CHAP. XXVI.

JEWELLERS.

291

Among eighteen of the largest manufacturersof jewellery in London , the fact was ascertained,as nearly as such kind of facts can be, that theirweekly consumption of standard gold amountedin the whole to one thousand ounces, whilst thefine gold they used did not amount to more thanthree hundred ounces. This information is cer-tainly very imperfect, when the master manu-facturers in that trade, including those on a mo-derate scale, are more than ten times as numerous,and whilst the smaller manufacturers who workin obscure garrets, or in other lodgings, and useperhaps not more than two or three ounces ofgold monthly, are known to be many hundreds.Among this latter numerous description of work-men, some, to whom a short credit is an object,repair to the refiners for their small portions ofmetal; whilst those who have a little money be-forehand will prefer buying a light guinea, a na-poleon, a moidore, or some other foreign piece ofmoney, the weight of which may be best adaptedto their finances and the articles on which theyare employed.

In calculations of this kind an inquirer shouldbe constantly apprehensive of exaggerated state-ments and reports; and that feeling has inducedus rather to trust to our own collection of facts,imperfect as it may be, than to any opinions orcalculations of individuals. The method hereadopted has been attempted to be explained, as

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