world
requirements at pre-war rates of consumption for 100 years.

The mercury deposits of the Monte Amiata district of central Italy were
in large part dominated by German capital, but during the war were
seized by the Italian government. The mines of Idria, Austria-Hungary,
were owned by the Austrian government and their ultimate control is at
present uncertain. Reserves are very large, being estimated at about
one-half those of Almaden. Although England has had a considerable
control over the prices and the market for mercury, the Italian and
Austrian deposits have provided a sufficient amount to prevent any
absolute monopoly. English interests have now secured control of the
Italian production, and it is expected that they will also control the
Austrian production--thus giving England control of something over
three-fourths of the world's mercury.

In the United States about two-thirds of the mercury is produced in the
Coast Range district of California, and most of the remainder in the
Terlingua district of Texas. Smaller quantities come from Nevada,
Oregon, and a few other states. The output before the war was normally
slightly in excess of domestic demand and some mercury was exported to
various countries. Due to the exhaustion of the richer and more easily
worked deposits, however, production was declining. During the war, with
increased demands and higher prices, production was stimulated, the
United States became the largest mercury-producing country in the world,
and large quantities were exported to help meet the military needs of
England and France.

With the end of war prices and with high costs of labor and supplies,
production in the United States has again declined. Many of the mines
have passed their greatest yield, and though discovery of new ore bodies
might revive the industry, production is probably on the down grade.
Future needs of this country will probably in some part be met by
imports from Spain, Italy, and Austria, where the deposits are richer
and labor is cheaper. This situation has caused much agitation for a
tariff on imports. The present tariff of 10 per cent is not sufficient
to keep out foreign mercury.

Outside of the United States large changes in distribution of production
of quicksilver are not expected for some time. The reserves of the
European producers are all large and are ample to sustain present output
for a considerable number of years. It is reported that there will