Vlll CONTENTS. 



increased productiveness of the mines. Peru. Its thin- 

 ness of population and little advancement. Columbia. 

 Its gold and silver mines. Chili. Buenos Ayres. Con- 

 traband trade ; gold furnished thereby. The sum total 

 of the whole produce of South America Page 145 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



On the rate of loss on gold and silver coin by abrasion in re- 

 mote and recent periods. Increased rate of loss by abra- 

 sion. Experiments at the mint on alloys and abrasion. 

 Greater loss upon silver, and upon recent coinage. The 

 least upon British gold. Recent experiments. Calcu- 

 lation of the medium rate of loss on gold to the beginning 

 of the 18th century. Silver, loss on various pieces and 

 its proportionate loss to gold. General improvement in 

 coinage in Europe . . . .168 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



On the consumption of gold and silver and on the rate of 

 prices of commodities from 1700 to 1810. The stock of 

 the precious metals in Europe in 1700. Its dispersion 

 by trade with India, China, America. Its increased use 



.- in articles of luxury in England and France; for re- 

 ligious uses in Spain, Italy, Germany. Increase of plate, 

 spoons, watches. Plating, gilding. Trinkets. Esti- 

 mate of the amount, and that of coin. Comparative prices 

 of wheat with coin in England, Dantzic, Spain. Of other 

 articles. Increase of material wealth and coin in England 

 and in Europe generally . . . .192 



CHAPTER XXV. 



On the production of gold and silver from the end of the year 

 1809 to the end of 1829. Decrease in the produce of 



