Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

TIME DIFFERENCE.

TWELVE O'CLOCK NOON STANDARD (EASTERN†) TIME IN THE UNITED STATES AS COMPARED WITH THE CLOCKS IN THE FOLLOWING CITIES:

[blocks in formation]

Copenhagen.

5.33 P.M.

6.56 P.M.

Hongkong.
Honolulu.
Liverpool.

London.

5.50 P.M. Madrid

St.Pet'b'g(Petrograd)

5.00 P.M. Vienna.
4.45 P.M. Yokohama.

2.19 A.M.*

At places marked the time noted is in the morning of the FOLLOWING day. EASTERN" time includes: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Norfolk, Charleston, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto, etc.

"CENTRAL," which is one hour slower than Eastern time, includes: Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis. St. Paul, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Detroit, New Orleans, Memphis, Savannah, Pensacola, Winnipeg, etc.

MOUNTAIN,' which is two hours slower than Eastern time, includes: Denver, Leadville, Colorado Springs, Helena, Regina (N. W. 'T.), etc. "PACIFIC," which is three hours slower than Eastern time, includes: San Francisco, Portland (Oregon), Victoria, Vancouver, Tacoma, Seattle, etc.

OLD ENGLISH HOLIDAYS.

THESE holidays, with their names, had their origin in mediæval England when the State religion was that of the Church of Rome, and they are still observed generally or in some parts of Britain. JANUARY 6. TWELFTH DAY, or Twelfth-tide, sometimes called Old Christmas Day, the same as Epiphany. The previous evening is Twelfth Night, with which many social rites have long been connected.

FEBRUARY 2. CANDLEMAS: Festival of the Purification of the Virgin. Consecration of the lighted candles to be used in the church during the year.

FEBRUARY 14. OLD CANDLEMAS: St. Valentine's Day. MARCH 25. LADY DAY: Annunciation of the Virgin. April 6 is old Lady Day.

JUNE 24. MIDSUMMER DAY: Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist. July 7 is old Midsummer Day.

JULY 15. ST. SWITHIN'S DAY. There was an old superstition that if rain fell on this day it would continue forty days. AUGUST 1. LAMMAS DAY: Originally in England the festival of the wheat harvest. In the Church the festival of St. Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison. Old Lammas Day is August 13,

SEPTEMBER 29. MICHAELMAS: Feast of St. Michael, the Archangel. Old Michaeimas is October 11.

NOVEMBER 1. ALL-HALLOWMAS: All-hallows, or All Saints' Day. The previous evening is All-hallow-e'en, observed by home gatherings and old-time festive rites. NOVEMBER 2. ALL SOULS' DAY Day of prayer for the souls of the dead.

NOVEMBER 11. MARTINMAS: Feast of St. Martin. Old Martinmas is November 23.

DECEMBER 28. CHILDERMAS: Holy Innocents' Day.
Lady Day, Midsummer Day, Michaelmas, and Christmas are
quarter (rent) days in England, and Whitsunday, Martinmas,
Candlemas, and Lammas Day in Scotland.

Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday, are observed by the Church. Mothering Sunday is Mid-Lent Sunday, in which the old rural custom obtains of visiting one's parents and making them presents.

EARTHQUAKE AREAS OF THE EARTH.

FROM Major de Montessus de Balore's catalogue of 130,000 shocks, Indicating with some scientific accuracy how the symptoms of seismic activity are manifested over the earth's surface. The period of observation includes generally the last fifty years; but there is no reason to suppose that a longer time would materially affect the proportionate numbers.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The most shaken countries of the world are Italy, Japan, Greece, South America (the Pacific coast), Java, Sicily, and Asia Minor. The lands most free from these convulsions are Africa, Australia, Russia, Siberia, Scandinavia, and Canada. As a rule, where earthquakes are most frequent they are most severe. But to this general statement there are exceptions-Indian shocks, though less numerous, being often very disastrous. Loss of life in many cases depends, however, on density of population rather than on the intensity of the earth movement. Numerically, also, France has registered more seismic tremors than Spain and Portugal, but France in historic times has experienced no earthquake disaster approaching the havoc wrought by the one calamity at Lisbon.

THE MAGNETIC POLES.

THE geographical poles of the earth are the extremities of the imaginary line passing through its centre of gravity and about which it revolves, and are therefore symmetrically located with regard to the equator.

