I.
Yield of Gold Throughout the World
From the Discovery of America in the year 1492 to the present time.

Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, July 28, 1868.

(See Proceedings.)

The following information respecting the yield of gold throughout the world, from the earliest time of which we have any record, namely, the discovery of America in 1492, up to the present time has been collected from various sources, in order to show the relative importance of the Californian, Australian, and New Zealand goldfields.

Excepting perhaps in very early times, prior to that date, gold seems to have been obtained principally by trade with the inhabitants of various districts in Europe and Asia, so that the yield though small was uniform.

From the time of the discovery of America, however, the amount of gold obtained annually, has on the average steadily increased.

The progress of the gold discoveries since the above date may be divided into the following periods.

During the 16th Century the principal supply was from Central America and Peru. In the 17th Century the Mexican and Brazilian mines attracted most attention. In the 18th Century, in addition to the large yield which continued from America, gold mining enterprise was directed to Siberia, and a large quantity was obtained by trade from Africa.

In the first half of the present century the yield from the Siberian mines became permanent, though it never equalled that from America.

The year 1850 may be taken as the starting point of the modern goldfields, and 1860 for that in which this colony is most interested.

Dividing the history of gold discoveries according to their period, the following table will show at a glance their relative importance.

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