THE WORLD'S GOLD.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 17 January 1901, Page 4

THE WORLD'S GOLD.

Though the rush for gold is so keen now-a days, it is a remarkable fact that the amount of the precious metal which is turned into coin by the world's mints each year is as a mere nothing when compared with the vast quantities used in the manufacture of jewellery, designs for furniture and ornaments, gilding pictureframes, painting signs, binding books, and so forth. Though the world's entire stock of gold is estimated at 1,100 tons, it is calculated that only 190 of them exist in the form of current coin. On an average, this stock is increased by something like three and a-half tons a year. On the other hand, though four and a-half tons are annually minted, one ton is regularly lost by waste incidental to wear and tear in the process of the coins changing hands. This is a trifling item when compared with the 120 tons which jewellers and gilders use up every year, not an ounce of which can bo recovered. La Belle France heads the list of consumers of gold for the arts, using 35,0001 b every year; while wo come a good second with 34,1001 b. Next comes the United States, with 31,0001 b. In this connection it is comforting to reflect that some of the myriads of things marked " Made in Germany " must be genuine, for we find that her craftsmen make use of 29,0401 b. Thanks mainly to her huge watch industry, gallant little Switzerland absorbs 18,9001 b : while Italy accounts for 9,1001 b, and Russia 9,0001 b. The rest is divided among the smaller nations. One of the most remarkable facts in connection with the earth's gold is that in India it is estimated that nearly a million pounds' worth of gold is annually withdrawn from circulation by native hoarders.