208 Progress of Population and Wealth 



in those years ; and the rather as this part of the returns is the most 

 complete, and in the most manufacturing States makes some ap- 

 proach to accuracy. The number employed in 1820 was 36,705 

 men, 5,812 women, and 13,779 children — in all 56,296. The whole 

 number of persons employed in 1840 was 455,668 — that is, as 100 

 to 809 ; which supposes the extraordinary decennial increase of 

 284 per cent. After making the most liberal deduction from this 

 estimate for the omissions in the returns of 1820, the remainder 

 shows an advancement in this branch of industry that is without 

 example. As a further evidence of the same fact, we find that while 

 no other branch of our domestic exports has ever doubled since 

 1820, that of manufactures has increased six fold ; that is, from 

 $2,342,000 to $12,868,840 in 1840, and 13,523,072 in 1841. 



The increase of the precious metals, or rather of money, would 

 be one of the surest indications of an increase of wealth ; but we 

 have no means of ascertaining its amount in the first two or three 

 decennial terms with even an approach to accuracy. In 1791, the 

 estimates of the currency, then almost wholly metallic, varied from 

 nine to sixteen millions of dollars. But in 1821, upon better data, 

 the amount was estimated by the Treasury department at from 

 eighteen to twenty millions. From that time to 1841, the imports 

 of specie and bullion, according to the custom-house returns, 

 were $181,589,814 



The exports in the same period, were . . 138,085,922 



$43,503,892 

 This, with the quantity then in the country, estimated at 

 $19,000,000, gives a total of $62,502,892. To this we should add 

 the product of domestic mines, but on the other hand, deduct the 

 quantity wrought into plate and manufactures, or consumed by the 

 wear of the coin. 



The quantity of gold and silver manufactured from coin during 

 the twenty years in question, is supposed by those most conversant 

 on the subject not to exceed an average of $500,000 a year. The 

 quantity lost and consumed by the wear of the coin may be set 

 down at one-fourth of 1 per cent a year. The product of the 

 domestic mines, carried to the mint in the same period, has been 

 $6,124,547, and making a moderate allowance for the quantity used 

 by goldbeaters and other manufacturers, we may safely estimate 

 it, in round numbers, at $7,000,000. 



On the preceding state of facts, the quantity of specie in the 

 country in 1841 would be as follows : 