The magnetic poles, however, are not coincident with the geographical poles, nor are they diametrically opposite to each other. Prior to the recent attempt of Amundsen to determine the north magnetic pole, the only other was by Capt. James Ross in June, 1831, who found the dip of the magnetic needle to be 89° 59' 5, in latitude 70° 5' 2 N. and longitude 96° 45' .8 W., which is in King William Land, Canada. The result of Amundsen's observations has not yet been published by the Norwegian authorities.

The position of the south magnetic pole has been located in latitude 72° 23' S. and longitude 154 E.. by Prof. Edward David and Mr. Douglas Marson, members of Lieut. Shackleton's expedition to the South Pole, which left New Zealand on January 1, 1908.

By reason of the annual variation of the magnetic needle, it is believed that the magnetic poles are not stationary, but have a slow motion around the geographical poles. The subject is shrouded in mystery and constitutes one of the many as yet unsolved problems in terrestrial physics.

B. C.

1183 Fall of Troy.

1082 Era of the Great Pyramid.

878 Carthage founded.

776 Olympic Era began. 753 Foundation of Rome.

[blocks in formation]

1714 Accession of House of Hanover, Aug.1 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3.
1715 First Jacobite Rebellion fu Great 1865 Lee surrendered at Appomattox,
Britain; the second in 1745.
1790 South Sea Bubble.
1745 Battle of Fontenoy, April 30.

588 Jerusalem taken by Nebuchadnezzar. 1756 Black Hole Suffocation in Calcutta,
536 Restoration of the Jews under Cyrus.
509 Expulsion of Tarquins from Rome.
480 Xerxes defeated Greeks at
mopylae.

1757 Clive won Battle of Plassey in India.
1759 Canada was taken from the French.
Ther-1765 Stamp Act enacted.

55 Cesar conquered Britain. 4 Birth of Jesus Christ.

[blocks in formation]

1265 First Representative Parliament in England.

April 9.
1865 Pres. Lincoln assassinated, April 14.
1867 Maximilian of Mexico executed.
1867 The Dominion of Canada established
Financial "Black Friday” in N. Y..
Sept 24.

1869
1870 Franco- German War began, July 19.
1870 French capitulated at Sedan, Sept. 1.

1773 Steam engine perfected by Watt.
1773 Tes destroyed in Boston Harbor, 1870 Rome became the capital of Italy.

Dec. 16.

1871 The German Empire re-established. 1871 The Irish Church was disestablished. 1871 The great fire in Chicago, Oct. 8-11. 4.1872 The great fire in Boston Nov. 9. 1876 Prof. Bell perfected the telephone. 1876 Centennial Exposit'r at Philadelphia President Garfield shot, July 2. Tuberculosis germ discovered by

1775 Battle of Lexington, April 19.
1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17.
1776 Declaration of Independence, July
1777 Burgoyne's surrender, Oct. 17.
1779 Capt. Cook was killed, Feb. 14.
1781 Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown, 1881
Oct. 19.
1882
1788 First settlement in Australia, Jan. 26.
1789 The French Revolution began July 14 1886
1789 Washington first inaug'ted President 1888
1793 Cotton-gin invented by Whitney.
1793 Louis XVI. of France executed. Jan.21
1796 Vaccination discovered by Jenner. 1889
1798 The Irish Rebellion.

1889

Dr. Ko h.

Charleston, S.C., Earthquake, Aug.31.
Great Blizzard in Eastern part of
U. S., March 11-14.
Brazil became a Republic.
Johnstown, l'a., flood, May 31.
World's Fair at Chicago
Chinese-Japanese War began.
Cuban Revolution began Feb. 20.
1896"Greater New York" bill signed
May 11.

1893

1899

The Turkish-Greek War.
The Spanish-American War.
Universal l'eace Conference.
The South African War began.
Boxer Insurrection in China.
Hoboken decks' fire, June 30.
1900 The Galv eston tornado, Sept. 8.

