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266 THE DIAMOND MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA
Underneath the notice was a schedule showing — The number of carats.        From whom recovered.        How acquired.
The number of carats ranged from half a carat to 6375 carats, which were found in the possession of one man. The total number reached 8443 carats, which were recovered from fifty persons. Two days later a similar notice appeared stating that 1573-1/2 carats had been recovered, having been found in the possession of a well-known dealer in illicit diamonds. The total value of these two lots would amount to £ 30.000 or .£40,000.
The practice of illicit diamond buying was so persistent and obnoxious that it was curtly styled I. D. B., and the strictest possible regulations were made to check it and punish offenders. A Special Court was established in 1880x to try cases of this kind, and a special police force formed with warrant to make the most rigorous search of suspected thieves and receivers. Under the Diamond Trade Act every parcel of diamonds taken from the Fields must be formally described and registered, and every transfer recorded from the date of discovery till the final ship­ment from the Cape Colony. No person was permitted to deal in diamonds unless he held a formal license, and his record books of purchase and sale were always open to police inspection. Thefts of diamonds and illicit purchasers were punished with all possible rigor.
1 A Special Court was established under ordinance No. 8 of 1880. A barrister was appointed as Special Magistrate to act with the Resident Magistrate and the Additional Resident Magistrate. Under Act No. 48 of 1882 the Special Court for mining offences consisted of three persons, of whom at least one was a judge of the Supreme Court. The other two were usually the Resident Magistrate and the Civil Commissioner. By proclamation No. 144, dated September 1, 1882, the districts of Kimberley, Herbert, Hay, and Barkly were within the jurisdiction of the Special Court. Act No. 34 of 1888 provided that the Special Court should consist of three members, two of whom must be judges of the Supreme Court. Persons convicted by the Special Court might appeal to the Supreme Court.