NATIONAL RESOURCES. 25 



with results obtained by an entirely different process 

 from data afforded by the best scientific authority. ^ It 

 need not, therefore, make a very severe draught on 

 credulity to say that our agricultural resources, if fully 

 developed, would sustain a thousand million souls. 



But we have wonderful wealth under the soil as well 

 as in it. From 1870 to 1880 we produced $746,613,792 of 

 the precious metals, and during the nine succeeding 

 years, $735,377,000; while the entire product from 1849 

 to 1889, inclusive, was $2,730,077,152.^ The United States 

 now raises one-half the gold and silver of the world's 

 supply. Iron ore is to-day mined in twenty-three of our 

 states. A number of them could singly supply the 

 world's demand. Our coal measures are simply inex- 

 haustible. English coal-pits, already deep, are being 

 deepened, so that the cost of coal-mining in Great 

 Britain is presumablj' increasing, while we have coal 

 enough near the surface to supply us for centuries. 

 When storing away the fuel for the ages, God knew the 

 place and work to which he had appointed us, and gave 

 to us twenty times as much of this concrete power as to 

 all the peoples of Europe. Among the nations, ours is 

 the youngest— the Benjamin — and Benjamin-like we 

 have. received a five-fold portion. Surely "He hath not 

 dealt so with any people." Our mineral products are of 

 unequaled richness and variety. The remarkable in- 

 crease from 1870 to 1880 ^ placed us at the head of the 

 nations. In 1880 our mining industries exceeded those of 

 Great Britain three per cent. , and were greater than those 

 of all continental Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, 

 Mexico, and the British Colonies collectively; while 

 in 1888, the total mineral product of the United Kingdom 



1 See Encyclopedia Britaunica. Vol. 1, p. 717. 



2 From Official Reports by the Director of the United States Mint. 



3 Mulhall. 



1870. 18.S0. I7icrease. 



Iron ore, tons 4,.500,000 9,500,000 110 percent 



Copper " 12,700 20.300 60 



Coal " 33,000.000 5.5.000,000 66 



Petroleum, gallons 42,000,000 860,000,000 20-fold. 



