126 SIBERIA 



from Eastern Siberia, but only 9,000 cwts. have been 

 taken out of that part of the Empire up to the 

 present. Assuming, therefore, that Siberia is as rich 

 as South Africa was in its virgin state, there is a 

 greater future in store for the former. Five per 

 cent, of the total production of gold comes from 

 Western Siberia, and 25 per cent, from the Ural 

 district. The railway is likely to have a very im- 

 portant effect upon Siberian gold development, more 

 especially in the Altai Mountains. The word Altai 

 means gold, but if it denoted silver it would more 

 accurately represent the actual metallurgical value 

 of the mountains, as the output of silver in the Altai 

 districts is greatly in excess of that of gold. At 

 one time the works in the Altai used to turn out 

 an average of about 320 cwts. of silver per annum- 

 more than ten times the production of gold— but 

 from the end of the 'Sixties to the twentieth century 

 the quantity began to fall off, not because the silver 

 was getting exhausted, but on account of the con- 

 ditions governing the supply of fuel, the forests within 

 convenient distances of the works having been very 

 much thinned or completely exhausted. Following 

 the railway development which is anticipated, and 

 which will tap the extensive coalfields of Kusnetski 

 and Chulim, which occupy an area of 19,323 square 

 miles, this deficiency will no doubt be supplied. The 

 districts in question represent two of the largest coal- 

 fields in the world, containing deep layers of coal of 

 excellent quality. Researches at various times have 

 revealed layers from 21 to 42 feet and sometimes 

 up to 17s feet in thickness, while the reserve of coal 

 seems to be enormous. Besides the Kusnetski basin, 

 about 50,000 tons per annum are extracted in the 

 Government of Tomsk. 



It will pay the United States to place their over- 

 plus of silver on the market and introduce a gold 



