The Portland daily press., 1896-01-11
GOLD OF THE GEAR.
How Russia imassed the Treasure
Offered to Uncle Sam.
FACTS ABOUT THE boarded
GOLD.

Withdrawn from Circulation The Won
derfuI Treasures of Oriental Princes
| Yellow Metal Idle.
| Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.)
| Washington, Jan. 4-How did Russia
amass the immense store Of gold which
she has offered to Uncle Sam2
| The answer is simple. She has been
| for ever SO long hoarder OF the yellow
metal, withdrawing from circulation not
only the product of her own mines, but
also the foreign coin and gold bars I'M
ported into the country. Hardly any
gold leaves Russia, while she receives
annually from outside $50, COO. 900 to $780,
| COO, 900 worth OF it. Thus she has got to-
gether a gigantic heap of specie by drain
| ing ths channels Of the monetary ciroula-
ton of the world. The treasury of the
Gear now contains about $3.50, 600, 600 in
gold.
1t is not known why Russia has adopt
ed this policy of boarding. Perhaps it
may have been for the purpose of i'm
proving her credit and financial standing
among the Powers. If SO, the plan has
been successful. 1t has been commended
by other authorities that the gold is a
war fund. In any case. the offer of the
bulk of this treasure to the United States
is the most generous action ever done by
one country to another.
Pliny, who died In 70 A. D., complained
that India drew from the great Roman
empire not less than SO. 700, 900 in gold
and silver yearly. A Frenohman named
Bernier. in 1899. writing report to his
Government rom Delhi. said that "the
gold and silver OF the world, after circu
lating for some time, finally flows to
India, as into an abyss from which there
is no return" 1t was estimated by DR..
Soetbeer that dnring the half century
previous to 1886 India boarded 81, 500, 00O,-
900 of silver and gold-nearly one third of
the total amount of coinage in circulation
in the world.
Treasures of almost incalculable value
are possessed by many Indian Princes.
Recently the Maharajah of Burdwan
died, and the stock of gold and silver left
by him was SO large that no member of
the family could make an. accurate esti.
mate Of it. A report made to the British
Government by secret agent stated that
on the estate Of the defunct potentiate
were number of treasure houses, one of
them containing three rooms. The larg-
est of these three rooms was forty weight
feet long, and was filled with ornaments
of gold and silver, plates and cups, wash
ing bowls. jugs, &c.-all Of precious
metals. The other two rooms were full
Of bags and boxes of gold mohurs and
silver rupees. The doors of this and other
treasure houses had been bricked up fo-
nobody knows how long. According to
custom OF the Burdwan Raj family, all OF
these valuables were in the custody o.
the Maharajah's wife, the vaults being
attached to her apartments; but none OF
them was allowed to be opened save IN
the presence of the master. One vault
was filed with ornaments belonging to
different gods Of the family.
1t is known that this hoard has been
in process of accum ulation for several
centuries. Not long ago the sum OF Sl,-
$50, 900 was drawn out OF it for invest
ment in land, the entire amount being
in Sikka rupees. none OF which have
been coined since 1885. One native
Prince i'm India is known to be boarding
gold at present at the rate of $3.50, GOO q
year. Every month he sends 40. o0o or
so, GOO silver rupees to agents in Calcutta
and Bombay, who convert them into gold
mohurs.
Two other Indian princes, who died q
few years ago, loft boards amounting to
$40, OoO 900 each. Instead of spending
these great ca Is Of money their de-
scendants will add TO them year after
year and generation after generation. 1t
is estimated that in the Bombay Presi-
denoy alone $50, 0OO.000 worth of British
sovereigns are treasured up, because they
bear the design of ST. George and the
dragon, and are valued on religious
grounds India is very religious ooun
try, and the gods take up immense guam
titles of gold, silver and precious stones.
The temples contain vast amounts Of the
yellow and white metals
Meanwhile, century after century the
exports of India have greatly exceeded the
imports of that country, and consequent
ly an uninterrupted stream of gold and