The Republican journal., 1876-02-17
A G4ittering Mystery.

"What becomes OF the precious metals p
asks an Eastern Journal and then proceeds
to consider the question, and succeeds Ill
throwing much doubt upon it, or, rather,
leaving it in Just rs much doubt MS before,
The question "what becomes OF all the
pinso" has been ottener asked, perhaps,
and has been answered with about the
same illumination Ferd Ever, many
years ago, in this city, was hugely anus
ed at the question asked IN the Sacramen-
to Union, namely, ''where does all the
water 90 TOP" To which interrogation
the questioner proceeded, with the phi
losophcal sobriety OF an owl. to reply
through long column article, when 1T
might have been answered in two words
the ocean,
But it is not so easy to answer SATISFACTORY
" the question as to what becomes OF the
precious metals. That vast amount has
been extracted from the earth, according
to an English writer, who OF course, must
depend to a great degree upon guess work,
Dot less than five thousand millions since
the DAYS of Noah, in gold and silver, there
can be no doubt. OF this amount he thinks
that three billions, two hundred millions
have been produced since the discovery OF
America The Christian world is credit
ed with having had two thousand millions,
most OF which has been disposed Of by
shipwrecks, gliding, fire and various 9th
er ways as eilectually, we might suggest
as many Of our citizens have disposed OF
| theirs by investing in stocks.
| He thinks this loss proceeds at the rate
of sixteen millions annually, while the
production he puts at forty millions, which
| is undoubtedly too low. One-halt OF the
balance three hundred and fifty millions,
he thinks is held in the form OF plate, and
ornaments OF the balance OF three mil
lions in the ante-Christian world, wastes
and losses omitted he thinks that over
thousand billions have been hidden III
Asiatic lands in different ages OF the world
and he continues that it IS well known
that Il thousand millions We're thus hidden
in India and China IN the six years sue
ceeding 1851; that is, during the time
when wholesale robbery and despoliatlon
were the business of the natives and their
enemies.
One would think that China must be
carpeted with gold leaf, paved with silver
dollars. Glittering with the precious met
ais, did he think only Of the vast sums
sent there for hundreds OF years past, Mt
tie or none of which ever comes back.
But somehow those metals have a date
there as they have elsewhere-they dlSap-
pear. Like many other commodities,
they serve their purpose and disappear.
What became of the gold with which
solomon covered his grand temple ? What
became of all the Spanish spoils in South
America and in Mexico? One might ask
such questions forever and be no wiser
therefor. Gold and silver serve their pur-
poses and disappear, as do the human race
and old boots and all other material things,
and there is none 50 wise rs can tell us ac-
curately what has become OF them.
When the faucet is turned, where has
the gas-lght gone? One might ask, and
the question would be rs reasonable and
perhaps as difficult to answer, We know
pretty we'll where our little portion ot
| gold and silver has gone, but that knowI-
edge does not give us any particular graf"
itication. Alta California.