1900

1900

1415 Battle of Agincourt, Oct. 25.
1431 Joan of Arc was burnt, May 30. 1799 Bonaparte declared First Consul. 1894
1453 Constantinople taken by the Turks. 1801 Union of Great Britain and Ireland, 1895
1455 The Wars of the Roses began.
Jan. 1.
1432 The Bible was first printed at Mentz. 1803 Louisiana purchased from the French
1471 Caxton set up his printing press. 1804 Bonaparte became Emperor of France 1897
1492 Columbus discovered America, Oct.12 1805 Battle of Trafalgar; death of Nelson. 1898
1517 The Reformation began in Germany. 1807 Fulton's first steamboat voyage. 1899
1519 Cortez began the conquest of Mexico. 1812 Second war with Great Britain.
1535 The first English Bible printed. 1812 The French expedition to Moscow.
1539 Monasteries were closed in England. 1813 Perry's victory on Lake Erie, Sept.10.
1558 Accession of Queen Elizabeth, Nov.17
1565 Revolt of the Netherlands begau.
1565 St. Augustine, Fla., settled.
1579 The St. Bartholomew Massacre, Aug.24
1588 The Spanish Armada defeated, July.
1603 Union of England and Scotland.
1605 The Gunpowder Plot in England.
1607 Jamestown, Va., was settled.
1609 Hudson River first explored.
1616 Shakespeare died, April 23.

1814 The printing machine invented.
1814 Scott's" Waverley" published
1815 Battle of New Orleans, Jan 8.
1815 Battle of Waterloo, June 18.
1819 First steamship crossed the Atlantic.
1823 Monroe Doctrine declared, Dec. 2.
1828 First passenger railroad in U. S.
1830 Revolution in France, Orleanist suc-
cession.

1903

1901
1901 Assassina tion of President McKinley
1902 Martinique destroyed by voirano
Republic of Panama established.
1904 The Great Fire in Baltimore, Feb. 7.
1904 The Russo-Japanese War began.
1904 Steamboat General Slocum burned,
June 15.

Death of Queen Victoria.

1906

1835 Morse invented the telegraph.
1835 Seminole War in Florida began.
1837 Accession of Queen Victoria, June 20 1908
1845 Texas annexed.

1618 Thirty Years' War in Germany began.
⚫ 1620 Pilgrims by the Mayflower landed.
1623 Manhattan Island settled."
1634 Maryland settled by Roman Catholics 1846 Sewing machine completed by Howe.
1636 thode Island settled by Roger 1846 The Irish Potato Famine.
1845 British Corn laws repealed, June 26. 1910
1640 Cromwell's Long Parliament assem-1846 War with Mexico began.
bled.
1848 French Revolution. Republic Buc 1911
ceeded.

Williams.

San Francisco earthquake and conflagration, April 18-19.

[blocks in formation]

Americau Battleship fleet nearly cir-
eumus vigated the Globe.
Great Earthquake in Southern Italy.
The North Pole discovere, April 6.
Republic of Portugal established.
The Italian-Turkish War began.
The South Pole discovered, Dec. 14.
China proclaimed a Republic.
Steam ship Titanic wrecked, April 14.
Balkan War began.

1911

1649 Charles I. was beheaded, Jan. 30.
1653 Cromwell became Lord Protector. 1848 Gold discovered in California, Sept. 1912
1660 Restoration of the Stuarts.
1851 Gold discovered in Australia, Feb. 12 1912
1664 New York conquered from the Dutch. 1851 First International Exhibit'n, Lond on.
1664 The great plague of London.

1913 Ohio and Indiana floods, March 25-27. 1852 Louis Napoleon became Emperor. 1913 Rebellion in Mexico.

1666 The great fire of London began Sept.2. 1853 Crimean War began.
1679 Habeas Corpus Act passed in Eng-1854 Japan opened by Commodore Perry.
land.
1857 The Great Mutiny in Indis.
1682 Pennsylvania settled by Wm. Penn. 1857 The Dred Scott decision.
1635 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
1683 James II. abdicated, Dec. 11.
1690 Battle of the Boyne, July 1.
1690 First newspaper in America;

Boston.

1857 First Atlantic cable message, Aug. 4.
1959 John Brown's raid into Virginia.
1860 South Carolina seceded, Dec. 20.
at 1861 Emancipation of the Russian serfs.
1863 Lincoln's Emancipation Proclama
tion, Jan. 1.

