54 
sion may be conjectured to be of similar constitution. The rocks cam 
be broadly separated into two totally distinct divisions ; the first in- 
cludes what may be called the crystalline schists ; and the second allll 
those other rocks in which the transmutation has not gone on suffi- 
ciently for to conceal their derivative nature. Since no fossiliferous. 
beds are known of earlier date than Devonian, it is evident that the 
age of these crystalline and schistose rocks is, at the best, very uncer- 
tain. These metamorphic rocks and crystalline schists are of con- 
siderable economic importance, in that they form the original matrices 
of those deposits which have yielded the quarter of a million pounds 
worth of gold, officially recorded from the Possession. 
GOLD IN NEW GUINEA. 
The list of minerals of economic importance hitherto met with in 
British New Guinea is small ; considering, however, the enormous area 
of, as yet unexplored, country and the comparatively small number of 
persons who have hitherto made the search for minerals the object of 
their visit, and the fact that the natives of the country do not make 
use of the more important minerals, this scarcely excite no surprise. 
A fair quantity of gold, as may be seen by the table attached, has been 
obtained from the Possession, mainly, however, from alluvial deposits. 
TABLE SHOWING THE YIELD OF GOLD FROM BRITISH NEW GUINEA. 
YEAR 
YIELD OF GOLD. 
VALUE OF GOLD. 
(Financial) 
Ozs. 
£ ■ 
1888-9 
3*850 
i 4 , 3 8 7 
1889-90 
3.470 
I 2,440 
1890-91 
2,426 
8 , 37 i 
1 89*1-92 
1 . 2 35 
4 , 3 22 
1892-93 
582 
2,236 
1893-94 
1,128 
3,906 
1894-95 
728 
2,565 
1895-96 
J .373 
4,735 
1896-97 
7^48 
25,018 
1 897-98 
6,830 
25,612 
1898-99 
I 2,012 
44,185 
1899-00 
9,256 
32,478 
1900-01 
9, 188 
32,646 
1901-02 
1 1,881 
42,214 
1902-03 
Not Available 
1 903-04 
Not Available 
Total 
3 I > I0 7 
230,728 
