Jewellers. 359 



feeling has induced us rather to trust to our own collection of 

 facts, imperfect as it may be, than to any opinions or calcula- 

 tions of individuals. The method here adopted has l)een at- 

 tempted to be explained, as far as can be done, without disclos- 

 ing the names of individuals or manufacturing firms, or without 

 communicating the extent of the dealings of each respectively. 

 The conclusion to which we have come is, that, in the jewellery 

 manufacture of England, including London, Birmingham, and 

 the other places where gold is used, the consumption of stand- 

 ard gold is four times as much as the weight of that which is 

 used in that manufacture in pure gold, as sold to the jewellers 

 by the refiners. 



We could then state the actual conversion or application of 

 gold in Great Britain to be. 



Fine gold used by gilders of the 



several kinds, and by platers, 88,000 ounces. 

 By jewellers of all kinds, - 58,000 



146,000 oz. at L. 4 : 7 : 6, L. 638,750 

 Standard gold used by jewellers, 232,000 L.3:17:10i L. 902,270 

 Gold watches, viz. in London annually 13,820 ; in Bir- 

 mingham 600 ; in all the other places about 300 ; in 

 the whole 14,720 watches, which average two ounces 

 each, being 29,440 ounces, which being only of 18 ca- 

 rats, may be valued at L. 3, 5s. per ounce, L. 3 : 6 : 0, L.. 95,680 



L. 1,636,700 

 This amount, considerable as it may appear, falls very far 

 short of the communications of opinion made by several intelli- 

 gent persons connected with the various branches of the manu- 

 facture of gold, — that of one gentleman, on account of his ex- 

 tensive practical use of gold, of his habitual accuracy, and his 

 general knowledge, is entitled to attention. A variety of que- 

 ries were proposed to him on the several branches of the gold- 

 trade, with which he was conversant ; among others, the follow- 

 ing, viz. : " What quantity of gold is used by the jewellers in 

 such small portions as are not liable to the stamp-duties .?" The 

 answer in writing was as follows : — 



" An amount which at first sight appears incredible, certainly 

 not less than from 450,000 to 480,000 ounces of standard gold, 

 or in pounds Sterling, a sum of about L. 1,900,000 Sterling, 

 but more probably L. 12,000,000 than less. ^ " ' 



