for
the purpose of removing competition when they began their policy of
raising the price of diamonds, and with the expectation that it would
pay later, though it could not earn dividends on underground work at
that time. The mine was practically shut down for some years, but
preparations were made for underground working. By 1902 there were
18,700 feet of tunnels, and it was operated on 6 levels down to 600 ft.
In that year 352,-042 loads were handled, 20,194 loads washed, and
4,486.5 carats of diamonds won at a cost of 6s. 6.4d. per load and a
value of 6s. 9d. per load, the price per carat being 30s. 4-7d. The
yield averaged .21 of a carat to the load. The year 1903 showed an
improvement, as 76.573 carats were taken from 317,185 loads washed, an
average yield of .24 of a carat. The cost also was reduced to 5s. 9d.
per load, and the price realized was slightly increased to 30s. iod.
per carat. Although the price fell in 1904 to 29s. 7d., the gross yield
of diamonds, and the average yield per load, improved sufficiently to
more than offset it, as 148,219 carats at .29 to the load were won, at
the same cost per load as in 1903. The following year, 1905, showed a
much greater improvement in every way. At a cost of 5s. 10.5d. per
load, 611,491 loads w-ere washed, yielding 249,002 carats or .41 of a
carat to the load, for which 34s. nd. per carat was realized. The
percentage per load has since fallen to .32 in 1908, but at .32 and a
cost of 6s. 2.4d. per load in 1907, the output was 547,485-1/4 carats.
The price was advanced to 42s. 11.49d., with a yield of .36 of a carat
at a cost of 5s. 5.3d. per load in 1906, but fell back to 41s. 4.8d. in
1908. The mine therefore made a better showing each year from the
commencement of