1704 Gibraltar was taken by the English. 1713 Peace of Utrecht, April 11.

1913 Parcel Post System in U. S., Jan, 1.
1914 General European way.
1914 Panama Canal opened Aug. 15.
1914 City of Mexico invésted by the Con-
sti tutionalists.
1914 Cape Cod Canal opened.
1914 8.S. Empress of Ireland sunk, May 99.
1914 Great fire in Salem, June 25.
1914 Japan dec'd war on Germany, Aug.23.
1914 Austria de c'd war on Japan, Aug.25.

THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY ERA.

In September, 1793, the convention decreed that the common era should be abolished in all civil affairs, and that the new French era should begin on September 22, 1792, the day of the true autumnal equinox, and that each succeeding year should begin at the midnight of the day on which the true autumnal equinox falls. The year was divided into twelve months of thirty days each. In ordinary years there were five extra days, from the 17th to the 21st of our September, and at the end of every fourth year was a sixth complimentary day. This reckoning was first used on November 22, 1793, and was continned until December 31, 1805, when it was discontinued, and the Gregorian calendar, used throughout the rest of Europe, was resumed. The following were the dates for the year 1801, the last complete year of this style of reckoning: Vendemiaire (Vintage), September 23 to October 22. Brumaire (Foggy), October 23 to November 22.

[blocks in formation]

The months were divided into three decades of ten days each, but to make up the 365 five were added at the end of September: Primidi, dedicated to Virtue; Duodi, to Genius; Tridi, to Labor; Quartidi, to Opinion, and Quintidi, to Rewards. To Leap Year, called Olympic, a sixth day, September 22 or 23, Sextidi, "the day of the Revolution," was added.

To each tenth day, thirty-six in all, were assigned thirty-six "Fetes Decadaires," decreed by the National Convention on the eighteenth Prairial, in honor of the Supreme Being and Nature, the Human Race, the French People, Benefactors of Ilu manity, Martyrs for Liberty, Liberty and Equality, the Republic, Liberty of the World, Love of Country, Hatred of Tyrants and Traitors, Truth, Justice, Modesty, Glory and Immortality, Friendship, Frugality, Courage, Good Faith, Heroism, DisinInterestedness, Stoicism, Love, Conjugal Fidelity, Paternal Love, Maternal Tenderness, Filial Piety, Infancy, Childhood, Manhood, Old Age, Sickness, Agriculture, Industry, Our Ancestors, Our Posterity, Goodness.,

[blocks in formation]

DATES OF HISTORICAL EVENTS CUSTOMARILY OR OCCASIONALLY OBSERVED.

1. Emancipation Proclamation by Lincoln, July 1-8. Battle of Gettysburg, 1863.

1863.

Jan.

Jan.

8. Battle of New Orleans, 1815,

Jan.

17. Franklin born, 1706.

Jan.

19. Robert E. Lee born, 1807.

27. German Emperor born, 1839.

Jan. Jan. Feb.

29. William McKinley born, 1843,
12. Abraham Lincoln born, 1809.
Feb. 15. Battle-ship Maine blown up, 1898.
Feb. 23. George Washington born, 1732.

March 5 Boston Massacre, 1770.
March 15. Andrew Jackson born, 1767.
March 18. Grover Cleveland born, 1837.
April 6. The North Pole reached by Commander
Robert E. Peary, 1909.

April 9. Lee surrend ered at Appomattox, 1865.
April 12. Henry Clay born, 1777.

July 2. President Garfield shot, 1881.
July

3. Cervera's fleet was destroyed off Santiago, 1898. July 4. Declaration of Independence, 1776. July 12. Orange men's Day.

July

A

14. The Bastile was destroyed, 1789.
July 16. Santiago surrendered, 1898.
July
21. Battle of Bull Run, 1861.

Aug. 7. Gen. Nathanael Greene born, 1742,
Aug. 13. Manila surrendered to Americans, 1898.
Aug. 16. Battle of Bennington, Vt., 1777.
Aug. 20. City of Mexico entered by the Con-
stitutionalists, 1914.

Aug. 28. Montenegro became a kingdom, 1910.
Sep. 1. Capitulation of Sedan, 1870.

Sep. Sep.

April 12 Fort Sumter fired on, 1861.

April 13. Thomas Jefferson born, 1743.

April 14 Lincoln assassinated, 1865.

Sep.

April 19, Primrose Day in England; Lord Beaconsfield died, 1881.

Ap. 18-19, Earthquake and great conflagration at San Francisco, 1906.

