The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-14
Tnc r,,,,sre OF Gold.

ASIEkhSliNV DOOhs.
An eminent German gcologist, Herr Ed
ward Suess, professor OF geology at the
University OF Vienna, and widely known
throughout Europe for his scientific works
and researches, has recently published re.
markable book entitled, "The Future OF
Gold -" DE Zukanf deS Code. III Is
much more. than mere COLLECTION OF laIss
specially relating to the production OF solu,
for II aims also to supply INCONSISTENCIES a. r-
deficiencies in our previous knoW,euse III ~,
corning the matter OF money, anu 10 a in,':v
To economic phenomena certain natufal iam .
Formulated with scientific precision IN Inc
work in question. u,.. :, OIL
40 .. 1coIocist and mineraloslst OF au-
thnr;tv Herr Suess asserts positively thaI
tbo total production OF gold from the re-
n,otest cpoch known to the present time mas
not bccn large enough to authorize the uni
vcrsal establishment OF the single gold-mo-
nov standard, and that mankind is in far
greater danger OF an ultimate gold famine
Than of the exhaustion Of the coai-beds OF
the earth, as was once apprehensively con-
sidered possible. The existing stock OF
cold, coupled with that which may continue
TO be extracted, taken at the maximum that
may be reasonably anticipated, Professor
Sucss mentions, is of so little magnitude re-
lativcly as to excite the rational fear that
there will not he enough gold for the
cxigcncies of future generations. To reach
this conclusion-for it is positively that with
the ProfesSor-he asserts that one has only
to examine closely on the outside the extent
OF the present and prospective demands for
gold, and on the other the guarantees OF
production afforded by the mines and helds
now opcratcd, together with the promise
which geology holds out, with reasonable
assurance, of the discovery OF new mines
adequate TO the maintenance OF proper
supply Of the essential precious metal. ana
upon these material points the work OF TINS
eminent German Sduam is particularly IN
tercsting and instructive.
He asserts that the mines or the precious
metals arc simply magazines, marking Tue
geological transformation OF their compo-
ncnt matter in the superficial strata OF the
earth accessible to man; and these several
STRATA containing the precious metals he
subdivides or distinguishes into three
classes. The first class contains gold and
silver minutcly scattered through the rock,
and this is the earliest condition. In this
class occur deposits OF gold blended with
platinum aud other metals in metallic stage,
such rs is found at Niini-Tapll, in the Ural
mountains. This particular collaborating
stratum is rare, and so insignificant in its
production that it is really not to be taken
into consideration in estimating the metal
lie resources for the worlds monetary syS-
TEN. In The second class Herr SueSs places
the seams or assures which bave been
wrought by volcanic action, to which class
belongs the so-called "bonanZa OF Nera-
da. the lodes or veins OF New Grenada and
30 In I,r,>nftSo,, Mountains fhnsn ~ Iip.
tora, of Queensland, and some OF the
/" gauges" OF New Zealand.
AS for the third and last class OF sources
or deposits Of the precious metal, or rather
OF gold, it has its origin III chemical altera-
tons and mechanical displacement OF strata
or beds OF the metal formerly contained in
the interior OF mountains, affected by water
and the air. These two powerful trans
forming agents have, in time, dccomposed
the older strata, carried them away by
means of water-courseS, and formed those
beds OF gold and platinum-bearing gravel
and alluYium which constitute the great
gold-felds Of California. Australia, New
Zealand, and the Ural. They are mined by
hydraulic processes.
Herr SueSs estimates the total production
Of gold for the quarter OF a century, end
ing with 1915, at 16,S04, 100000 francs (SS3,-
20, 100000 of which Ii, 1888, 100000 francs
were supplied from the alluvial or placer
mines, and the remainder, 2,02i 100000
francs 1891, OO0,OOO, was derived from all
other sources. Thus, it is this last class OF
gold sources which must play the decisive
part in the supply of gold in the future.
Upon this point the representation OF the
German geologist is this:
"From all geological revelations the pro-
duction Of gold must essentially depend
upon those parts Of the earth where for a
certain time the primitive formation was
left exposed at the surface. If we mark
upon n sphere all such spaces, excluding
the seas, oceans, and lakes, the Steppes, salt,
waterlesS deserts, and regions covered by
Polar ice and eternal snow, and deduct the
ground which has been exhausted, more or
less, in the course Of ages since the period
when Ramscs II. sunk shafts in the Akita,
the gold-tield OF that epoch, we must neces-
sariy reach the conclusion that up to the
present time more than half OF the quantity
OF gold which could possibly be extracted
from the earth by any means as yet known
has already come into the hands OF man.
There is also reason for expecting this
exhaustion OF the supply to be reached all
the speCdier because OF the immensely
greater scale and improved processes by
which mining is now carried on, and the
great depths that are now reached. Con-
seauently, the period when the production
of gold shall diminish in permanent man.
ncr and degree is relatively approaching;
and it must unavoidably happen, according
to Professor SuesS, within several centuries.
Therefore, he maintains that, in proportion
as gold shall become rare, it will be imprac-
ticable for it to maintain itself in the money
function with which it has been invested,
and it will have to be replaced.
On the other hand, it is entirely different
in mountains with respect to silver. 1t is
true, he admits, that this metal is in great
part extracted from veins formed by erup-
tons; but such veins are so numerous and
so large, and relatively SO much richer in
the mass, that the supply may be far more
confidently expected to stretch for
ward into remote future. Moreover,
a very great progress is to be anticipated IN
the processes and means OF extracting inns
metal from its various ores. From tnese
and other reasons this dispassionate sclen-
tfic investigator concludes it to be wholly
to adopt the single golu stana-
ard generally in Europe; and III TACT, iook-
ing to the relative rarity OF mines OF gold,
it were convenient, he suggests, to renouncc
that metal as q circulating money medium.
Be this as it may, the work of SO distin-
guished a geologist and political economist
is a most valuable contribution to the SUBJ
iect and the questions embraced.-Ne1o
York Tribune.
Mr.. Charles T. Browne-otherwisc Artc-
mus Ward-oncc wrote q bright letter to a
little eigbt-year-old friend OF his in Elmira,
and the Gazette of that town now prints the