residence

SMITHSONIAN-GEORGE PEABODY.

HUNTER, Ill. 1. Give a short sketch of the Smithsonian Institute. 2. A biography of George Peabody, the philanthropist. WM. THORNTON.

Answer-1. The Smithsonian Institution is established in Washington, D. C., and was organized by an act of Congress in April, 1846, to carry into effect the provisions of the will of James Smithson. Three years before his death Mr. Smithson bequeathed "the whole of his property to the United States of America, to found, at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The amount so bequeathed was $515.169. The Board of Management consists of the President and Vice President of the United States, the several members of the Cabinet. the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Commissioner of the Patent Office, and the Mayor of Washington, during their respective terms of office, with such others as they may choose to elect as honorary members of the institution. The entire cost of the building. improvement of the grounds, etc., was about $325,000: but by spreading over several years the expense of completing the less important details, the committee were able to save $140,000 of the accrued interest to add to the fund, which thus amounted to $655,000. A library has been collected, which, though smaller than many others, is yet, from its colection of foreign works and the transactions of learned societies, unequaled in this country as a resource for scientic reference. There are also the museum, the gallery of art, the lecture rooms, etc. The correspondence of the Smithsonian

Institution with all quarters of the globe is vast and contantly increasing. Almost every day brings narratives of real and supposed discoveries, inquiries on scientific topics of all kinds, or unusual phenomena, which are referred to the institution. The natural history, geography, climatology, geology, mineralogy, botany, and archæology of this continent have through its aid received a greater impulse, and more material has been collected for increasing and diffusing the knowledge of them among mankind than through all other instrumentalities during the national exstence. 2. George Peabody, an American philanthropist, was born in Danvers, Mass., in February, 1795. He was the son of poor parents, but when old enough to do for himself, always prospered. He engaged in trade in Baltimore, and after many years of prosperity, removed to England in 1837. He became a banker and broker in London, and amassed a large fortune. His banking house was for many years the headquarters of Americans in London. About 1856 he gave $300,000 or more to found a scientific and literary institution in Baltimore. He presented to the city of London, in 1862, £150,000, to be expended in erecting residences for the working classes, for which purpose, in 1866, he added £150,000. He also gave to Harvard University $150,000 foi a museum, etc., and gave $2,000,000 to found common schools in the Southern United States In 1867. He died in London in 1869 and his

BATTLES OF GRANT AND SHERMAN.

WOODSTOCK, Ill. March 29, 1880. Can you give an official report of the battles won and lost by the leading Generals commanding during our late war? 2. Names of some of the prominent white persons that have been murdered for political reasons since the war in the Southern States. E. W. BLOSSUN.

Answer.-General Grant was in command at Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, in the battle of Corinth (not the siege), in all the battles leading up to the capture of Vicksburg, at Mission Ridge and succeeding engagements, in all the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor. Petersburg, and in all the series of battles after the capture of Richmond, that ended in the surrender of Lee and his army. After the Chattanooga campaign he had command of all the armies, and directed the general movements in every part of the South, leaving to trusted lieutenants like Sherman and others the details of campaigns. General Sherman participated in the first battle of Bull Run, was in command of a division at Shiloh, was in command of an army corps in all the battles about Vicksburg, including Haines' Bluff and Champion Hills, commanded the left wing in the battle of Mission Ridge, and directed the movements of the army between that point and Atlanta, was in command in all the battles about Atlanta and in the campaign that followed, and in the series of engagements that drove the rebels out of the Carolinas and led to the surrender of the rebel army under Johnston. 2. We cannot republish such a list, as they have been given, with full details of their murders, in our columns.

BAPTISM.

CLAYSVILLE. Pa., March 20, 1880. 1. How did infant baptism come into practice, when and by whom? 2. How did sprinkling first come into practice. when and by whom? How did they baptize in the days of the Apostles? W. H. A.

Answer.-1. It probably began with the pagans, and was much older than the introduction of Christianity, and was connected with the savage costume of exposing infants who were not to be brought up. The newly-born babe was presented to the father, who was to decide whether the child was to be reared or not; if he decided to rear it, then water was poured over the child, and the father gave it a name; if it was to be exposed, then the ceremony was not gone through with; if the child was exposed by any one after this ceremony had been gone through, it was a case of murder, whereas it was not thought a crime if the child had been made way with before water had been thrown on it, and it had been named. The analogy lies in the use of water, the bestowal of the name, and the entrance into civil life through the rite. 2. The usual mode of preforming the ceremony was by immersion, and only in the case of sick persons were the priests allowed to baptize by pouring water upon the head or by sprinkling. In the early church "clinical" baptism, as it was called, was only permitted in cases of necessity, but the practice of baptism by sprinkling gradually came in spite of the opposition of councils and hostile decrees. The Council of Ravenna, in 1311, was the first council of the church which legalized baptism by sprinkling