[blocks in formation]

April 19. Battles of Lexington and Concord, 1775.
April 23. Shakespeare born, 1564.
April 27. Gen. U. S. Grant born, 1822.

April 80. Washington was inaugurated first President, 1789.

6. President McKinley shot at Buffalo,1901. 10. Battle of Lake Erie, Perry's victory, 1813.

11. Battle of Lake Champlain, McDonough's victory, 1814,

13. Battle of Chapultepec, 1847.

14. City of Mexico taken by U. S. troops, 1847. 15. William H. Taft born, 1857.

17. Battle of Antietam, 1862.

Sep. 19-20. Battle of Chickamauga, 1863.
Sep. 20. Italians occupied Rome, 1870.
Oct. 8-11. Great fire of Chicago, 1871.

Oct.

12. Columbus discovered America, 1492.
17. Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga, 1777.
19. Cornwallis surrendered, Yorktown, 1781.
27. Theodore Roosevelt born, 1858.

5. Guy Fawkes Day in England. The Gunpowder Plot discovered, 1604. Nov. 9. Great fire of Boston, 1872.

May 1. Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet at

Oct.

Manila, 1898.

Oct.

May

13. First English settlement in America, at Jamestown, 1607.

Oct.

Νον.

May

13. Society of The Cincinnati organized by officers of Revolutionary Army, 1783.

May

18. The Czar of Russia born, 1868.

May

[blocks in formation]

20. Mecklenburg, N. C., Declaration of Independence, 1775,

June 14. Flag Day in the United States. 15. Steamboat Gen. Slocum burned, 1904. 17. Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775.

June

June

June June

July

18. Battle of Waterloo, 1815.

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

JANUARY 1. NEW YEAR'S DAY: In all States (including District of Columbia, Porto Rico and Alaska), except Arkansas and Massachusetts. (In Maine a bank holiday only legally.)

JANUARY 8. ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS: In Louisiana.

JANUARY 19. LEE'S BIRTHDAY: In Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas. FEBRUARY. MARDI-GRAS: In the parish of Orleans, Louisiana.

FEBRUARY 12. GEORGIA DAY: In Georgia. FEBRUARY 12. LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY: In California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana. Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. FEBRUARY 22. WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY: In all the States, District of Columbia, Porto Rico and Alaska.

SEPTEMBER 6, 1915. LABOR DAY: In all the States (and District of Columbia and Alaska). In Louisiana, observed in Orleans Parish.

SEPTEMBER.

In

PRIMARY ELECTION DAY: Nevada and Wisconsin, First Tuesday. SEPTEMBER (Third Saturday). REGATTA DAY: In Territory of Hawaii.

SEPTEMBER 9. ADMISSION DAY: In California. SEPTEMBER 12. "OLD DEFENDERS' DAY": In Baltimore, Md.

OCTOBER 12. COLUMBUS DAY: In Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermout, Washington, West Virginia. OCTOBER 18. ALASKA DAY. In Alaska. ADMISSION DAY: In Nevada, NOVEMBER1. ALL SAINTS' DAY: In Louisiana. NOVEMBER (first Friday), PIONEER DAY: Montana, observed in public schools.

OCTOBER 31.
MARDI-GRAS DAY, SHROVE
FEBRUARY
TUESDAY: In Alabama and Florida (in counties
having a carnival).

MARCH. First Wednesday prior to Spring election at which Circuit Judges are elected and in counties and cities where offices are filled at Spring election in Michigan.

MARCH (Third Tuesday). PRIMARY ELECTION DAY: (every Presidential year) in North Dakota. MARCH 2. ANNIVERSARY OF TEXAN INDEPENDENCE: In Texas.

MARCH 4. INAUGURATION DAY: In District of Columbia in years when a President of the U. S. is inaugurated.

In

NOVEMBER 2. GENERAL ELECTION DAY: In Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minne sota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, (from 12 M. to 5.30 P. M. only), Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, (biennially in even years) South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vir

MARCH 22. EMANCIPATION DAY: In Porto Rico.ginia, West Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and
APRIL (First Monday in 1916 and every four
years thereafter). PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY: In
Michigan.

APRIL 2, 1915. GOOD FRIDAY: In Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey Pennsylvania, Porto Rico, Tennessee.

APRIL 12. HALIFAX INDEPENDENCE RESOLU-
TIONS: In North Carolina.

