The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-15
Official Correspondence.


advance in rates.
Official Correspondence.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WAsHINGroN, December :, lS4S.
Sin II have received teveral specimens of the gold
recently discovered in California; and Lieut. Colonel
Cooper who the bearer of this letter will place in
your quantity Of this mea for the purpose of
having il asssytd AS doubts exist in the minds Of
some as TO its being gold hope it will be your powerto
resolve them at once, and furnish me through him,
with the result of yonr exami far respects
its eenuineness Youwl consult your convenience
in presenting more full and particular report but
desire il at early period | have net the means Of
ascertainipg the exact weight Of the specme here
with sent The large quantity-that in the tea-caddy
is collection from the various localities where the
metal is found The note which accompanies 1t states
its weight to be $50 ounces is pennyweights and 9
grsins; but presume it will be found to fall short of
that quantity some OF the finer particles have
sifed out notwithstanding the pains taken to guard
request you to deliver pound of it, about that
quantity to Colonel Cooper, to bring hack. II the
metal found TO be pure gold, as doubt not it will
be requett you TO enough Of ii for the vo
me dsls ordered by Congress which not yet COM
pleted, The remainder, with the exception Of or
two small bars with to have coined and sent with
the bars to this depar tment AS many may desire to
procure q specimen Of coin made of the California
gold by exchanging other coin for It. would suggest
that it be made into quarter eagles with ush
ing mark on each if any variation from the ordinary
issues from the mint would be proper and could be
send you a specimen of metal, also from California,
very small quantity marked platins which request
AS much curiosity exists to the character quality
&c of this newly discovered mineral, respectfully
request that your final report may be such will fur
nis the fullest information on the subject.
aho tend by Col. Cooper a quantity of cinnsbar,
obtained not far from the place where the gold
found, in the hope that you have at the mint the
means Of s,certainng the per naue Of
contains. Your report on this ore will also be highly
interesting to the public hope to be favored with
the result Of your examination of this specimen
as ii can be epiently prepared.
Very respectfully Your obedent servant,
W. l.. MARCY, Secretary Of War.
r. NJ. PATTERSON, Esq,
Superinte ndent United States Mint, Philadelphia
UNITED STATES MrNr,1
PHLApELPHiA, December IL 1S4S.
Sal have the honor to encoEe to you statement
showing the weight, fneness, and value of the Cali
fornia gold brought by Colonel Cooper to the mint
pursuant TO your Instructions. One pound troy Of
the grsins, requested by you was sent to Washing
ton by Colonel Cooper. The amount deposited at the
binary deposite in your name, and subjected to the
usual routine OF the mint. 1t will be paid your
order and the return OF the bullion receipt given to
Colonel Cooper. AS intmated by you in your letter
to tie director Of the mint, portion Of the amount
be reserved for medals, and the balance paid in
coin to tuch person you may direct. Whatever
operat on may be required on my part to carry out
your excellent suggestions will be promptly given.
have the honor to be- very respe ctfny your obedi-
Treasurer United States Mint
Hon w. L. NANCY,
Secretary OF War.
henorandum IF Gold Bullion depo.itd the 1lth day IF
December, ls4s at the Mint of The United States,
Philadelphia, by Wiltiaa l.. Marcy, Secretary Of Var
Description of Before after Dedue.
tttllioa. mailing. snettipg. FneRess Fdlue. tion
dec OF. dec lOtOths.
II ,raip Sani0Inia AIS 90 su 4s sax aslo 10 Non.
Three thousand nine hundred aud ten dollars and
ten cents. GEO. w. EDELMAN,
For the Treasurer Of the Mint.
Mint rHE UNITED STATES
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. IL, 1913.
SR-i have the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your letter of the sth ntant brought by Lieut. Col
Cooper with specimens of gold platina and cinnabar,
Colonel Cooper has returned to you with all the in.
formation immediately required as to the parcels of
gold which you sent. Our operations a still larger
deposite from the region have led to the following
Istus, which have reported to the Secretary OF the
TIessury;-
The fneness Of the California gold varied from se2
to S97 thousandths: the average of the whole being
ss4 bis is nearly equal the standard of our oin.
which is Geo. The average value per troy of the
bullion before melting SIS 055; that of the same In
bars after melting lie SIS as
Your instructions with regard to the gold shall be
carefully attended to.
The grains which you sent, marked Platina,
proved to be of this useful metal by their having TIE
this form
An analysis Of the eionabar brought by Col Cooper
IN rtsken by our ssssyer, MIR. Eokfeldt and also
by Professor Booth The results sksll be mace known
to you as soon as they are ascertained.
Very respectfully, your faithful servant.
X NJ PATTERSON Director
To Hon. w. l. Nancy, Secretary of War.
MINT The UNITED SrArEs}
Philadelphia Dec. IL, lS4s.
Sin On che sth instant, received, as heve al.
ready had The honor to inform you TIE first depote
OF pod from California II de posted by Mr. Da.
vd Carter, who brought IL from San Francisco by the
18th mus route II weighed iS04.59 ounces troy; of
which l423.s0 was from the lower surface mines aud
Seoe hon thoSe at Feather rve- On the 9th instant
another deposite was sent by the Secretary Of War
which weighed 22C ounces.
be sold was a. two sorts in external character,
lheush apparently 1ot different to quality. Tbs
hrst non the dry ciggngs," In grains whi,h
rheeu IRON one TO two nyweghts the other vsie-
ty, nom toe sWamps margins OF the streams being
IN small nat spanges, e which, average 70 would
take six or tevtn 10 weigh grain or these by far
the larger pe-t Of the eelosites was con- Sosed.
The gold was melted in elk parcels and the loss By
melting. que 20 the earthly and oxidsble matter which
disappears in this OPERATION averaged about cent
of the original weight The loss titus eported IL ncde
ate and shows 81 at the gold sd been carefully washed
Assays Of the melted gold mTde with great care
md the resuts thowed variaon In fine from ss2
% ts7 thoufendhs the average of the whole being S9<
This is lightly below the standaca 1neness which ia
100
The average value per Of the bullion before /
melting is $780, that Of the In bars sitter melt
pg lie SIS Co.
The whole value Of the god in the two depoftes was
too4N2 eesides few ounces reserved in the native
tate for the Secretary Of War, NJ his request.
Very respectfully youF faithful servant,
X. PATTERSON, Director.
ION ssonEkr J. WALLER, Sesretpry Of the Treasury