afforded by the mines of the Indian Archipelago,
it is impossible, from the nature of the subject, to
state any thing better than probable conjecture.
In attempting to furnish materials to form such an
estimate, some striking facts will be adduced which
will enable us to estimate it at a very high amount.
Mr Marsden has estimated the whole export of
the south-west coast of Sumatra at 14,400 oz.; and
conjectures that that of the north-east may be equal
to it. Hamilton, a century ago, estimates the
whole gold of Achinat 1000 lbs. This makes the
whole export of gold dust of that island 40,800 oz.,
which, at 21 carats, and five per cent, for extraneous
substances, makes the quantity of pure gold 33,915
oz. The great export, however, is from Borneo, r
The annual produce of the great mines of Mon-
tradak, in the territory of Sambas, reckoning the
produce of each labourer of 6000 at 1 8 ^ oz., is
88,362 oz. of pure gold. The whole imports of
gold at the port of Calcutta, from the different
countries of the Indian Archipelago, on the average
of nine years, was 16,244 oz. of pure gold, but in
particular years it exceeded 26,000 oz. The following
table will shew the real state of the imports
at that place.
* It has been estimated that in Borneo, in or near the countries
producing gold, there are 200,000 Chinese; and;thh£on
an average, each remits to China 172 grains in gold, which
would make the whole sent to China, considering all the gold
as equal in value to that of Montradak, 71,666| oz.