The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-05-23
The Output Of Gold,
INDICATIONS THAT 1900 WILL SEE THE
PRODUCTION OF S400 100000
COMPARISONS WITH RECENT YEARS.

gold and silver available for such uses
as recently as 1896. when he made his
last campaign upon that issue. This
fact has already been hinted by Mint
Director Roberts. but is strengthened
by the figures Of gold production which
are daily reaching the Treasury Depart
ment. The official figures for various
countries in 1898 are rapidly coming to
hand, and indicate an increase in
gold production alone Of $50, 900, 900
over the gold production Of 1891, which
was s237 ,5O4 800
Returns from 1899 are already availa
BILE TO sufficient extent to indicate an
other increase of more than $50, GOO, 900
over 1898, unless some unexpected catas-
trophe checks mining in South Africa
or Australia. which will carry the pro-
duction for the current year to about
$40 900, 00O This rate Of increase has
now been running for several years, and
it is believed at the treasury that the
year 1900 can hardly fail TO show gold
production of $40O 900, 600. About S65, e
900. 600 will be required for the arts
leaving s33j 600, 600 available for use as
money.
The gold production Of 1896 was $2O2 :
6S2, 300, Of which about $l3S 600 900
was available for monetary uses, and
the silver production was s2l7, 442 300
at the coming value, Of which about
sl75 600. 900 was available for monetary
uses. The whole amount Of both metals
available at that time, therefore, If the
mints Of the world had generally been
opened TO free coinage Of silver, was
about $2l3, 600 900, which will be about
$22, O0O. 900 less than the available sup.
ply of gold alone in the year of the next
presidential election.
SOUTH AFRICA AND AUSTRALIA.
The details which fill up this striking
picture are drawn chiefly from the gold
fields Of South Africa, Australia, the
Klondike and the United States. The
South African production is known and
reported monthly by cable. The total
for 1898 was about $50, 900, 600, being an
increase of about s2l ,OOO 600 over the
production of 1897 The first four
months Of the present year have indi'
Gated an increase of "a per cent over
1898, which would afford a total pro-
duction for the year of over slO6, OO0,-
900.
The recorded production of Australia
for 1898 is about s6S 900 5000, an in.
crease Of Sl2, 900, 600 over 1897. Every
indication points to similar increase for
1899, carrying the production for the
current year to SIS. 600, 600.
UNITED STATES.
The United States, which held first
place in gold production in 1896 by a
margin Of s. 900, 900 over Australasia,
and clung to second place by neck in
1897. will drop below both the leading
competitors for 1898. The official pre-
liminary estimate prepared by Director
Roberts in January put the production
in 1898 at 500. 7S2, 677. This will be
slightly modified by the final revisions,
but is not likely to be reduced. The
reports Of the United States mint at
San Francisco indicate that sl6, $40, 5SS
in American gold was presented for
treatment there, while the estimate OF
Director Roberts puts the CALIFORNIA
product at only $l4. 1888 72l. The United
States production of 1897 was s57, S69, =
OOO The increase of IS 900, 600 for 1898
will be duplicated for the current year
and is likely TO be increased next year.
Colorado, California, South Dakota and
Montana are making tremendous fight
to increase their product, and the mines
opened in Washington promise to be an
important factor in the near future
The production of the Klondike dis
trict which appears in the returns for
the Dominion of Canada was So ,027.
600 for 1897, and sl3. 700, 900 for 1898.
A production of not less than $50, 900,
900 seems to be assured for 1899.
RUSSIA AND MEXICO.
Other countries which will show con-
siderable increases for 1898 over 1897
and again for the current year over last
wear are Russia and Mexico. Russia is
likely to increase very materially the
product from the river valleys of Siberia
within the next few years, in addition
to the steady supply which is dug up
from the mines of the Ural. From all
over the world reports reach the mint
bureau of the increased productiveness
of the gold mines under the stimulus Of
improved machinery aud low cost Of
production.
INCREASE IN THE GOLD OUTPUT.
The gold production Of the world had
already made immense strides within q
very few years when Mr.. Bryan made
his campaign for free silver in 1896. II
was estimated by the director Of the
mint as early as 1894 that the gold pro-
duction of the world available for mon
etary use was already superior to the
average annual production Of both gold
and silver from 1861 to 1873. including
the year when the demonstration OF
silver took place This estimate was
abundantly ful6lled by the production
of the next few years. The gold pro-
duction alone rose from sll0, 1896, 800 In
1888 to sisi ,l75,eOO In 1894, being an