There remained, then, only two possible solutions of the question, which created two distinct parties: on one side, those who were for a monster of colossal strength; on the other, those who were for a submarine vessel of enormous motive power.
Gold is the most malleable of all metals; a single gram can be beaten into a sheet of 1 square meter, and an avoirdupois ounce into 300 square feet. Gold leaf can be beaten thin enough to become semi-transparent.
Goldâthe most malleable metalâcan be flattened into extremely thin sheets. The walls in the Gold Room are covered with approximately 300 square feet of 23-karat gold leaf representing three ounces of gold metal, the equivalent volume of three U.S. half-dollar coins.