Postage Stamps, &c.

STAMPS! 300 fine mixed Victoria, Cape of G. H., India, Japan, etc., with fine Stamp Album, only 10c. New 80-p. Price-list free. Agents wanted at 50% commission. STANDARD STAMP CO., 4 Nicholson Place, St. Louis, Mo. Old U. S. and Confederate Stamps bought.

$117.50 WORTH OF STAMPS FREE

to agents selling stamps from my 50% approval sheets. Send at once for circular and price-list giving full information.

C. W. Grevning, Morristown, N. J.

100 all dif. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only 10c.; 200 all dif. Hayti, Hawaii, etc., only 50c. Ag'ts w't'd at 50% com. List FREE! C. A. Stegmann, 5941 Cote Brilliante Ave., St. Louis, Mo

500 Mixed Australian, etc., 10c.; 105 varieties, and nice album, 10c.; 15 unused, 10c.; 10 Africa, 10c.; 15 Asia, 10c. F. P. Vincent, Chatham, N.Y.

FOREIGN STAMPS ON APPROVAL. Agents wanted at 50% com. Lists free. CHAS. B. RAUB, New London, Conn.

125 dif. Gold Coast, Costa Rica, etc., 25c.; 40 U. S., 25c. Liberal com. to agents. Large bargain list free. F. W. Miller, 904 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo.

STAMPS! 100 all dif. Barbados, etc. Only 10c. Ag'ts w't'd at 50% com. List free. L. DOVER & CO., 1469 Hodiamont, St. Louis, Mo.

FINE APPROVAL SHEETS. Agents wanted at 50% com. P. S. Chapman, Box 151, Bridgeport, Ct.

BOOKS OF STAMPS at 33-1/3% com. References required. Model Stamp Co., W. Superior, Wis.

WANTED Vol. I. HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, bound or unbound. H. WILLIAMS, 25 East 10th Street, New York.

Harper's Catalogue,

Thoroughly revised, classified, and indexed, will be sent by mail to any address on receipt of ten cents.

From a Naval "Veteran."

On Wednesday, October 2d, I saw the new United States armored cruiser Brooklyn launched in Cramps' ship-yard. There was a large crowd outside the gates when I arrived. The Brooklyn rested on an inclined platform, which was well greased with tallow. She looked superb and gigantic as she rested there waiting for the time to come for her to take her first plunge. When the time did come the cheering of the spectators and the shrieks of the whistles were deafening. The launch was entirely successful from every point of view.

The Brooklyn's keel was laid in the summer of 1893, and she will be finished next February, when she promises to be superior to any cruiser afloat. After the launch I had a look at the United States war-vessels Indiana, Massachusetts, and Iowa, and the steamers Curaçoa and Comanche. About two weeks later I again visited Cramps' and went on board the Brooklyn. All over her were men busy finishing her. I was also aboard the Comanche and Paris. The Indiana and Curaçoa were no longer in the yard, and as the Massachusetts was being repaired no one except the employés were permitted on her. I expect to see the Iowa launched. On Saturday, October 5th, accompanied by a younger brother and a friend, I visited the United States Navy-yard, which is situated on League Island in the Delaware River. We saw the monitors Montauk, Canonicus, Mahopac, Manhattan, Lehigh, Catskill, Jason, and Nahant, which lay in the arm of the Delaware that separates League Island from the mainland. For fully an hour we clambered all over the monitors, which had but one turret and two guns apiece, and we thought, as we left them, that the Catskill was the best.

These monitors, as well as the ones we saw later, were in the civil war, and since then, up to the middle of last August, when they were ordered here, they have been lying in the James River, not far from Richmond, Va. Crossing the island we went on board the receiving-ship Richmond, where boys are "received" for the United States Navy and then sent to Newport, R. I., to be instructed before entering active service. We also saw the monitors Miantonomoh and Ajax. The former has two turrets, each containing two great guns. Upon our giving him a "tip," a man showed us all over her, and explained how her men and officers "bunked," how she was ventilated, how her turrets were moved, how her guns were loaded and fired, etc. After a jaunt of an hour or more over the island, we wound up our visit with going on board the United States dynamite cruiser Vesuvius, which we inspected in every part.

