ds of the United States, belonging to the Government, including
460,000,000 of acres already divided into townships, each six miles
square (23,040 acres), subdivided into square miles, called sections, of
640 acres each, and each section further subdivided into 16 lots of 40
acres each.

TONNAGE.--The total tonnage of the United States was in--

1814, 1,368,127 tons.
June, 1851, 3,772,439 "
June, 1861, 5,539,812 "

At the same rate of increase as from 1851 to 1861, our tonnage would be,
in

1871, 8,134,578 tons.
1881, 11,952,817 "
1891, 17,541,514 "
1901, 25,758,948 "
(_Table of Com. and Nav._)

At the close of this century our tonnage then, at this rate of increase,
would far exceed that of all the rest of the world.

GOLD AND SILVER.--The aggregate product of our gold and silver
mines approaches now _one billion of dollars_, most of which has been
converted into coin at our mint. Nearly all of this product has been
obtained since the discovery of gold in California. Less than two per
cent. of the precious metals has been the product of the seceded States.
This gold and silver are found now in seven States, and nine
Territories; the yield is rapidly augmenting, and new discoveries
constantly developed.

The Secretary of the Interior estimates the total product 'next year,'
of our mines of precious metals, at '$100,000,000,' and when our
railroad to the Pacific (traversing this region) is completed, his
estimate of the 'annual yield' is '$150,000,000.' The mines are declared
'inexhaustible' by the highest authority, and our Nevada silver mines
are now admitted to be 'the richest in the world.' The completion of our
imperial railroad, now progressing to the Pacific, will carry an immense
population to the gold and silver regions, vastly increase the number of
miners, diminish the cost of mining, and decrease the price of
provisions and supplies to the laborers. When we add to this, the vast
and increasing product of our quicksilver mines of California, so
indispensable as an amalgam in producing gold and silver, as also the
great and progressive improvement in processes and machinery for working
the quartz veins, it is now believed that the estimates of our Secretary
of the Interior, and Commissioner of the General Land Office, will be
exceeded by the result. These mines of the precious metals are nearly
all on the public lands of the Uni