highest authority, and in particular that of M. Dufrenoy.
The
last contribution made to the interesting' question of the production
of the diamond was made by M. de Chancourtois. He based his theory upon
phenomena presented by the solfataras, where sulphuretted hydrogen
under the influence of a humid oxidization, is transformed slowly into
water and sulphurous acid, and deposits crystallized sulphur. He
proposed to produce upon carburetted hydrogen reactions of the same
order. Under the influence of a humid oxidization all the hydrogen is
transformed into water, one part only of the carbon into
carbonic acid, and he thought it possible that the remainder, being
slowly deposited, might crystallize and form diamonds. As a means of
verification, M. de Chancourtois suggested the very slow passage of
carburetted hydrogen in a mass of sand containing putrescible matter.
Five years have elapsed since the expression of these views, and it
does not appear that they have yet led to any positive result.
The
question still remains—Is there any reasonable probability that the
diamond will yet be produced artificially? This question we must
answer in the affirmative. When it is considered how perfectly
substances much more complex in composition, and complicated in
crystalline constitution,
