Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-25
A GLITTERING MYSTERY.
what Finally Becomes of the Pre-
ciOua Metals.


what Finally BECOMES of the Pre-.
clOus Metals.
Alta Californian
What becomes Of the precious met
sls2" asks an Eastern journal, and then
proceeds to consider the question, and
succeeds in throwing much doubt upon
it, or, rather, leaving it in as much doubt
as before. The question, " Whatbceomes
Of all the pins2' has been ofteaer asked,
perhaps, and has been answered with
about the sane illumination. Fred Ever,
many years ago in this city, was hugely
amused at question asked in the Sacra-
mento Union. namely: Where does all
the water go2' to which interrogation
the questioner proceeded, with the philo-
sophical sobriety of an owl, to reply
through q long, column article, when it
might have been answered in two words
the ocean. But it is not so easy to an.
swer satisfactorily 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 on guess work, not less than
FIVE thousand millions, since the days of
Noah, in gold and silver, there can be
no doubt. Of this amount be thinks
that three billions have been produced
since the discovery of America. The
Christian world is credited with having
had two thousand millions, most of which
has been disposed of by shipwrecks,
gliding, fire aud various other ways, as
effectnally, we might suggest, as many Of
our citizens have disposed Of theirs by
investing in stocks. he thinks this loss
proceeds at tbe rate of sixteen millions
annually, while the production be puts
at forty millions, which is undoubtedly
too low. 0ne-half of the balance,
three hundred and fifty millions,
is held in the form Of plate and orna-
ments. OF the balance of three billions
in the anti-Christian world, wastes and
losses omitted, he thinks that over a
thousand millions have been hidden in
Asiatic lands in different ages of the
world, and he continues-that it is we'll
known that a thousand millions were
thus hidden in India and China in the
six years succeeding 1851; that is, dur
ing the time when wholesale murder and
slaughter and wholesale robbery and
despoilation were the business Of the
natives and their enemies One would
think that China must be carpeted with
gold leaf, paved with silver dollars, gilt
tering with the precious metals, did be
think only OF the vast sums sent there
for hundreds of years past, little or
none of which ever comes back, But
somehow those metals have fate there
as they have elsewhere-they disappear.
Like many other commodities, they
serve their purpose and disappear. What
became of all the gold with which Solo
mon covered bis grand temple2 What
became of the Spanish spoils in South
America and in Mexico2 One might
ask such questions forever and be no
wiser therefor. Gold and silver serve
their purposes and disappear, as do the
human race and old boots and all other
material things, and there is none SO
wise as can tell us, accurately what has
become of them When the faucet il
turned where has the gaslight gone to
one might ask, aud the question would
be as reasonable and perhaps as difficult
to answer. We know pretty we'll where
our little portion Of gold and silver has
gone, but that knowledge does not give
us any particular qualification.