276 REFINERS. 



CHAP XXVI. 



to all the circumstances connected with the sub- 

 ject, the degree of confidence given to the result 

 arrived at is greater than can safely be bestowed 

 on the future stages of the examination. 



The mode in which these hundred and forty- 

 six thousand ounces of pure gold are disposed of 

 among the several manufacturers becomes now a 

 topic for consideration. The several modes have 

 been attentively inquired into among the chief 

 persons employed in the several seats of the ma- 

 nufactures in this kingdom, and on a great part of 

 them the information obtained has been tolerably 

 definite. 



The various branches of gilding cause a great 

 annual consumption of the finest gold, or of gold 

 with such minute proportions of alloy as do not 

 lessen its value more than one per cent., it being 

 not more than two or three grains in the ounce. 



The gold-beater's trade is chiefly carried on in 

 London ; to an inferior extent in Birmingham, 

 Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and 

 some other places. The numbers of this branch 

 are about eighty in London, and twelve or four- 

 teen in the other places. One of the largest 

 makers of leaf gold stated his weekly use of that 

 metal to be twenty ounces; another, who may 

 be considered a medium manufacturer, showed by 

 a reference to his accounts, which were kept with 

 apparent regularity, that he had used sixteen 



