_ Murchison’s Siluria. 383 
quest of the Governor of New South Wales this gentleman has 
‘Kept the matter a profound secret.* In 1846 Murchison received 
specimens of auriferous quartz from that region, and he again en- 
larged on the analogy between the Australian Cordillera, as he 
termed it, and the Ural chain, urging the Cornish miners to go 
out and seek their fortune as gold washers in that distant country. 
_ Since that time, he has written numerous papers, the chief ob- 
ject of which has been to set forth the facts of his connection 
gold from the former country is already falling off rapidly, but 
the Californian gold-fields, although they were attacked four years 
before those of Australia are still yielding only a slightly dimin- 
ished quantity. Still there is no doubt that the maximum 
' production has been reached, and that there will be a decline, 
| probably slow and gradual, but still inevitable. It seems hardly 
| Possible to avoid the conclusion that enough gold will have been 
j obtained in the course of the twenty years following the open- 
ing of California, to produce a sensible effect in depressing the 
value of the precious metal. The auriferous sedimentary and 
| detrital beds are accumulated on a more gigantic scale along the 
| flanks of the Sierra Nevada than anywhere else, and a very con- 
| siderable time must elapse before they will have become exhaust- 
| ed of their metalliferous contents, while it is by no means proved 
is worthy o tether thorities of New South Wales again and again 
‘endeavored to Fo ete einadet Gib elaotedes of gold in that 1 pera lest 
es pal — me 5 i puree a se ioe 
Calikenten” ste mae a me ai the “ atone 84 brought from the other side of 
ommenced “ prospecting 
ir eee ee eS ee Se ee 
” and digging, without much regard for governors 