APRIL 13. THOMAS JEFFERSON'S BIRTHDAY:
In Alabama.
PATRIOTS' DAY: in Maine and

APRIL 19. Massachusetts. APRIL 21.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO: In Texas.

APRIL 26. CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY: In Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.

MAY 10. CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY. In North Carolina and South Carolina.

MAY (Second Friday). CONFEDERATE DAY: In Tennessee.

MAY 20. ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: In North Carolina,

MAY 30. DECORATION DAY: In all the States (and District of Columbia, Porto Rico and Alaska), except Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and

Texas.

JUNE 3. JEFFERSON DAVIS'S BIRTHDAY: In
Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas.
Arkansas and South Carolina. In Louisiana,
Confederate Memorial Day."
known as
Virginia, in public schools.

In

JUNE 11, KAMEHAMEHA DAY: In Ter. Hawaii,
JUNE 15. PIONEER DAY: In Idaho.
JUNE (Last Wednesday). PRIMARY ELECTION
DAY: In North Dakota.

JULY 4. INDEPENDENCE DAY: In all the States,
and District of Columbia, Porto Rico and Alaska.
JULY 10. ADMISSION DAY: In Wyoming.
JULY 24. PIONEERS' DAY: In Utah.

JULY 25. LANDING OF AMERICAN TROOPS:
Porto Rico.

JULY (Fourth Saturday). PRIMARY ELECTION DAY: In Texas.

Wyoming, in the years when elections are held therein. In 1915 in States holding such elections the date is November 2.

NOVEMBER 25, 1915. THANKSGIVING DAY (usually the last Thursday in November): Is observed in all the States, and in the District of Columbia, Porto Rico and Alaska, though in some States it is not a statutory holiday.

DECEMBER 25. CHRISTMAS DAY: In all the States and District of Columbia, Porto Rico and Alaska.

Sundays and Fast Days are legal holidays in all the States which designate them as such.

There are no statutory holidays in Mississippi, but by common consent the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas are observed. In New Mexico, Washington's Birthday, Decoration Day, Labor Day, Flag Day (June 14) and Arbor Day are holidays when so designated by the Governor. In South Carolina, Thursday of Fair Week is a legal holiday.

ARBOR DAY is a legal holiday in many States, although in some it is observed as desiguated by the Governor.

Every Saturday after 12 o'clock noon is a legal holiday in California in public offices, Illinois (in cities of 200,000 or more inhabitants), Maryland, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Penn sylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, the District of Columbia (for banking purposes), and in New Orleans, La., and Charleston, S. C.; in Louisiana in all cities exceeding 10,000 inhabitants; in Missouri in cities of 100,000 or more inhabitants; in Tennessee, for State and county officers, and in Colorado during June, July and August; in Indiana, first Saturday in June to last Saturday in October, inclusive, for all public offices in counties having a county-seat of 100,000 population or more; in New Hampshire in State offices.

There is no national holiday, not even the Fourth of July. Congress has at various times appointed special holidays. In the second session of the Fifty-third Congress it passed an act mak. ing Labor Day a public holiday in the District of Columbia, and it has recognized the existence of certain days as holidays for commercial purposes, but, with the exception named, there is no general statute on the subject. The proclamation of the President designating a day of Thanksgiv AUGUST 1. COLORADO DAY: In Colorado. AUGUST 16, BENNINGTON BATTLE DAY: In ing only makes it a legal holiday in the District Vermont.

AUGUST. PRIMARY ELECTION DAY: In Missouri. In Michigan (last Tuesday in August preceding every general November election).

of Columbia and the Territories.

TIME DIFFERENCE.

TWELVE O'CLOCK NOON STANDARD (EASTERN†) TIME IN THE UNITED STATES AS COMPARED WITH THE CLOCKS IN THE FOLLOWING CITIES:

[blocks in formation]

At places marked the time noted is in the morning of the FOLLOWING day. t EASTERN time includes: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Norfolk, Charleston, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto, etc.

"

"CENTRAL," which is one hour slower than Eastern time, includes: Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolls, St. Paul, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Detroit, New Orleans, Memphis, Savannah, Pensacola, Winnipeg, etc.

