221 



Eussia.— Gold was first discovered in the Ural Mountains 

 in the year 1723, and this region still continues to rank as 

 one of the chiefest sources of the world's supply of gold. 



Austro-Hungary.— Gold lias been mined in Hungary 

 since the eighth century. In the existing Amalia mine, near 

 Schemitz, gold is worked to a depth of 1,800 feet from the 

 surface. 



Central America.— Gold was discovered in Nicaragua in 

 lg50— that is, only a year prior to Hargreaves' discovery of 

 payable gold in Australia. In Brazil gold has been known 

 to Europeans since 1543. The more important mines, still 

 being worked successfully, near St. John del Key, were first 

 systematically developed by an English Company in the year 

 1830. 



California. — The first important discovery of gold in 

 California was accidentally made in 1847 by Mr. Marshall, at 

 Sutter's Mill, situated on the American Eork, near its junc- 

 tion with the Sacramento. The gold was first discovered as 

 shining yellow particles in a newly formed mill-race in con- 

 nection with Colonel Sutter's saw-mill. 



Australia. — Mining for gold in Australia commenced in 

 the year 1851, immediately upon the discoveries of payable 

 o-old-fields bv Hargreaves at Ophir in the beginning of the 

 same year. "Prior to this date the attention of colonists was 

 not attracted to the subject. 



The earliest recorded discovery of gold, however, is that of 

 Mr. Surveyor M'Brian. Of this discovery Mr. Harrie Wood* 

 wives the following account :— " Mr. Surveyor M'Brian, in his 

 field notes of the survey of the Eish River, between Tarana 

 and O'Connell, states .—' February 15, 1823.— At 81-50 to 

 river, and marked gum-tree. At this place I found numerous 

 particles of gold in the sand in the hills convenient to the 



river.' " 



In 1839, Count Strzelecki, at Boree and Wellington caves, 

 found gold in specks in silicate, but was induced by the 

 Governor of the colony to refrain from giving publicity to the 

 discovery, as it was feared such knowledge would make it 

 impossible to preserve discipline among the soldiers and 

 prisoners. , 



In 1841, the Rev. W. B. Clarke discovered gold at the head 

 of the Winburndale Rivulet, and in the granite westward of 

 the Vale of Clwydd ; but although, in 1843, he had men- 

 tioned the matter generally, it was regarded as a curiosity 

 only, " and considerations of the penal condition of the colony 



a Mineral products of New South Wales, 1SS2, p. 22 See also the Emiiwj 

 News of Sydney for 7th August, 1875. 



