TABLE,
Exhibiting the Estimated Annual Amount o f the Gold o f the
Indian Archipelago, compared with that o f other Countries.
Pure Gold. Value at L.4, 5s. an oz.
Exports from the east and
west coasts of Sumatra,
- - oz. 25,080
Produce of A chin, 10,450
Ounces.
35,530
88,362
30,973
Dollars.
671,125
1,669,058
585,045
L.
151,003
375,538
131,635
Total estimated produce of
Sumatra,
Estimated produce of the
mines of Montradak in
Borneo, .- - -
Produce of all other parts
of the Archipelago, estimated
at one-fifth of the
whole, - -
Total annual produce of
the Archipelago,
Produce of Brazil,
oz. 236,250
154,865
556,345
17,325
41,738
470,588
2,925,228
10,508,739
327,250
738,685
8,888,888
658,176
2,364,466
73,631
2,010770,,308070
America, - 320,095
Total produce of America,
Produce of Northern Asia,
Total annual produce of
the whole world, 1,240,861 23,438,490 5,273,660
From the preceding Table it appears, that the produce
of the Archipelago is nearly one-eighth o f that o f the whole
•world.
The chance of an increased produce from the
mines of the Archipelago will depend upon the
share of tranquillity which the country enjoys, arid
the degree of freedom secured to its commerce.
Nothing further is requisite, for the ore, from all
accounts, exists in inexhaustible abundance. This
is most particularly applicable to Borneo ; the immense
alluvial tracts round the whole circumference
of which every where contain rich deposites
of this metal, from whence it necessarily follows,
that the primitive mountains of the interior must
contain veins of it. From the abundance of
the ore, and the usual fascination of all mining
projects, especially those in quest of the precious
metals, the search for gold will be the first object
to engage the attention of any enterprising and industrious
people settled in that country, of what-*-
ever race. Amidst a great deal of anarchy and
disorder, mining has of late years been prosecuted
by the Chinese with surprising spirit. It
is not above eight or ten years since considerable
capital and the Use of machinery have been applied
to it, and in that time there has been a
vast increase of produce*
Bengal and China are at present the principal
markets for the gold of the Indian Islands. The
absolute'price, it need hardly be noticed, depends
on the state of supply and demand. Its relative
price with silver on the spot is ascertained with