Through the industrial revolution, the face of the earth is making over even as to its physical forms; political boundaries are wiped out and moved about as if they were indeed only lines on a paper map; population is hurriedly gathered into cities from the ends of the earth; habits of living are altered with startling abruptness; the search for the truths of nature is infinitely stimulated; and the application of these truths to life is made not only practicable, but commercially necessary.
511. The semi-colon should be used after each item in a series of specific statements. For example:
- We quote you the following prices: Grade No. 1, $1.00; Grade No. 2, $2.90; poorer grades not in demand.
RULES FOR THE USE OF THE COLON
512. The colon is not used as much as it formerly was. The comma and the semi-colon and the period are now used in most of the places where older writers used the colon.
One authority in English says that, "in strict logic the colon is to the sentence in which it is used what the mark of equality is in mathematics."
513. The colon is used before a formal list of items. For example:
- Economics has three important divisions: production, distribution, consumption.
514. The colon is used after a salutation at the beginning of a letter. For example: Dear Sir: Gentlemen: Comrades:
In such cases the dash is also frequently used with the colon. For example: My dear Sir:— Gentlemen:— Comrades:—