The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-02-05
SCARCITY OF SILVER AND GOLD.

The abundance OF Tue PIOCAouo
metals is evidently growing less and
less with the ages. In ancient times
silver and gold were possessedin fabu-
Ious sums. These sums were not rep
Of such wealth, but the
actual metals were collected in large
amounts, and entered into the elabor-
ate manufacture of personal goods
Comprising vast scope. Even houses
were loaded down IN their construc-
ton with silver and gold, to say moth
ing of pre- ious stones. In tie
construction Of Solomon's temple gold
and silver were massed upon its walls
and its pillars and its doors; the cell
ings were heavy with the precious
metals: and about the hottest
places there we're shaped into massive
and elaborate designs, silver and gold
of inestlnaLIe value. Many OF the
ancient kings are credited with enor-
nous wealth IL gold and silver, all
laid away in private stores. One
Eqyptiau king of the nineteenth dy
nasty is credited with the absolute
possession of 1868, 100000 in gold. The
ancient records go to show that there
was more of the precious metals
in Egypt than in any other country
1t IS said that Egypt procured Its
precjous metals sfrom the desert near
the Red Sea and from Ethiopia. Per
STA and other nations received their
gold from the Ural mountains.
Greece received the products OF the
mines o. Macedonia and Thrace. In
the former country Thucydidcs be-
came a successful miner and dlstln-
guished historian, after hCSaa proved
failure as a + general. Rome
was supplied from the east, and
western Europe procured the precious
metals from America after its dis
coyery. AT first the stream OF gold
flowed westward and followed the
current of emigration, but after the
discovery of this continent the
current was reversed, America
and Australia furnish the prln,
cipaI supply to the world. 1t Is
stated that during the reign OF
Augutus, there was in circulation
in the Roman empire, gold
: and silver equal to $l,79OOOO,OOC
The vast quantity of precious
metals that has disappeared is WoE
: derful to contemplate, Solomon's tenn
1 pie has melted away; Egyptian wealth
e in gold and silver has disappeared for
4 ever; Rome's treasure has departed
/ the ages have swallowed up vas
antities-mountains Of precious
metals. Imperceptibly is 1t that tn
great mass Of these metals has peel
: lost. Abrasion alone has gottel
? AWAY with billions of gold ant
! silver, and still the wearing process
goes on. 1t has been estimated tina
: one grain has been thus lost every veal
to every 300 grains. Therefore iron
use alone all the metals would Wea
= away every $50 years. Before the us
S of paper money and bills OF ex
s change and checks came int
i use. the wear of coins wa
b greater than now. AS to the where
y abouts of precious metals a write
l. saws: For the last two centuries th
: Asiatic people, particularly those
s. India, Japan and China, have been tn
recipients Of all the silver from Amel
lea and western Europe that could /
= spared. They do not covet gold.
- is stated ol what seems to be goo
. authority that it is impossible to az
. count for all the silver that has pou
ed into those countries, that 1t do'
- not seem to be in existence there nos
" Tie consumption of these metals
so great, and none being crea
ed by nature so far as is known, II
ne question arises, how long will 1t
so before the world will be destitute
re them? 1t is not matter OF co
he Germ at present nor will it be II
We many centuries to come. While Il
o. mines in the northwestern part OF AS
er- and in Europe appear to be eXhaustt
TX America and Africa have not yet bet
IS fully prospected. Australia is not y
ed out of her boom, and lately gold al
ar silver have been discovered IN t
Himalaya mountains, and there is
-. reason 10 doubt that the preclo
no metals existR.those parts of the ear
all that are ase Inaccessible. If t
OH supply were s2&edsted, the woI
'ot would not be deprived of that viii
es is essential to human existence. I
od precious metals afford convene
for measure of value or circulating me
,at UNI, and legislation against them is
of outrage. Their free coinage shot
be universally encouraged.