conventional
expression. It has come to merely signify the twenty-one shillings paid
as an honorarium, or by way of a subscription, or what not. Originally
this name was given to the piece as being coined from gold got from the
coast of Guinea ; it has represented at various times—20s., 30s., 22s.,
21s. 6d. The coin was meant originally to be in value twenty shillings,
and for the first forty-four years it stood at that sum.
As
to modern articles of genuine Gold (twenty-two carat), every portion of
each such article, e.g. every link of every chain, every boss of a
belt, etc., has to be stamped at the Assay Office. The goldsmith never
knows where the symbol which guarantees quality will be placed ; so he
sends up his goods in the rough, leaving the place of the mark to the
stamper's whim, or caprice. Not until the goods have passed this test,
and received the necessary imprimatur, can the final touches of the artist in metal be applied.
Herr
von Bulow Bothkamp, a German savant, whose authority goes for much in
Berlin, has lately declared that by means of a rod made of steel wire
he can discover Gold at almost any subterranean depth ; his previously
proved successes in revealing subterranean waterways through
divining-rods has been amazing. Dr. L. Weber, the eminent Professor of
the University of Kiel, is now about to publish a pamphlet, entitled, The Divining Rod ; and the Art to Discover Water, and Gold.
Works
for extracting Gold from sea-water (by the " Snell " process, which is
kept secret) have been erected not long since on Hayling Island, near
Portsmouth ; but an action at law arose because of their failure ; Mr.
Snell contending that the contract made with him was for establishing
these Works at Malta, where the sea-
