Albert Gallatin
Published: 2016-06-28
Total Pages: 118
Get eBook
Excerpt from Considerations on the Currency and Banking System of the United States The total amount of gold and silver produced by the mines of America, to the year 1803, inclusively, and remaining there or exported to Europe, has been estimated by Humboldt at about five thousand six hundred millions of dollars; and the product of the years 1804-4830, may lie estimated at seven hundred and fifty millions. If to this we add one hundred mil lions, the nearly ascertained product to this time of the mines of Siberia, about four hundred and fifty millions for the African 'gold dust, and for the product of the mines of Europe, (which yielded about three millions a year in the beginning of this cen tury, ) from the discovery of America to this day, and three hundred millions for the amount existing in Europe prior to the discovery of America, we find a total not widely differing from the fact, of seven thousand two hundred millions of dollars. It is much more difficult to ascertain the amount Which now re mains in Europe and America together. The loss by friction and accidents might be estimated, and researches made respect ing the total amount which has been exported to countries beyond the Cape of Good hope; but that which has been actually con sumed in gilding, plated ware, and other manufactures of the same character, cannot be correctly ascertained. From the im perfect data within our reach, it may, we think, be affirmed; that the amount still existing in Europe and America certainly exceeds four thousand, and most probably falls short of five thousand millions of dollars. Of the medium, or four thousand five hundred millions, which we have assumed, it appears that from to 3} is used as currency, and that the residue consists of plate, jewels, and other manufactured articles. It is known; that of the gross amount of seven thousand two hundred mil-i lions of dollars, about 1800 millions or eth of the whole in value, and {5th in weight, consisted of gold. Of the four thousand five hundred millions, the presumed remaining amount in gold and silver, the proportion of gold is probably greater, on account of the exportation to India and China having been exclusively in silver, and of the greater care in preventing every possible Waste in an article so valuable as gold. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."