The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-05-19
descriptive Artitles.
THE KING OF METALS.
The Ancient History Of GOld-Where the
Precious Metal as Found.

s. II. s. IN n. 0. Times Democrat.
To aid the advancement of scientific
knowledge, as well as to enable the unin-
itiated to acquire general knowledge of
the history and useful appliances of the
chief material connected with the jewelers.
art; that the subject may be interesting to
the general reader as well as to the practi-
| cal propose to review the ancient history
of gold, together with its modern progress
and usefulness as regards ornamental art.
| This information was derived both from
actual experience and from the study of
works of leading authors who have written
upon the subject.
Gold, of all metals, is consider.yd the
most imperishable, and consequently the
most noble and beautiful 1t is, therefore,
identified with everything that is intrinsi-
cally valuable and outwardly rich. 1t is
the most solid of all metals, and, when in
state of perfect purity, consists OF particles
SO fine in the grain and so closely united
that they can hardly be separated When
unalloyed it does not suffer any dlmlnutlon
or loss by melting, nor does it tarnish in
the air, neither is it subject to rust if laid
by, but always retains its natural appear
ance. No acid nor salt of any kind will
affect it in the least degree, 1t has more
over beautiful characteristic yellow color,
and is Justly distinguished from all other
minerals by the name Of the "kins OF
Metals" or 'Royal Metal
The history of gold abounds in so much
that is interesting that it would not be out
of place to trace a little of its ancient pro-
duction and applications. Gold has been
known from the remotest age. The sacred
writes used to identify it with everything
that was precious, and speak of it as the
metal of supreme excellence. The first
mention of it in the pages of the Old les
lament is in the book of Genesis (Chapter
II, 10-12). "And river went out OF
Eden to water the garden; and from thence
it was parted and became into four heads.
The name of the first is Pison; that is it
which compasseth the whole land of Have
lab, where there is gold; and the gold of
that land is good" The book of Genesis
is supposed to have been written by Moses
about 800 years before the birth of
Christ Gold, then, upon the evidence OF
Scripture has been used upward OF $1,000
years.
The first mention of it being employed
for the purpose of ornamental art is found
in the same book-Genesis (Chapter
XIV, pr: 'The man (this was Abra-
hams servant) took golden earring of a
half-shekel weight and two bracelets for
her (Rebekah) hands of ten shekel weights
of gold" A golden sheckel, according to
our present currency, would be worth
about S5.37 The same book also states
that articles or ornaments of jewelry were
worn by Jews of almost every description
now to be seen in the nineteenth century.
In Genesis also (Chapter XII. 42), we
read of other things of the same kind, the
manufacture of which was known to the
ancients: "And Pharoah took off his ring
from his hand and put it upon Josephs
hand, and arrayed him in yesture of fine
linen, and put gold chain about his neck
As far us can be ascertained by reference,
gold is mentioned in the Bible in all up
ward of three hundred times. Old Jewish
patriarchs must have been tolerably con-
versant with the manipulation or working
of gold, for we read of their making jewels,
crowns bowls, knobs, bars, pillars, hooks,
flowers, rings, chains, belts, plates, tablets,
ouches and talents of gold; also cherubim,
candlesticks, mercy seats, ephods, breast
plates and calves, all of gold, There were,
besides, houses embellished with gold
while the throne itself is said to have been
overlaid with pure gold. Further, all
King Solomon's drinking vessels were
made of this metal q King, X, 2l). All
the vessels of the house of the forest of
Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of
silver. 1t was nothing accounted of in the
days of King Solomon. So abundant does
it appear to have been in his time that it is
reported that he received 666 talents of
gold (equal to about twenty-seven tons) in
one year.
Gold has been known and used by every
nation, both uncivilized and civilized, from
the earliest period down to this present
time Among the old Egyptian monuments
it is found, and semi barbarous nations also
used it, in the form of dust, as the princi-
pal medium of exchange.
When America was discovered by CO.
lumbus gold was we'll known to its inhabi-
tants. The Chinese have used it from
time immemorial. The Modes and Per-
slams were remarkable even more than the
Asiatics for their love of gold. Jewels of
costly description were employed to indi-
cate the rank of the wearer, and this GUS
tom is still continued in the East at the
present day. Africa, too, has long been
celebrated as the land of the gold dust,
and it is said that the Ophir, whence Solo
mon obtained SO much, was country on
that coast.
Gold is now found principally in Amer
lea, the largest field being California, pro-
ducing not less than $65,000,000 per an
mum. For the above statistics l am in
debted to Cassell's Technical Educator
Mineral and Commercial Products" Mines
also exist in Brazil, British Columbia, Peru,
Central America, Grenada and several
other localities in South America. At pres
ent the United States contributes more
than one-third of the total supply of gold.
In Australia gold is found in New South
Wales, Victoria, Melbourne, Sydney, Reedy
creek, Geelong and numerous other places,
and mining operations in the above places
are carried on by emigrants from all parts
of the world.
In Asia the Ural mountains contain
some rich gold districts. They are situated
on the borders of Asiatic Russia. Thibet,
in the Chinese empire, also furnishes gold;
the island of Sumatra, in the Indian ocean,
likewise contributes to our store; SO do
Ceylon, Borneo and Japan, in the Pacific
ocean. Other parts of Asia yield small
supplies, such as the river India, China,
Sumatra and Asia Minor, but the total
supply is not important and would not ex-
coed two and half million dollars annu-
ally, Along the coast of Cofraria, in AT
RIGA, the sands abound in gold dust. This