Answers to Dec. Certificate Examination Papers. FEMALES-ARITHMETIC. 1. Addition and division: Sum 6178215100; average distance, 772276887 miles. 2. Multiplication, 1112354574 miles. 3. Bills of Parcels, £148 0s. 74d. 10. Decimals, 1005.6979. 11. Simple Interest, 2 years. 12. Simple Interest, £80 17s. 13. Simple interest, £137-778, &c. 14. See "Major's Notes of Lessons," 2/6, pages 209, 213. GEOGRAPHY. 1. An oblate spheroid is a round solid body, having unequal diameters at right angles. The diameter of the earth at the equator is 7,926 miles, the diameter from north to south is 7,900; thus it appears to bulge out in the front or middle, hence the term "oblate spheroid." Compare it with an orange; measure the latter's diameters with a knitting needle, and thus show that the term is correctly applied. 2. The lines usually drawn on a map are, the equator, parallels of latitude drawn from E. to W., and meridians of longitude drawn from N. to S. The parallels of latitude at 23.5° north and south of the equator are called the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn respectively; whilst those at 23.5° from the poles are termed the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. Their uses are to determine the position of places on the earth's surface; without them it would be impossible to name the site of any place with any degree of accuracy. A "great circle,' is a line drawn round the earth at the equator, or else passing through the poles. The meridians of longitude are great circles. A great circle may be divided into 360 parts (degrees); they are usually divided every 10° or 15° by parallels of latitude. 3. See Major's "Notes of Lessons," pages, 82, 87, 81. 4. (a) The zone of palms and bananas, reaching from the equator to 15° N. and S.; (b) the zone of tree ferns, figs, myrtles and laurels, extending to lat. 34°; (c) the zone of evergreen trees up to lat. 58°; (d) the zone of pines and rhododendrons reaching to lat. 72°(e); the zone of Alpine plants, beyond latitude 72°. In (a) are found the palm, baobab, banyan, teak, sandalwood, bamboo, spices, cocoa nut, palm, sago, bread-fruit, sugar, coffee, tobacco. In (b) mimosa, acacia, mahogany, logwood, date-palm, ebony, walnut, indigo, tea, mulberry. In (c) gum-tree, maple, chestnut, birch, oak, larch, beech, wheat, orange, olive, rye. In (d) we find the ash, pine, fir, dwarf willow, alder. In (e) mosses, dwarf specimens of various trees and shrubs. NOTE. The above divisions are not strictly definite in all cases, but are only made for general reference. 5. LANCASHIRE. It is situated in the north west of England, and borders on the Irish Sea. It is bounded on the north by Westmoreland and Cumberland; on the east by Yorkshire and Derby; on the south by Cheshire and the Mersey; on the west by the Irish Sea. Productions: coal, iron-stone, lime, potatoes and dairy produce. Trade and manufactures: home trade is carried on by canals and railways; chief products exported are coal, iron, iron goods, cotton goods. The foreign trade is chiefly with Ireland and America. From the former are imported cattle and farm produce; from the latter cotton and dead meat. The chief manufacture is that of cotton; less important are iron smelting, silk, hosiery, glass, leather, shipbuilding, woollen goods, soap, candles. 6. Iron is largely obtained in Yorkshire, Northumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Derby, Staffordshire, Warwick, Shropshire, Gloucester, Flint, South Wales. Lead at Alston Moor, Northumberland, Durham, Cumberland, Derby, York, Cornwall, North Wales. Copper in Cornwall, Devon, North Wales. The above are smelted and used in manufactures where they are found. China clay in Cornwall, whence it is sent to the potteries. Fullers-earth at Reigate, (Surrey) is sent to York and the west of England. Marble in Derby, Devon. Salt is found in Cheshire and Worcester, and there manufactured. Slate in North Wales and Cumberland. Carpets at Kidderminster, Halifax. Cutlery at Sheffield, Birmingham. Glass at St. Helen's, Newcastle, Leeds, London, South Shields, Dudley. Hosiery at Nottingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley. Lace at Nottingham, Honiton. Linen at Leeds and Barnsley. Paper at Leeds, Gloucester, London. Silk at Derby, Spitalfields, Coventry, Macclesfield, Manchester. Porcelain in the Potteries, Worcester. Soap at London, Wakefield, Bristol, Leeds. 8. The most remarkable objects to be seen in the lake district of Cumberland are, the summits of Helvellyn, Skiddaw, Scafell, Saddleback; the lakes of Windermere, Derwentwater, Coniston, Thirlmere, Ullesmere, Buttermere, Grasmere. The Falls of Lodore, and plumbago mines, are interesting objects near Keswick. Near Penrith are some remarkable rocks called Meg and her Daughters. Not far from Buttermere is the famous Pillar rock. Beautiful waterfalls are found at Sluph's Tower and Ambleside. At Grasmere are to be seen the graves of Cowper, and Coleridge the lake poet. The whole district is justly famous for its beautiful scenery. 