CHAP. XXVI. 



SILVER GOODS. 295 



duty. In fact, very few gold articles, except most 

 mourning and some wedding rings and snuff 

 boxes, pay any duty ; but spoons, forks, and other 

 silver goods exceeding five pennyweights, are 

 charged with the tax. 



We shall class the consumption of silver in Eng- 

 land under four several heads, 



The first division is that on which the official 

 returns give the quantity of silver with a degree 

 of exactness that entitles it to the fullest confidence. 

 It appears that the consumption from 1810 to 

 1829, both years included, amounted in London 

 and in Scotland to twenty-three million fifty-five 

 thousand and eighty-two ounces 1 ; in the country 

 places in England, supposing the whole of the 

 duty in them to have been paid on silver, to nine 

 hundred and eleven thousand seven hundred and 

 forty ounces; and in Ireland to one million five 

 hundred and thirty-nine thousand five hundred 

 and seventeen ounces ; thus showing the con- 

 sumption of the united kingdom for the twenty 

 years to have been twenty-five million five hundred 

 and six thousand three hundred and thirty-nine 

 ounces, or at the average annual rate of one million 

 two hundred and seventy-five thousand three hun- 

 dred and sixteen ounces. 



The next division of the use of silver is into 

 that for watches, the cases of which are stamped at 



1 See Appendix, No. 13. 



