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Show LEAD. The Loudon Mining li'oild, in treating treat-ing of the prospects of lead, in ita issue oi the 6'-h instant, has this to say: The opinions of the. mining community com-munity arejustnow very muchuivided upon the ques-.iou of what is to be tbe immediate future cf the lead trade. There ia a consensus of opinion, however, on this point that the price ot lead haa reached about its lowest point, and that whether there be peace or war the tendeucy must be of an upward character. There are Beverai circumstances lhat give support sup-port to ibis theory. One of these is the condition ol the building trade in this country. It must be remembered that Ibis trade haa been in a very disturbed dis-turbed Btate throughout the past year, so that in various parts ot the kingdom there have been slrikea of a prolonged and bitter character. The practical-' result baa been that tbe workmen' have had lo suocumb, and lor the most part ibey are at work once more. Tbe manner in which this tells upon the lead trade is obvious to everyone who pauses to think bow much this metal enters into tbe sphere of build-iog build-iog operations. Another reason ia that lo tempt supplies from abroad toe price must certainly be raised, for the simple reason that Spain and Germany cannot produce lead oow at remunerative rates, or ibey must have very extraordinary mines, and very exceptional facilities for transport to do it. A gentleman, largely concerned con-cerned in tho production of lead in Spain, said tbe other day. ' We can not continue producing tbe metal at the present prices." If Spain cannot do it a country peculiarly favoured, so tar as ita mineral wealth is concernedGermany con-cernedGermany cannot do it, aud the United States are out of the field, fnere is a common notion entertained that the lead which competes with this country's production comes largely from America, but that is hardly correct, and our readers who happen to bold aharea in lead mines may lay to their souls the flattering unction that is never likely to be so. The Americans need all the lead Ibey produce tor home consumption, but, at present they are iu as great straila as ourselves to find a profitable market for it. For this reason, it is possible lhat larger quantity 0f American lead have come to this country of late than formerly; but once let trade revive in tbe United S.atea and a ready market tW the whole of their " own production will be found, ttQd not a little ol ours to boot. Since the panic of a few years ago all confidence of Americans in their own undertakings under-takings aeema to have onzed aw.v but that it will return is just as mu- n to be expected as it is to be deBirtd A revival of trade of course !ur,elv depends upon a peaceful settlement, 0f affairs in the east; but the lead market is not so dependent even upon t-iid a3 the general run of commercial enterprise. enter-prise. When countries resolve lo commit tbemseUes to ihe task of mutual destruction, wise men profit by the conduct ol tho,e of Ieaa mou sense lt)u them elveg jt w,n theretore, be to the int.rt.lw We to the profit csrLwn perfl0ija tumir-h tbe combatants to their heart's content witu missiles ir.to the composition ot which lead lari:t-v enters. We feel aure that iWd miners, from other than Belf3h reasons would rather furuih their meul (cr Ibe pursuits ot industry tnan tor the t-urp,8ea oi-wir, hcc.iLeo it id to the revival ol industry conse ' quent upon a settled slate of the' political world, that they have chietiy lo look for their mosl remuneralivr-and remuneralivr-and most permanent prices, but still the ucesaities ot war are such thai amongst ihe few classes it benefits the owners of lead mines may be included A teference lo the statistics ot thi sulject, with which in these general remarks it is ne 'Or-sary to trouble our readers, will hhow the remarkable (act that il is forty years since the price ol lead has beeu so low as it w at the present time. Our real fear, as regards the future of lead mining, is that the market will get into the hands of comparatively few smelter who will do with this metal pretty much as Ikaircuitjrere. are doing with tin. To avoid this it is lime that those largely interesting in load mining, aa distinguished from lead smelting, should consider how far it is in their interest to combine tor the purpose of gelling a fair prico for Ihe metal. |