No. 4.
Sent to the diplomatic officers of the United
States.
Washington, May 23, 1879.
Sir: I have been requested by the Secretary of the Treasury to obtain through you the following desired information respecting the amount of gold and silver coin and bullion and paper currency in————.
- 1st.
- What is the amount of gold coin and bullion in the treasury, in the banks, and in circulation in the country to which you are accredited?
- 2d.
- What is the amount of silver coin and bullion in the treasury, in the banks, and in circulation?
- 3d.
- What is the amount of outstanding paper currency?
- 4th.
- What is the amount of gold produced annually from the mines?
- 5th.
- What is the amount of silver produced annually?
- 6th.
- What is the amount of gold annually coined, imported, exported, and consumed in the arts and manufactures?
- 7th.
- What is the amount of silver annually coined, imported, exported, and consumed in the arts and manufactures?
You are instructed to present these interrogatories to the minister of foreign affairs of —— ——, and to request that as full and detailed information of the character sought by the Government of the United States may be furnished to you as it is possible to obtain, or as the minister may deem proper to furnish. It is desired that these statistics may be not only those of the past year, but also those for as many previous years as may be procurable.
Any information on this important subject which you may be able to obtain through any other quarter than government or official sources will also be acceptable.
The Secretary of the Treasury would like to receive this matter at the very earliest moment practicable.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,