Gilpin observer., 1916-07-20
DEMAND FOR
SILVER DEVELOPING

Taking all the data available in
the worlds silver consumption-and
there is much that we may have
missed we find that 115,000,0 900
ounces annually are used in the arts
and crafts, including a rapidly grow
ing demand in photography on &C
count OF the moving picture indus
try. For a number OF years the aver
age amount used for coinage purpos-
es in the world had been about 100,-
600 900 ounces and from this data we
dred and fifteen million ounces of
silver annually. Bear in mind that
the consumption of silver is increas-
ing rapidly, as Will be seen from the
following table of silver used in arts
and crafts only:
In 1894 the worlds consumption
was 25,0OO,O0O ounces; in 1904 the
worlds consumption was 60,0O0,0O0
ounces; in 1914 the worlds consump-
tion was lis 200, 900 ounces.
1t will be noted that in 20 years
the increase in silver consumption
has been 46O per cent in commercial
uses only. This makes an average of
% per cent a year. A large part of
the increase in the last ten years
may be attributed directly to the
moving picture industry.
The amount Of silver being used
for coinage purposes at present is
greatly in excess of that of the last
twenty years. For example, Great
Britain has coined 5000 900 ounces of
silver during the first three months
OF 1916, ais compared with 100000
during the whole of 1915, and little
over 100000 ounces in the whole of
: 1914. France has coined 10000, 900
ounces during the first quarter Of
1915, which was more than the entire
amount coined in the whole of 1915
Austria, Germany and Italy have
more than doubled their coinage OF
silver. Russia rs coming in its own
mints and those Of Japan, more sill
yer than ever before. 1t is safe to
say that probably O,OOO, 900 ounces
Will be needed for coinage purposes
in 1916, and perhars more in 1917,
If it is obtainable.
The worlds production of silver in
1915 was 211 1867 400 ounces. In 1911
the high mark for silver production
was reached (recent years) CT 22S,-
737, 1888 ounces. 1t therefore appears
that the worlds demand for silver
will be this year from 300, ,OOO, 900 to
400 100000 ounces more than the
world can produce. It may be even
greater next year. What will it mean,
If the consumption and uses of sill
YER make demand for two or three
times what the world can produce?
Is the man that talks dollar silver
visionary or simply logical or fore
sighted?
Unauthenticated information comes
to us that Silver trust" is being
formed to control the silver product
OF the world. 1t is apparently very
easy trust to form. inasmuch as near
ly all the silver of this country passes
through the American Smelling and
Refining company or the hands of
the Amalgamated Copper company.
Both Of these are big trusts already,
1nterlocked with the Standard Oil
and United States Steel trusts, thru
the ownershop of stocks.
Tonopah is practically the only real
large producer Of silver in the coun.
try, that Is producing it's metal thru
independent operators.
Would 1t be much Of task for the
metal trusts to formulate plan to
take over the mines of Tonopah,
when It virtually controls rs per cent
OF the silver product anyway. If this
trust takes hold Of the silver indus