CHAP. XXVI.

GOLD-BEATERS.

279

was made among other inquiries, to verify thecalculation, framed in another way, on the quan-tity of gold used by the gold-beaters. Havingascertained the number of hands, the rate of wagesearned, and the weight of gold weekly used, in aparticular shop, and then learning the number ofworkmen in the other similar shops, an estimationwas made which came sufficiently near to thatproduced by the relations of the several personsconversant in that branch of business to satisfy theinquirer that his view could not be far removedfrom the truth.

We arrive thus at a conclusion that the annualconsumption of all the gold-beaters in the Britishkingdom is about seventeen thousand five hundredounces of fine gold.

Another description of gilding requires annuallya great portion of pure gold. This trade is some-times distinguished by the name of water-gilding,and a considerable branch of it by that of toy orbutton-gilding. The gold in the form of dust orfine powder is mingled with quicksilver, and, in aconsistency like paste, is applied to the metalsthat are to be gilt. The mercury causes the goldto adhere to the other metals, when by the ap-plication of heat it is evaporated, and leaves thegold on the surface of the object. The applicationof gold in this way may be distinguished by thetwo principal branches of the manufactures in