Gold and Silver.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 127, 7 November 1885, Page 6

Gold and Silver.

Gold in ita relative value to silver has varied greatly at different periods. In the days of the patriarch Abraham it was one to eight ; T3. o. lOOO; it was one to twelve ; b. c. 500, it was one to thirteen ; at the commencement of the Christian era, it was one to 9 ; A. D. 500, it was one to eighteen j in 1100. it was one to eight ; in 140U it was oneto eleven ; in 1545, it was one to six ; in 1651, it was one to two ; in 1600, it was one to ten ; m 1627, it was one to thirteen ; in 1700, it was one to fifteen and one-half; it held the latter ratio, with but Blight variation, until 1872, when it began to rise, and in 1876 it rose to one to twenty ; it soon gradually declined, and now stands one to nineteen and oneGold to the amount of £216,000,000 is es timatedto have been in existence at the commencement of the Christian era. At the period of the discovery of America it had diminished to £25,000,000. After that

event it gradually, increased, ,and> in 1600 it attained to £34,000,000 \ in 1700 preached £776.000,000 j in 1800 it amountedto £231, 200,000 ; in 1853 .it; attained to £666,000, 000, and at the present time the amount of gold in existence is estimated- to be £1,233)009,000, which, if melted, into one mass, could be contained in a cube, of thirty feet. Of the amount of gold in existence £1,200,000,000 is estimated to be in coin and bullion, ' £200,000,000 m watcheB, and theremainder in plate, jewellery and ornaments. Of the amount, of gold m' existence £474,000,000 is estimated \ to have been obtained from North America, £367, 000,000 trom South America, £371,000,000 from Asia (including Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania), £188,000,0p0 from Europe, and £250,000,000 from Africa, The amount of the precious metals ,now in existence is estimated to be £2,732,000,000.

In the case of carrying of mails from India' and China to Brindisi, there is a fine of £200 for every twelve hours in excess of contract time. On the voyage to or from, the .West Indies, the penalty lor over-time is £25 for every twenty-four hours; while between London and Calais it is £5 for fifteen minutes. By another contract, which comes into force this autumn, the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company undertakes thenceforward to convey the mails between Holyhead and Kingstown in fifteen minutes less than the time hitherto allowed ; a fine of : £l 14s to be exacted for each minute in excess of contract time.