The Alaska daily empire., 1916-01-01

gold mines of Rhodesa. Nubia and the gold coast in Africa. Rome and all cities built throughout the Mediterranean likewise made possible by the accumulation of wealth. obtained through mining extensively carried out in Spain, Northern Africa, the Caucasus. Greece and the Balkans. Many of these mines in operation today. The Rio Tinto copper mine and the Almeden quicksilver mine of Spain have been in almost continuous operation since the Roman period. and still numbered among the great mines of the world.
 The first invasion of the Phoneclans into Eng land was directly connected with the mining of tin and copper in Cornwall. and. as come down to more modern periods. mark the distinct de- velopment of England from a small country into a great nation, principally due to the discovery and operation of immense and valuable fields under lying the greater portion of the country and the tabshment of the smelling industry in Wales. which brought from all parts of the world and even- tualy developed the manufacture of iron that it became the chief industry of the country we'll the greatest asset in her trade relations
 The is particularly true of Germany France and the United States and the higher civilization and more modern conditions prevailing in these countries may be definitely traced to the mineral industry.
 Germany's wonderful advance during the past twenty-five years and her growth in trade has been largely due to her development of iron and coal mines and the perfecting of her smelling industry.
 The great European war is a remarkable illus tration of the importance of mining and the value of mineral wealth to any given country. without iron and steel with which to make the guns. machin- cry and equipment we'll the shells. and without zinc, lead and nitrates, this would have been impossibity. One of the reasons for Germanys rapid advance into France and the occupation of the present position she has taken due to the value of the Lorraine iron fields underlying northern France and passing underneath Luxemburg into Belgium. It Is estimated that sixty per cent of the iron Germany Is now using for purposes is coming direct from the iron mines of Northern France and Belgium. and the intensity of the fighting which has been recently carried out around Verdun, well other points along the western front Is directly due to the value of these iron deposits to the smeng industry which has been developed.
 Germany would have been unable to carry the to the present extent had 1t no been for her accumulation of copper metal for decade and the sezlng and operation of zinc smeers in Bel gium and Gallca. It would, likewise. have been i'm. possible for Germany to continue the had 1t not been for the vast nitrate beds existing in that country. and forming the basis of the powder used
 On the other hand. the Allies could not have resisted the German attack had 1t not been for the iron and coal industry developed in England, and the British fleets commanding the seas and permitting the Allies to draw their necessary equipment, guns, shells and materials in sufficient quantities from the United States. (This gigantic fleet itself Is large ly product of the mine.) In no less degree have the Allies been able to withstand the shock and ex pense of this giant struggle through the accumulation of gold in the hands of England, making her the wealthlest nation in the world, as well as the H. nancial center of the Allies. and permitting the pur. chase of necessary products, including metals, from foreign countries. From onehalt to twothrds of the entire worlds output of gold for the past generation has been controlled by England, and has continued to pour into her coffers.
 History has made 1t plain that the real discovery, opening up and development of new and unlnhabted districts and countries has nearly always been first due to the search for metal wealth The real develop ment of America brought about by the efforts on the part of Spain and other countries to discover and confIscate the accumulation of gold and silver previously made Sy the ancient Ineas and Azecs The VaSe amount of treasure obtained by Spain, in the early period of exploitation and development of this hemisphere chiefly responsible for her rise to world power during the same period, and her later fall may be measured by the loss of control of metal mining industry of Peru. Chile, Ecuador and other mining districts.
 In the United States, the development and occu. patton of the country progressed at very slow rate until the discovery of coal in Pennsyvania and West Virginia, followed by the discovery of iron in Mch gan Minnesota and Wisconsin we'll Pennsy vana, and the discovery of mineral oil, copper. zinc lead. gold, silver etc. .t. ..... ..
 In modern times Africa Australia. the Pacific Coast of the United States and Alaska had long been known to traders but real development of these tries be traced directly to the discovery of gold The great gold rush into California in "fortynine,' the similar rush to Australia In the sixties, and the stampede into Alaska in nnety-seveh and ninety eight not alone Identical but in each instance have been followed by the rapid development and occupation of the country. It is interesting to note