Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-02-10
From the New York O6ser,srl
Wealth Left by King David to solomon.
| CHRONICLES % : u

GOO, 900 pounds sterling equal tu nearly
four billions of dollars Tkr statement is
startling at first to cYa8 those who believe
in the truth of holy writ, and intdcls seize
upon the fact a. proof against the full in
SEPARATION of God : word But Il careful in
quiry into the subject shows This to be
possible, from the pccuniary history ofothcr
nations at different pcri0,ls.
il general terms it may be stated that
this vast sum was acquired by his f'ther
David by conqucsts In. made, to which he
added a large amount arising nom foreign
commerce, domestic trade tribute paid by
the friendly or dependent princes of Syria,
Nisibis, Moab, Ammon Idumea, Ph9nicia
and the accumulated precious metals of the
lsraelites during five previous centuries.
There existed, in the eighteenth cent ry,
an amount of wealth far exceeding that in
question From Jacobs Inquiry" and
Iumboldts, whose calculations were based
upon the actual official returns from the
mineral districts of n. and 5. America,
and of Europe, &c, we learn that the pro-
duct of the mines of Mexico in gold and
silver, estimated by the tax of one-fitth
paid to the Spanish Government from the
year A. d. 1900, To the year \. d. 1900, one
century, was found to be equal to f35G,
$4,000 There is to he added To this, FOL,
&c., 1914, supposed to be the amount OF con
traband metals that did not pay duty
Baron Humboldt states this AZ one -fif.h--
a sum by no means too great when we re.
fleet upon the facilities afforded of cvading
the duties. The product of Peru 200 169,
524, which paid duty from \. d. 100 to A.
d. 1900, and to which is to be added m adj
diiional fourth OF this amount. 25.0i239l,
being the probable estimate of tie proper
ton that did pay duty and that which did
not pay. Columbia Chill and Buenos
Ayrcs had produced, within the same time
fl73, 1882, to which is to be added L43,
2S0,95S, for the same reason rs al cady
stated. To the proilct of these mines We
may add an amount from the Portuguese
dominions in South America, equal as
nearly as can be ascerlaiLcd, to fSO,0O0,-
600; making an aggregate from the mines
of America, for one hundred years, o.!
f729, 05a.
At the close Of the sixteenth century,
A. u. 1899, according to Jacobs, thcr. re
manned in Europe stock of coin on hand
equal to f130,000,000 70 this is to be ad-
dcd one-tenth Of this amount, for the guam
tity of the precious metals existing in other
folms than in coin, making, with the for
mcr, fl43, 100000. The mines of Europe
are supposed to have produced, during the
seventeenth century, f33, 100000, max
ing an aggregate for Europe, to the year
A. d. 1900, of ESQ, 500 COO.
With respect to Asia, the data is so I'M
certain upon which any estimate can be
made of the quantity Of precious metals
produced from it's mines streams, &c, that
the whole amount may be set down at
f100, 100000. The product of the mines
of Siberia is included in that of Europe, as
it passed through the mint of Russia be-
ing part Of its dominons.
Notwithstanding the eyappcratr1 o.
counts of the mineral wealth of Africa
found in ancient works. the small quantity
that reaches Europe is stated 10 he collect
ed from the streams and carried about in
quilts as an article OF traffic. The amount
known, from the African Company, to
have been imported for ten years was
| t33O,G5 But slpposing the quantity to
he less fW the century under considcra-
ton than 1t the above rate, owing to cir
cumstances which nre& not be detailed
here, it may be set Gown as e. 600, G0G--
On reviewing the entire for the end of the
seventeenth century, the estimate stan Is
| thus;
The American mines pro
duCe;i 1890 SOC OJo
Stock OF hand and mines of
Europe 4SO, SOC, 600
/ The r.inCs of Asia 100, 4GO 900
| Gold dust o! Africa 100000
Gl,311. ,93N5S
Calculating the pound sterling nj 81 So.
| HE amount in our currency is $5,335 800
| 40. No note is taken Of the loss metals
suffer either as coin or us articles of use or
! luxury, although that by ahras on is now
! asCrrtalned, by the incest calculations made
at the English mint, to be equal to the
360th part annually. Tie single obiec, i.
| to show what quantity of the precious.
metals existed at dny period Of time; and
whether the amount has since decreased or
not, has nothing to do with the present
| question. The writers whose calculations
| have formed the basis of the above were
never douhtcd, as believe, with regard to
their statements and, indeed, with the cx-
ccption Of Africa and Asia their accounts
are from the official ones Of America and
| Europe on this subject.
Having established as we hope, satisHac-
| torily, the fact that within a period of
time not exceeding one hundred wears.
there existed in the world an amount OF
metallic wealth far exceeding Soiomons,
| it now remains to lie shown that one ma
ton might possess this amount.
POlyhus relates that the palace of the
! Persian mpnarcls at Echatana. although
of great extent, and the root, pillars. por-
tirocs and cOrnices &c, We're formed of
| cypress and cedar wood, the whole was
covered with metallic plates, some of gold
and some of silver. Tiles were all Of sill
yer. Although the place had been three
| times plundcred by Alexander, Ambiguous
SrIrucus before Ant;Oclus arrived, there
We're still remaining in the temple of
Ena some pillars cased with gold, and
large quantity of silver tiles were piled to-
| grthcr in heap, with other wealth,
! amounting in all TO tie sum Of tl5.000000
Appian states that Ptoiemy Phladelphus
! possessed, upon The authority of official
| documents, to the amount Of fl59, $40 600
Pythius, Il subject of XerXes, entertained
| that monarch and his irllncnsc army while
! ON his way to the conquest of Greece
! Being asilel the amount of MS wealth, he
! stated that he had taken an account of it
| before NerXeS' arrived, with the Intention
! Of Supplying the king With money for the
| Grccian war, and that his metallic treasures
alone amounted 10 f3.6Oo,nm 50 far was
NerNes from nrcdin" this tempting supply.
! that he gave him as = reward of his gcncr-
| osty rs many diaries as made the entire
! amount equal To : too, oG0,00o.
Cr(eaus as all know, is bot another name
| for wealth, the amount of which we MAY
| tOrln some idea of from the value of his
! pr"sani to the D.-lp.lic Oracle, E3nO0 .OOG,
| lntl VIII On were to J; seen there in Hero