I am much interested in naval matters, and am collecting, besides stamps and autographs, pictures, scenes, etc, of the navies of the world. I like Mr. W. J. Henderson's stories, especially "The Old Sailor's Yarns," and Afloat with the Flag. Any one who is interested in naval matters, and who would like to enter the Naval Academy at Annapolis, I will give a sample of the style of entrance examinations, and also a few hints.

Sir John H. Campbell, Jun., K.R.T. 413 School Lane, Germantown, Phila., Pa.

Santa Barbara's Flower Festival.

I do not think that you have heard much of the yearly flower carnival held in Santa Barbara. This city is noted for its large and beautiful flowers and foliage, and also for semi-tropical trees, such as palms, bananas, guavas, lemons, oranges, and loquats. The festival lasts about three or four days, and comes almost always in the middle of April. The one I am going to describe is that of last April. Unfortunately about a week before it the pavilion in which was to be the carnival ball was burned, and with it all the flags, bunting, and other decorations. This dampened the spirits of the people, but thanks to the help of some of the prominent citizens, money was soon raised for the decorations and a temporary pavilion was built.

State Street, the main thoroughfare, was beautifully decorated, and several arches spanned it. Tribunes were erected for a block and a half, in which the people were to sit while the procession passed by. The carnival opened on Monday. The first feature was the riding at rings at the race-track. On Wednesday there was the flower show at the pavilion, followed in the evening by a concert. On Thursday the grand floral parade took place, and this was the gala day of the carnival. Floats, spring wagons, surreys, phaetons, carts, and horses were covered with flowers, and prizes were awarded to the best-decorated vehicles. Friday night a grand flower ball took place, opened by the French minuet in costume, and attended by a number of United States naval officers of the United States cruiser Olympia.

Sir Fredric N. California.

A Bit about the Old Hall.

We visited Independence Hall one day while in Philadelphia. It was most interesting. In one room were the portraits of all the men that signed the Declaration. On the floor were the chairs that the men sat in. In the hall there hung the great Liberty Bell "with many a chip and crack." In the west room was the arch that Washington walked under when in the house.

In a case on the right of the door were a piece of Penn's elm, the paper England tried to make us use before the Revolution, and some old-fashioned money. On the left was the frame on which the Liberty Bell used to hang. Right near it was a case with Lafayette's epaulets In it, also a drum, a gun, a cannon-ball, and many other things. We went out wishing we had more time to spend. Shall I write again and tell you about our visit to Girard College?

Julian Breitenstein. Tidioute, Pa.

If you please.

The World and the Ancients Again.

Not long since the question was asked, "How the ancients knew there were poles without having some idea of the roundness of the earth." A phrase, intonnere poli, was quoted from Virgil which is certainly translated "The poles resound with thunder." As I interpret this it means the heavens thunder—the "heavens" being symbolized by the "poles" upon which they were supposed to revolve. According to the ancient idea the earth was a circular disk, above which was the "starry vault of heaven," of solid metal, and below which was the deep cave of Hades.

Around the earth flowed the black waters of the River Ocean, and beyond this the heavens met the lower world in much the same manner as the one half of a hollow sphere joins the other. But the shape was not spherical, it was elliptical, and this peculiar mass whirled on an axis extending from the highest point of heaven down through the centre of the earth to the lowest point of Hades. Either extremity of this axis was a pole, hence the use of "poles" for "heavens," but whether this axis was an imaginary one or whether it is to be taken literally I have been unable to ascertain.

The earth was thus completely enveloped by the upper and lower worlds, separated from them by strong horizontal pillars, and held in its place by Atlas; but notwithstanding the fact that an axis passed directly through it, the earth had no rotary motion; in other words, the earth was in the interior of a spinning mass. These are some of the most important facts, and I hope an answer to the question. In looking over the Grecian and Roman mythology a great many conflicting theories are noticed, and the ancient mind appears to have been most unstable and unsatisfied in regard to the idea of the construction and arrangement of the universe.

