of stolen diamonds, but in checking the drunkenness of the black workmen and the outbreaks in the canteens and streets.
Progress
was made, too, though much too slowly, in the more perfect
pulverization of the blue ground. It was soon observed that the broken
ground would crumble upon exposure to the air, and after some weeks or
months, according to its hardness, a mass of breccia, thinly spread out
and raked over, would be very largely decomposed to fine sand fit for
washing, without further treatment. This natural pulverization was far
cheaper and better than crushing with mallets ; but the burden of
accumulating and storing great quantities of ground was too heavy for
the ordinary claim-holder, who was dependent upon quick returns : so
only the larger companies maintained stores
