The Irish standard., 1895-01-26
MORE GOLD THAN EVER.
An Increase In Production In Almos
Every Gold Region.

An Increase In Production In Almost
Every Gold Region.
The worlds gold product for the last
year will surpass any year in its his
tory. The production of last year ex-
ceeded that of all previous years, and
was reported by the mint bureau at
$155, So, 0OO
The production for 1894 seems likely
not to be less than S175 100000, or a
gain of nearly s20,OoO,O00 over the fig
ures of 1893. The principal gains have
been in the United States, the Witwa-
! tersrandt region of South Africa, in
Australia and Russia
1t was evident last summer, says a
Washington authority, that mining ac-
tivity in Colorado and other western
states would carry the product of this
country for the year from s35.955. 900 in
1898 to S42,0OO,OOO. 1t now looks as
though the total would reach $4,000.
Director Preston has checked and
pruned the estimates from the great
mining states, but even with large re-
auctions they indicate an increase Of
81 100000 in Colorado, &. 000, 900 in Cal
ifornia. 100000 in Montana, and
$500, in Idaho. Large gains are also
reported in Oregon and Washington,
for which exact figures have not been
obtained.
The increase in the production Of the
Witwatersrandt region has been stead
lily maintained for five years. The pro-
duction of 1890 was 494, 500 ounces, at
about $17.50 an ounce; the production
of 1891 was 729,2S8 ounces; of 1892,
1910, 1858 ounces; of 1898, LAYS, ATS ounces,
and the estimated production for 1894
is 2,2OO,O0 ounces. The complete fig
ures have been received up to the close
| of November, and every month shows
| an enormous increase over the CORE
spending month of 1898, with an adj
vance during the present year from
1924 ounces in January to l75,SO9
ounces in November. The value of this
product was about sec, 600, 900 in 1898, and
| will be about S3s, 100000 in 1894. Other
portions of America are expected to
show slight gains, but they produced in
the aggregate only about S3,000,O00
| worth.
Australia, which shows production
in 1898 of s35, 6ss, 900, is credited with
an increase of S3,0O0,0O0 in 1894.
The Russian empire was credited in
the last mint report with the same pro-
| duction in 1898 as in 1892, which was
s24 SOC, 200. Official figures since re-
ceived show an increase in 1898 of
! about 81, SOC, 900, and it is thought that
| this will rise to 50, OOO, 900 for the pres
ent year.
These gains alone will swell the
| worlds production by s26,000,00O, and
| would make an aggregate of more
than 1851, 900, 600, if no losses were in
Dictated in other countries. 1t is ex-
pected that such a loss may occur in
China, where the product in 1898 was
SIS, 426, 900, on account of the war with
Japan. Even large loss there would
leave the worlds production above
$175 ,00o, 900, and would exceed the most
sanguine estimates made by Director
Preston in his last report on the pro-
duction of the precious metals.
Mr.. Preston is endeavoring to keep
his estimates within conservative
| bounds, for he does not wish to make
larger claim than the facts will
finally warrant; but it would seem
that his estimate for this year of $170,-
1000 was certain to be largely ex-
oea1e1