MOUNTAIN," which is two hours slower than Eastern time, includes: Denver, Leadville, Colorado Springs, Helena, Regina (N. W. T.), etc. "PACIFIC," which is three hours slower than Eastern time, includes: San Francisco, Portland (Oregon), Victoria, Vancouver, Tacoma, Seattle, etc.

OLD ENGLISH HOLIDAYS.

THESE holidays, with their names, had their origin in medieval England when the State religion was that of the Church of Rome, and they are still observed generally or in some parts of Britain. JANUARY 6. TWELFTH DAY, or Twelfth-tide, sometimes called Old Christmas Day, the same as Epiphany. The previous evening is Twelfth Night, with which many social rites have long been connected.

FEBRUARY 2, CANDLEMAS: Festival of the Purification of the Virgin, Consecration of the lighted candles to be used in the church during the year.

FEBRUARY 14. OLD CANDLEMAR: St. Valentine's Day. MARCH 25. LADY DAY: Annunciation of the Virgin. April 6 is old Lady Day.

JUNE 24. MIDSUMMER DAY: Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist, July 7 is old Midsummer Day.

JULY 15. ST. SWITHLY'S DAY. There was an old superstition that if rain fell on this day it would continue forty days. AUGUST 1. LAMMAS DAY: Originally in England the festival of the wheat harvest. In the Church the festival of St. Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison. Old Lammas Day is August 13.

SEPTEMBER 29. MICHAELMAS: Feast of St. Michael, the Archangel. Old Michaelmas is October 11.

NOVEMBER 1. ALL-HALLOWMAS: All-hallows, or All Saints' Day. The previous evening is All-hallow-e'en, observed by home gatherings and old-time festive rites. NOVEMBER 2. ALL SOULS' DAY Day of prayer for the souls of the dead.

NOVEMBER 11. MARTINMAS: Feast of St. Martin. Old Martinmas is November 23.

DECEMBER 28. CHILDERMAS: Holy Innocents' Day.
Lady Day, Midsummer Day, Michaelmas, and Christmas are
quarter (rent) days in England, and Whitsunday, Martinmas,
Candlemas, and Lammas Day in Scotland.

Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday, are observed by the Church. Mothering Sunday is Mid-Lent Sunday, in which the old rural custom obtains of visiting one's parents and making them presents.

EARTHQUAKE AREAS OF THE EARTH.

FROM Major de Montessus de Balore's catalogue of 130,000 shocks, indicating with some scientific accuracy how the symptoms of seismic activity are manifested over the earth's surface. The period of observation includes generally the last fifty years; but there is no reason to suppose that a longer time would materially affect the proportionate numbers.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The most shaken countries of the world are Italy, Japan, Greece, South America (the Pacific coast), Java, Sicily, and Asia Minor. The lands most free from these convulsions are Africa, Australia, Russia, Siberia, Scandinavia, and Canada. As a rule, where earthquakes are most frequent they are most severe. But to this general statement there are exceptions-Indian shocks, though less numerous, being often very disastrous. Loss of life in many cases depends, however, on density of population rather than on the intensity of the earth movement. Numerically, also, France has registered more seismic tremors than Spain and Portugal, but France in historic times has experienced no earthquake disaster approaching the havoc wrought by the one calamity at Lisbon.

THE MAGNETIC POLES.

THE geographical poles of the earth are the extremities of the Imaginary line passing through its centre of gravity and about which it revolves, and are therefore symmetrically located with regard to the equator.

The magnetic poles, however, are not coincident with the geographical poles, nor are they diametrically opposite to each other. Prior to the recent attempt of Amundsen to determine the north magnetic pole, the only other was by Capt. James Ross in June, 1831, who found the dip of the magnetic needle to be 89° 59' .5, in latitude 70° 5' 2 N. and longitude 96° 45' .8 W., which is in King William Land, Canada. The result of Amundsen's observations has not yet been published by the Norwegian authorities.

The position of the south magnetic pole has been located in latitude 72° 23' S. and longitude 154 E.. by Prof. Edward David and Mr. Douglas Marson, members of Lieut. Shackleton's expedition to the South Pole, which left New Zealand on January 1, 1908.

By reason of the annual variation of the magnetic needle, it is believed that the magnetic poles are not stationary, but have a slow motion around the geographical poles. The subject is shrouded in mystery and constitutes one of the many as yet unsolved problems in terrestrial physics.

« ZurückWeiter »