The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-05-06
SOLOMONS GREAT WEALTH.

BILE that Solomon, King of Israel, inner.
tied more than S0O,00O,OOO pounds sterl-
ing, equal to nearly four billions of dol
lars. The statement is startling at first
to even those who believe in the truth
of holy writ, and infdels seize upon the
fact as proof against the full inspiration
of Gods word. But careful inquiry in
to the subject shows this to be possible,
from the pecuniary history of their ma
ton at different periods.
In general terms it may be stated that
this vast sum was acquired by his father,
David, by conquests he made, to which
he added large amount arising from
foreign commerce, domestic trade, tribute
paid by the friendly or dependent prin-
ces IF Syria, Nsihi, Moab; Ammon,
Idumea, Phremiria and the accumulated
precious metals of the Isrealites during
five previous centuries.
There existed, in the eighteenth Cer-
tury, an amount of wealth far exceeding
that in question. From Jacobs In
quiry" and Humbold's, whose calcula-
tions were based upon the actual official
returns from the mining districts of
North and South America, and of Europe
&C., we learn that the products of the
mines of Mexico, in gold and silver es-
timated by the tax of one.6fth paid to
the Spanish Government from the year
A. d. 100 to the year A. d. 1900, one
century, was found to be equal to G256,-
S96969. There is to be added to this,
G5l ,379, 1894, supposed to be the amount
to of contract, and metals that did not
pay duty. Baron Humboldt states that
at one-fith, a sum by no means to great
when we reflect upon the faCilies afford
ed ofevading the duties.
The product of Peru. Gl00,160, ,524
which paid duty from A. D. 1900 to A. D.
1900, and to which is to be added an ad-
ditional fourth of this amount, G2O,042,-
3Sl, being the probable estimate of the
proportions that did pay duty and that
which did II tpay.
Columbia, Chill and Buenos Ayres, had
produced, within the same time, G173,-
1923, ,S32, to which is to be added G43, ,2S0,-
95S, for the same reasons as above stated.
To the products of these mines we may
add an amount from the Portuguese do
minions in South America, equal, as
nearly as can be ascertained, to ESO,0O0,-
900; making an aggregate from the mines
of America, for one hundred years of
G729, 9,S93,05S.
At the close of the 10th century, A. D.
1899, ac ording to Jacob, there remained
in Europe a stock of coin on hand equal
to el90,000,0OO. To this is to be added
one-tenth of this amount for the guam.
tity of the precious metals existing in
other forms than in coinage, making.
with the former, El43,000000. The
mines of Europe are supposed to have
produced. during the 18th century G337,- :
100000, making an aggregate to EIrope,
to the year A. D. 100, of G4S0, 100000.
With respect to Asia, the date is so un-
certain upon which any estimates can be
made of the quantity of precious metals
produced from its mines. streams, &C.,
that the whole amount may be set down
at &l00,4O0,000. The product of the
mines of Sibira is included in that of
Europe, as it passes through the mint
of Russia. beinga part of its dominions.
Notwithstanding the exaggerated ac-
counts Of the mineral wealth of Africa
found in ancient works, the small guam
tity that reaches Europe is stated to be
collected from the streams and carried
about in quilts as an article of trihe. The
amount known from the African COM
pany, to have been imported for two
years was G33O652. But supposing the
quantity to be less for the century under
consideration than at the above rate,
owing to circumstances which need not
be detailed here, it may be set down as
G1 100000. On reviewing the countries
for the end of the 18th century, the esti-
mates stands thus:
The American mines pro.
duced G729,S92,O
Stock on hand and mines of
Europe 4S0,500,00C
The mines Of Asia 1O0,OOO,0OC
Gold dust of Africa 100000
G1,31l,793.O5S
Calculating the pound sterling at s. So
the amount in our currency is S., ,335, $50.
470. No note is taken Of the loss metals
suffer either as coin or as articles of use
or luxury, although that by abrasion is
now ascertained, by the nicest calcula-
tions made at tie English mint, to be
equal to the 350ib part annually. The
single object is to show what quantity oi
the precious metals existed at any period
oftime, and whether the amount has since
decreased or not, has nothing to do with
the present question. The writer whose
calculations here proved the basis of the
above, were never doubts, as | believe,
with regard to their statements indeed
with the exception of Africa and Asia,
their accounts are from the official ones
of America and Europe on this sub
ject.
Having established ,as we think, satis-
factorily, the fact that within a period of
time not exceeding one hundred years,
there existed in the world an amount of
lHCldlilC MCdlJH ldI SACGSulllH DOlOlllOlS.
1t now remains to be shown that one ma
ton can possess this amount.
Polybius relates that the palaces of the
Persian monarchs at Ecbatana, although
of great extent, and the roof, pillars, por-
tcos and cornices &C., were formed of
cypress and cedar wood, the whole was
carved with metallic plates, some of gold
and some of silver. Tiles were all ofsi-
YER Although the place had been three
times plundered by Alexander, Anti
CONNER and Selenens; before Antiochus
arrived, there were still remaining in the
temple ofEna some pillows carved with
gold, and large quantity of silver tiles
were piled together in heap with other
wealth, amounting in all to the sum OF
Sl5,000,000.
Appian states that Ptolemy Philadel-
phus possessed, upon the authority of of.
fetal documents, to the amount of $780,
$4,000.
Pythius, a subject Xerxes entertained
that monarch and his immense army
Il : L 1 . -