Paul A. Sinsheimer. San Luis Obispo, Cal.

Navajo Indians.

I am going to try and tell the readers a little about the Navajo Indians, near whose reservation I live. The Navajos, as a rule, are not a tall race, although there is one living about two miles from town who is over six feet. His white friends call him "Lengthy." The squaw who went to the World's Fair as being the best Navajo blanket-maker of the tribe has two photographs, one of herself and another squaw, and one of the Government Building which was at the Fair, which she delights in showing to every one that goes to her hut. She talks about "much people" whom she saw while there.

Some of the Indians are quite old, but as active as when young. One squaw has great-grandchildren who can do as much work in field or house as a man. Three years ago la grippe came among them; but few died, as they have a way of curing it which they will not reveal. One man died who had curly black hair which came to his knees—the only Indian ever known hereabouts to have curly hair. Between Fort Defiance and here, about nine miles, there is a large hill which was made by the Indians, who, as they went from one place to the other, would throw, as they passed this spot, a stone, stick, or handful of dirt on it, praying that they would accomplish their journey in safety.

It is seldom that those who have been to school for a year or two live when they return to their tribe, because, after becoming used to our food, they cannot live on their own, it being very poor and insufficient. The Navajos live principally on corn, mutton, beans, melons, and green pease, in their season, which they raise themselves, besides tea, coffee, and sugar for those that can buy or beg it. They have a bread made of a mixture of flour, meat, water, and red pepper which has a very sharp taste. There are two silversmiths in the tribe, who make buttons, belts, rings, bridles, and bracelets out of silver money. One of them had his nose hurt on the point, and he immediately filled it with clay and put plaster over it, and now the skin has grown partly over it, giving him an odd appearance indeed.

The clothing of the men usually consists of one or more calico shirts, cut and made by themselves, a pair of overalls, and moccasins, with a blanket tied around the waist, which is worn at all times, with a hat sometimes, and sometimes not. The squaw usually has four or five calico dresses, either made by herself or given to her by some white friend, with blanket and moccasins the same as the men. They make no money except a few dollars or cents now and then by doing small jobs, running errands, and selling their beautiful blankets for half what they are worth.

Mary D. Tarr, R.T.L. Manuelito, N. M.

Geographical Hiding-places.

1, Find meat in an English river. 2, Find a mineral paint in American mountains. 3, Find a small steamer in a European country. 4, Find a floor-covering in a country of South America. 5, Find a destructive animal in a New York watering-place. 6, Find a kind of clay in an Atlantic sound. 7, Find a carriage in a lake. 8, Find a small carpet in an Asiatic island. 9, Find small talk in an Asiatic sea. 10, Find a discoverer in a continent. 11, Find a part of the foot in a Virginia city. 12, Find a useful fowl in a city of New York.

Answer.—1, T-ham-es. 2, C-umber-land. 3, Por-tug-al. 4, U-rug-uay. 5, Sa-rat-oga. 6, Albe-marl-e. 7, Ni-car-agua. 8, Su-mat-ra. 9, Kamt-chat-ka. 10, Am-eric-a. 11, W-heel-ing. 12, Sc-hen-ectady.

Blue-fishing off Nantucket.

I have been to Nantucket two summers and have watched the fishing that is carried on there at all times of the year. In the summer the blue-fish are the ones most caught. They are taken in seines. The men who fish with these seines are called seiners. The blue-fish are caught at a place called Great Point, where the water is very shoal. Great Point is about twelve miles from the town of Nantucket, but it is a part of the island.

A seiner starts from the town about 4 a.m. By law no net may be used in the harbor or within a mile of the shore. When a seiner sights a school of blue-fish he sends row boats out to surround the school. As the nets are hauled into the sail-boat the blue-fish are taken out and put in barrels. Sometimes one seiner gets as many as a thousand blue-fish. The fish are then sent to New Bedford, where they are loaded into "tank-ships." I have never seen a tank-ship in Nantucket.

