The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-26


shekcl IN weight. and a uair Of bracelets worth
ten ehckel. Moses constructs the mercy scat
with its twin chcfubim of solid gold. Solomon's
temple hlazed with gold and silver, the Babylon
ian tower beside the Euphrates was fun Of gold
statues, tables. AID affairs. and most Of its idols
were wrought ~ the same metal. So. when
r,r.ian l.. ng gave audience he sat on q lden
throhe. "a golden sceptrc in his hind. While 10
his ceremonial gatb belonged throat and arm
pieces Of gold, which, with his other ornaments,
are computed to have been worth Sl2.OOpO.
Equal msgnincence Ia ascribed by buddhist
chronicles to the court of the ancient Indian
princes. where not only the regal insignia. but
the table utensils. house furniture. and even the
trappngs OF the royal elephants exhibited the
same costly material. A Greek historian who
visited the residence OF the kinga OF Mar1dha
found the pinnaclos and bsttlcmcnts Of the
royal city entirely sheathed with gold and the
roof Of the palace rropped by golden columns.
In another CITY OF Hindostan the most flourish
ing craft was the godsmith's, since 1t was Gus
tom r, for every denizen to we IA necklace and
armlets OF gold. In short wherever We turn,
the role of the precious metals In the decorative
arts IL n.picuous among the oldest races.
when the employment of the precious metals
as means OF exchange had become general.
Il is probable that the larger share OF their an
nual product was converted into coin.
II lie Impossible. however. to approximate tho
proportion Of gold and silver which the Greek
and Roman world devoted to the arts since even
for the most recent times the data for calcutta
ton are inadequate. IL Is estimated by s0tbeer
that the quantity Of bullion iu circulation
Throughout the world In the year 1874 did not
exceed FIVE billions OF dollars. Now, considering
that ut least fifteen billions had been received
80 n nf IN 81.
ductions or loss boy attrition. rccoinaec, hoard
ing. ana shipwicck. as well as bv export to the
East which Is a phenomenon Of recent date,
would still leave a notable surplus ap. licsple to
the decorative and technic crafts.
II IL certain that tho manufacturers OF mir.
mineham consume weekly 1880 ounces Of gold.
while eight other cities of Great Britain exact
at lea st Co These amounts required for
Riit Or plated ware out solid plate and orna-
mtnts to the extent Of $1,000 ounces In gold and
100000 ounces In silver are annually submitted
to onic n inspection IN England We ought to
add the | rec aggregated weight assignable TO
those minute trnkets which osoai @ supervision.
Finally. the quantity Of silver which enters into
TIE PROCESSES Of photography is very consi Ter
able. These eata alone would indicate a yearly
consumption al precious metals in England ap-
proachns s5,NO,OOL But the fact ia that the
,seds rho o,,,ao,, ~, ,.,,,,, -. A..
ut,oo. yra,,,.,,,.. a.. - .'.,
excess Is absorbed by British industry. Some
prohat ity, therefore. sttachcs t. the estimates
ofBritsh stAtis,icians, which accord ssOclOQ9li in
the precious metals, or one-ihird Of the present
annual product. to technc and artistic objects
throughout the world.
II Is obvious that the proportion Of gold and
silver available for the arts ought to increase
, sncI, ,,,r,nn,. ~ o,,iI,htonan .na h,.,,H,
oryani, "A ccr,merc, q ,h, ,,,,er -, ,,,,,,,,-I,,
ana enl.r,.iu,, ,r,rso.,,,,,, ,,,,,',,,, a,,,.,,,
or~osu,niio', .xn.,,.t,, ~ ,ho ,,,ro,,,a,,,,,
T,e ,,,.s,ic ,.r,,c,,to ~, ,,o ~o,,,,,. -,
,,,.t -
a system Of simple barter meets the wants of
primitive society. When, however. civilization
had accelerated the division of labor and the
-ccumulstion OF sur,lus. It became desirable TO
anl some medium OF exchange whose accent
ance would be general and whose value would
tie mmutabe. Although very different things
hive served this purpose nj different times nud
places. skins, hides, and the Roman cattle
money or pocunia ranking among the oldest
rms ~ currency, the special adaptation OF
gold and silver was ognizel at an early
ucrod.
In the rudfuen.arv STAGE 81 tbeiremriovrent
IN excDanp- IN. nreci,us n,et,ls searn :, have
h.en measured bv ve;gbt Ono NJ ,h. oldes,
i,oll coins f., existence. r,oyc ,nclpaoo 4, tho
Visrn, c,lloc,t,,, ga, s,,,,,,,o, -, ,,.,t.,,. T.,
Mi n,t mora Than .. coo ve.rs 400 ,,hua ,ho
,ltest si,rer co,, - ro,.r-,d 90 rnot,,o, -,
ARGOS. in the s,x,h century h.fo,. cnr,.,
.eru,irv, nnIe ,ovt. i,,,,.,or or ,b, r..,,,.-,s
oflfaradot,,. ,nh o,ber ,.r.rtcl.rs ,ro,,i1o..t,r
f., coinaeea much greater ,,ti,,,i,. n excls nn,
~ ,,,,.,o, fr i,.,a,,,. ,,i,.,, .,,.te, "A ID.