9. The most rapidly increasing towns are Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Paisley, Sheffield, Leeds, Leicester, Newcastle, Belfast, Derry and Nottingham. Their rise is almost entirely owing to their sites on the coal fields, and the introduction of steam power in manufactures. Consequently the people and trade have centred where coal was abundant, hence the large increase in population and importance. (The last part of the question is an individual one). 10. Openings of the sea: Firth of Clyde, Firth of Lorne, Loch Linnie, Loch Sunart, Loch Carron, Loch Broom Straits: Bute and Kilbrennan. Sounds: Sounds of Jura, Mull; Passage of Coll, Little Minch. Islands: The Hebrides, Lewis, North and South Uist, Benbecula, Barra, Skye, Rum, Mull, Jura, Islay, Arran and Bute in the Firth of Clyde. Towns Airdrie is in Lanark, noted for its iron and cotton manufactures; Dunfermline is in Fife, noted for linen and jute manufactures; : Galashiels is in Selkirk, noted for its woollens; Inverary is in Argyle, famous for its export of cattle and sheep-watering place; Kilmarnock is in Ayr, noted for its carpets; Oban is in Argyle, famous as a watering place; Paisley is in Renfrew, noted for cotton goods, shawls, silks, tartans. 11. Rivers: The Shannon, Liffey, Bann, Boyne, Barrow, Blackwater, Suir, Foyle, and Slaney. Lakes: Allen, Ree, Derg, formed by the Shannon; Neagh, Conn, Mask, Corrib, and Killarney. The Shannon rises in Cavan, and soon expands into Lake Allen. It runs south, and next forms Lough Ree; then passing Athlone, receives the Suck; it now tends south-west, aud then forms Loch Derg, 23 miles long; by a curve to the west, it flows through Limerick and enters the ocean by a narrow but deep estuary; its total length is 224 miles and the area of its basin 700 square miles; throughout its course it is celebrated for its scenery and fishing. Cashel is in Tipperary, it is the See of a Roman Catholic Archbishopric. Belfast is in Antrim, noted for its cottons and linens. Lisburn is in Down, famous for linens. Athlone is in West Meath, noted for salmon. Drogheda is in Louth, noted for linens, near the site of the Battle of Boyne. Queenstown is in Cork, packet station. Youghal is in Cork, exports farm produce. 12. Channel Islands: Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark. Islands of the Firth of Clyde: Arran and Bute. Inner Hebrides: Skye, Rum, Islay, Jura, Mull, Raasay, Eigg. Outer Hebrides; Lewis, North and South Uist, Benbecula, Barra. Achil, off west coast of Mayo (Ireland). Bardsey, off Carnarvon. (Wales) Caldy, off Pembroke (Wales). Lundy, in the British Channel. Ramsey, off Pembroke (Wales). Rathlin, in the North Channel. Staffa, off Mull. 13 and 14 see Atlas. 1. The chief circumstances regulating climate are, (1) latitude, or distance from the equator. The greater the angle at which the sun's rays strike any country, the greater proportion of heat that country receives, and vice-versa. (2) Altitude, or distance above the sea level. Elevated lands are colder than low lands in the same latitude, other things being the same. (3) Proximity to the ocean. Water radiates heat much more slowly than solid bodies, hence moving waters of the ocean form a vast storehouse of heat, which they transmit to the countries, whose shores they wash. Hence maritime countries have warmer and more equable climate than inland countries. (4.) Moisture: the above regulates this. Winds from the ocean bring rain, those from the land are usually dry and cold. (5) Prevailing winds; those from the sea are warm and moist, from the land piercing and dry. From being differently circumstanced as regards altitude, proximity to the ocean, moisture and prevailing winds. Compare the climates of England and Canada. Isothermal lines are curved lines connecting places which have the same average heat. 2. A geyser is a spring of boiling water usually found in a volcanic district. Water sinking through the strata comes into contact with subterranean heat; it is warmed and expands; finally it is ejected, as steam and hot water, in the form of a fountain. A glacier is an ice river. The ice in elevated districts collects in the valleys and on the mountain sides. By its weight it slowly descends, more or less rapidly, wearing away rocks and picking up stones as it moves along. These stones, found along its sides and at its lower end are termed "Moraines." Winds are owing to unequal temperature. (To be continued.) Reviews. HISTORY READER, by H. MAJOR, B.A.-Griffith & Farran, London.— This Reader has been compiled to meet the class subjects for the new Code of 1880. It is a short historical sketch of English History from B.C. 55 to A.D. 1066, the time of the Norman invasion. The style, phraseology, and mode of treatment of the book render it eminently adapted to the capacities of young boys and girls, and the omission of dates makes it still more readable. The short biographies of the Lady Hilda, Bede, Caedmon, and some others, are exceedingly interesting, and, we are sure, will be read with zest. The descriptions of the Saxons and their wars with the Danes are well given. The book does not pretend to be a general history, but has been written for a particular object, which it is well calculated to serve.