164. Which is the nearest approach yet made to the North Pole?
On the 18th of May, 1882, Lieutenant James B. Lockwood, U. S. A., of the Greely expedition, reached the latitude of eighty-three degrees and twenty-four minutes on the north coast of Greenland. This was twenty-eight miles farther north than ever before known. Previous to this the greatest northing was that made by Commander Markham, R. N., who, on May 12, 1876, reached eighty-three degrees twenty minutes and twenty-six seconds north on the frozen Polar Ocean.
165. When was the price of flour made to depend upon the result of a Presidential election?
In 1840, men of business advertised to pay six dollars a barrel if Harrison were elected, and only three dollars a barrel if Van Buren were elected.
166. Which is the “Land of the Rising Sun”?
The poetical name by which the Japanese designate their country is the “Land of the Rising Sun,” which well describes its location as the most eastern of all Asiatic empires, and their national emblem represents the sun as rising from the sea. The name Japan is a corruption of Marco Polo’s term Zipangu, which, in turn, is a corruption of Jipunquo, which is of Chinese origin, and means “The Country at the Root of the Sun.”
167. Which is the “Land of the Midnight Sun”?
The Scandinavian Peninsula. “From the last days of May to the end of July, in the northern part of this land, the sun shines day and night upon its mountains, fjords, rivers, lakes, forests, towns, villages, hamlets, fields, and farms; and thus Sweden and Norway may be called ‘The Land of the Midnight Sun.’ During this period of continuous daylight the stars are never seen, the moon appears pale and sheds no light upon the earth.”—Du Chaillu’s Land of the Midnight Sun.
168. When did the postal card come into use in the United States?
By the Act of June 8, 1872, the Postmaster-General was authorized and directed to issue postal cards to the public at a cost of one cent each. The first cards were issued in May, 1873. The invention of postal cards is attributed to Prof. Emanuel Herman, of Vienna. They were used in England, Germany, and Switzerland in 1870, and have since been introduced into other European countries. In some countries a card is attached on which an answer can be returned.