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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 893
three per cent. of gold; the feparation of which is made in the imperial laboratory at
Peterfburgh. The whole produce extraéted from the mines amounted, in 1771, to
four hundred thoufand pounds of filver, with twelve thoufand feven hundred and twenty
of gold; and fince 1771 we may calculate the annual produce at above forty-four thou-
fand of filver, and one thoufand two hundred of gold.
The mines and founderies of Kolyvan employ nearly forty thoufand colonifts ; befides
the peafants in the diftricts of Tomfk and Kufnetz, who, in lieu of paying the poll-tax
in money, cut wood, make charcoal, and tranfport the ore to the foundries. The ex-
pences, which were formerly fupplied from the treafury, and of courfe confiderably
diminifhed the profit, have, fince 1765, been annihilated, and the whole produce of the
imines in gold and filver, is clear profit. In the fame year a mint was eftablifhed at the
foundry of Sufunfk, for the coinage of the copper fupplied from the mines of Kolyvan,
the greater part of which had been hitherto of no ufe. Pieces of one, two, five, and ten
copecs *, are ftruck and difperfed over Siberia. Of this currency, the amount of
500,000 roubles are annually coined, which is fufficient for reimburfing the poll-tax,
paying the miners, tranfporting the ore, purchafing the lead which muft be brought
from Nerfhinik, and defraying the expence of fending the gold and filver as far as To-
bolik. The filver {melted in the foundries, is conveyed on large fledges twice a
year: the firft convoy fets off in the beginning of the winter, and reaches Peterfburgh
a little after Chriftmas; the fecond in the middle of winter, and arrives there towards
fpring.
: 4. The filver mines of Nerfhinfk, which were opened in 1704, are fituated in Dau-
ria, the fouth eafternmoft part of Siberia, between the rivers Shilka and Argoon, and
are very numerous. ‘Their produce to the year 1772 ist:
Pounds of filver.
From 1704 to 1721, Shy Satie age
1721 tO 1731; = - - 1,498
1731 to 1741, ms m = 15333
1741 to 1751, =e DROS
1751 to 1761, - - - 43,631
1761 to 1771, - - - 126,247
In 1771, ° - #0 5405733
In 1772, - - - 16,200, which contained 20
pounds of gold,
226,031
In 1767 they yielded feventeen thoufand four hundred pounds; but the annual average
produce may be eftimated at fixteen thoufand. ‘The filver contains, in forty thouland
pounds, nearly five hundred of gold. The ores being generally rich in lead, and ex-
tremely poor in filver, the latter is eafily extracted. Many million poods of lead remain
ufelefs on the fpot, as only fourteen to eighteen thoufand are annually required for the
feparation of the filver from the copper at the foundries of Kolyvan; the carriage into
. the inner parts of the empire being too expenfive, and the export to China prohibited.
The number of men employed in thefe mines and foundries are about one thoufand
nine hundred free colonifts, between one thoufand and one thoufand eight hundred
conviéts, and eleven thoufand Ruffian peafants of the diftrié&t of Nerfhinfk ; fix thoufand
of the latter are employed in cutting and carrying wood, making and tranfporting char-
® A {mall coin nearly equal to a halfpenny. + Buf. Erd.—Bef, vol, i, p. 1126.
coals
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