F. A. Judson. Lansingburg, N. Y.

This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.

Since "specialization" has become fashionable many stamps which have a larger or smaller perforation, a different water-mark, or a decided difference in shades of the same color, etc., have increased in value enormously. For instance, the 4c. slate, Hong-Kong, perforated 14, is worth 6c. used, or 8c. unused. The same stamp, perforated 12½, is worth $5 used, $50 unused, and hard to find even at those prices. The cataloguing of all these minute varieties has resulted in lists which simply bewilder the beginner, and in catalogues of 600 pages or more in small type. These minute varieties are out of the reach of all except the very rich collector. Some thirty-five dealers recognizing the needs of the smaller collectors have united in issuing The American Standard Stamp-Catalogue, which omits these "varieties," simply listing the stamps in the regular colors, etc.; and I learn the demand for this catalogue has been so great that the first edition was exhausted on the day of publication.

P. W. Varney.—This Department does not give dealers' names. The gold dollar, 1849, is worth $1.50.

F. Brengle.—The capped 2's of the 1890 issue are sold by dealers at 10c. each. Immense quantities are on hand, as every one saved them.

G. W. Schaick—U.S. stamps issued previous to 1861 can not be used for postage. All others can.

G. Carliss.—The $1 and $2, present issue, can be bought cancelled at half face.

W. Hilles.—See the Round Table for December 17, 1895, and January 14, 1896, for values of U.S. coins. Circulated coins of the last seventy-five years have very little value beyond face.

O. H. Sampson.—The coin is worth 5c., the "shin-plaster," 20c.

W. G. Waldo.—The prices quoted are those asked by dealers. See answer to W. Hilles.

R. A. Hayes.—U. S. stamps cut in two and used on letters have no postal value, and collectors do not care for them.

F. C. Small.—There are literally millions of Roman coins in existence. Every little while some one digs up a whole boxful. Dealers sell many of these coins at 10c. each.

L. Hubbard.—The unused reprint of the 3c. 1869 U.S. is worth $15. The reprint is on a different paper. It is worth about the same used.

E. C. Wood.—A few of the 1875 reprints were used for postage, and they can be used for postage to-day. No rule can be given, but as a general thing, when the catalogue does not price a stamp in both used and unused condition, the inference is that so few copies are known that no definite market value has been established. Jefferson and Perry.

S. Manning.—Defaced coins are worth metal value only; possibly some such coins would be redeemed at face value at the Sub-Treasury in New York.

R. H. Martin.—I shall always be glad to examine any rare stamps, but it is not worth the expense to send common or ordinary stamps.

E. C. Allen.—Thank you for your courtesy, but I see all the new stamps as soon as they reach New York. Re-engraved stamps have all their lines deepened, and they lose the clear look of the originals.

Original Subscriber.—Your coin is of private mintage. The initials S.M.V. stand for "San Francisco Mint Value." The coin is worth bullion only ($5).

A. B. Taylor.—The 3c. 1869, unused, is worth 25c. The 1875 reprint, unused, on a different paper, is worth $15. Many of the 1869 issue were faintly grilled, or escaped grilling entirely.

G. Wilson.—.The foreign coins are worth metal value only. The U. S. coin list was published in the Round Table for December 17, 1895, and January 14, 1896.

H. L. Grand.—Scotland uses the stamps of Great Britain. The Columbian 1c. to 15c. can be bought for 45c. used, $1 unused.

R. Sands.—The Massachusetts coin can be bought for $2. The 5c. piece is worth face only, if it has been circulated.

B. M.—The stamp you describe is one of the five or six varieties of U.S. Revenues, of which hundreds of millions were used, hence no value.

Philatus.

If art embroidery be soiled And washed with common soap, 'tis spoiled; But Ivory Soap preserves the hue As brilliant and as fresh as new.

Copyright, 1896, by The Procter & Gamble Co., Cin'ti.