GOLD-DIGGINGS IN MANCHURIA.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 17 November 1880, Page 2

GOLD-DIGGINGS IN MANCHURIA.

—■ > — : A recent is.aue of the Japan Gazsttp, referring to the crossing of the river Amoor by Chinese lrooj)3 and its alleged political significance, says : — The bands of gold.-peckers are con- . tinual sources of trouble to both the Chinese and Russian frontier guards. "When the Cir'nese pursue the banditti — robbers iv the cold weather and ' gold *seekers m the summer season — thj Eus§iao^grouad s iinsfimcs gives a cbhvenie|i^^iage. (^casißh^y r*he Riissiau troops have-in turn to pursue. Only a few' weeks ago a lamentable mistake was made. The Cossacks attacked a number of armed Mauchus, slew most of them, and then found out that, a grave error had occurred, as the Manc-ku band was composed of soldiers and not thieves. \ For some other reason tbr,n that. of fengshui, the Chisesc rulers have always discouraged gold digging or washing, and, parity in consequence of the prohibition?, the g*lu miners are always turbulent men, aad generally criminals, deserters, or qu-'iaw?. There is much gold in Manchuria, found in tbe tributaries of the Amoor mostly. but it is also said there are rwh gold reefs ia Kirin that could be turned to account by the scientific miners ot California or Australia, bub which re* sist the rude attack of cooi'cs destitute j of mechanical and chemical appliances, j In Shantuug also, gold abounds, and | we ourselves have seen a nugget of the j precious metal, whose value -vas about 60 dollars. But in Shantung as well as in Manchuria, the Chinese Govern* ment discourages golo>miuers, and any native who is so unfortunate as to find some nuggets is treated by \v>s authorities witb scant cerem my. Therefore the work of finding gold ia China is left to the desperado class, whose bands sometimes become powerful enough to defy the provincial man« darins. 'ihe condition of Manchuria, in the auriferous regions near to the Amoor, has become pitiable. Large districts have been abandoned by tho peaceable peasantry, wbo hive been alternately plundered by robber bands, and thea,ia turn plundered by the regular soldiery. If, h ■} ,vever, the fortune of war should leave Manchuria iv possossiou of Eussia, it is certain that the province will at onc9 rival, h its gold product, the rich washing* of tho Lena and other Siberian rivers. The northeastern'shores of the Aaia'.m Iluss'.i abound with the precious metals, aud were it not that the cliuiale is rigorous aud generally detestable, the immense products of the mines of California and Mexico might be rivalled. In Siberia aud Manchuria there is much gold, bui in Kamscbatka there is supposed to be the largest argentiferous deposit in the world, as a territory of about 700 miles square has dormant- we-ltli of meal- j culable value. As the Nevada deposits are beginning to .show si;ps ol ex- : haustion, aud the silver of Mcx-oj costs too much to profii; the producers at the present low prices, r.tten-.ioc may be given before l:ng io the mines of Kamchatka, which promise to bo aide to supply the world with all its requirerr.euts of si'ver at rales with which neither California nor Mexico can compete. If Russia should despoil China of some norihely provinces, two ! ■eon*cq<i?nces well follow— lst, a cousiderab c increase or' ihcyi-ld of gold, as the the stores v! Manchuria will be worked in a hystem.uie way ; and 2nd, 1 Russia would have in her new possession an abundant; labor supply, aud thus be enabled to tap tin immense j silver deposit? of Kar-uehiiki. j