-Irish Educational Journal. MAJOR'S CROWN READERS.-There are many features in the Crown Readers which will render them conspicuous-originality, variety, and copious exercises in the three R's. Added to these qualities the books are neatly illustrated and strongly bound.-Educational Guide. THE CROWN READER FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.-London: Stewart.-Both for their contents and their get up the "Crown Readers," will hold their own against most of the books now in use.—The Teacher. THE CROWN READER FOR BOYS AND GIRLS: Standard II. -London: Stewart.-The type in this reader is somewhat small, but very clear and distinct, and the book is fairly well illustrated. The work is hardly so interesting as many readers that are issued in the present day, lessons being given on grammar, geography, natural history, and such like subjects. The information is given in a clear and simple manner, and we have no doubt that the careful reading of such a book would add considerably to the intelligence of the children.-National Schoolmaster. THE LITTLE HOUSEWIFE.-A useful little manual of domestic economy for schools and classes in cookery, prepared by Dr. and Mrs. Buck, hon. secretaries of the Leicester School of Cookery, and Mr. H. Major. Instructions are given as to cleanliness, the cooking of ordinary dishes, and the management of the sick room, and hints on clothing. The intelligence of the reader is awakened by reasons given for various things, and questions upon them; and the instructions if carefully followed will tend to increase the comfort and happiness of the homes of our working population. The book is published in London.— Leicester Journal. Sketches in English History. Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of Liverpool, the only son of Charles Jenkinson, afterwards Earl of Liverpool, was born on the 7th of June, 1770. In 1795, he was returned to Parliament for Ryde, and on the 27th of February, 1791, he delivered a most promising maiden speech. In April 1793, he was appointed a Commissioner of the India Board, and in May, 1796, he became Lord Hawkesbury, on the elevation of his father to the Earldom of Liverpool. He strongly supported the Union between Great Britain and Ireland. He subsequently became Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs during the Addington Administration, and conducted the negotiations which terminated in the treaty of Amiens. In 1804, on Pitt resuming office, he was appointed Secretary of State for the Home Department; he was also raised to the Upper House, by writ, as a peer's eldest son. On Lord Grenville's motion in 1805, for considering the petition of the Roman Catholics in Ireland, Lord Hawkesbury declared it to be his opinion that as long as the Catholics refused to take the oath of supremacy, they ought to be excluded from political power. On the death of Pitt, he was offered the premiership, but declined accepting it. In 1808, he succeeded to the Earldom of Liverpool, and on the assassination of Spencer Percival in 1812, he consented, at the Prince Regent's special request, to accept the vacant premiership. On the death of George III., Lord Liverpool resigned his seals of office, pro forma, and resumed them again, with an assurance of royal confidence and esteem from the new Monarch. He continued to hold office until his fatal illness in 1827. He appeared for the last time in the House of Lords, on the 16th of February. In that year, he supported an address for conferring a provision, suitable to their rank, on the Duke and Duchess of Clarence. The next morning, after having breakfasted alone in his library, he was found by his servant stretched on the floor in a paralytic fit. He was shortly afterwards removed to his seat at Coombe Wood, where he lingered in a state of mental imbecility until his death, which took place on the 4th of December, 1828. As an orator he was plain but nervous; and in debate he invariably treated the supporters of those measures to which he was most inimical, with courtesy and respect. The most distinguished members were Lord Castlereagh, Sir Francis Burdett, William Huskisson, George Canning, Lord Ellenborough, Lord Eldon, Sir Samuel Romilly, Sir James Mackintosh, Lord Wynford, and Lord Holland, all of whom deserve a short memoir. Robert Stewart, Lord Castlereagh, was the eldest son of the Marquis of Londonderry, born on the 18th of June, 1769. He was elected Member of Parliament for the County of Down, in the Irish Parliament. In 1797 he was made keeper of the Privy Seal for Ireland, and soon after became one of the Lords of the Treasury, and in the following year obtained the Chief Secretaryship. While in this office, he exerted himself most strenuously in favour of the Union with Great Britain. In the United Parliament he continued the representative of the County of Down; he was appointed at the head of the Board of Control; he also took the title of Lord Castlereagh. He was afterwards |