with
reference to specific gravity, Ellicott's exhaustive experiments in
1795, and those of Page, published in 1855, both prove the Oriental
diamond to be of greater specific gravity than the Brazilian gem.
If
one may judge by the superb old parures of Golkonda diamonds still
extant, and eagerly sought after, the assertion may be accepted that
East India yielded a larger per-ccntage of white stones. Indeed, it is
well known that the various shades of yellow and cinnamon coloured
diamonds were infinitely rarer before the opening of the Brazilian
mines, and even then comparatively seldom, until the Cape mines
produced an abundance of this particular class of diamond.
It
would be impossible to frame a reliable estimate of the quantity and
value of diamonds exported from India under British rule, as there was
freetrade in diamond seeking. The supply of Indian diamonds is now most
uncertain, no noticeable quantity having been brought to this market
for the last forty years.
The
discovery of diamonds in Brazil in 1720 was followed in 1721 by the
export of 173,000 carats to the European markets. As may be supposed,
the value of diamonds considerably declined for a time, until the
increased supply had, ipso facto, created relative application
and demand. Shortly afterwards the Brazilian Government having assumed
the working of the mines, the industry was successfully conducted until
1880, when the Cape diamonds, which were produced at a much smaller
cost, reduced Brazilian mining to a minimum.
The
present total export of diamonds from Brazil does not exceed 24,000
carats, of which it is estimated that 30 per cent, are of pure water,
as against 20 per cent, of the same quality from South Africa, where,
however, the crystals are found of much larger sizes than they ever
have been in Brazil.
It
cannot too emphatically be asserted that the qualitication of "Cape
diamond " applied to the South African gems as a term of reproach,
should now and for ever be retracted by those persons who, knowing
better, have been foolish enough to propagate such nonsense.
Cape
diamonds furnish, to-day, fully 95 per cent, of the European supply,
which alone is sufficient to uphold them in public estimation-. It is
true that colourless diamonds have been found, in the smallest
proportion in South Africa, but it is equally beyond dispute that large
numbers of the whitest and most faultless diamonds are exported from
the Cape, while the mass of material is conspicuous, whether white or
coloured, for its brilliancy.
Disparagers
of South African diamons were usually interested in supplies of rough
from other localities, and continue to fear that the public mind having
been so industriously prejudiced against all dinominatiotts of African
diamonds, purchasers would hold aloof if the goods were fairly
represented.
It
is not generally known that, during the first fourteen years of its
career, the then most prolific of South African mines, the Kimberly,
put out more diamonds than all the other sources of supply combined had
produced since any record had been kept. Diamond mining commenced in
earnest at the Cape in 1871, and developed with marvellous rapidity.
Upon the authority of Mr. J. B. Finlason, chief inspector of diamond
mines, I give the following statistics:—In 1880, the usual digger's
claim, 31 ft. square, was equal to the unprecedented value of £32,000,
readily realised. In 1874, the total shipments from the Cape amounted
to £5,000,000 sterling. The Postmaster-General reports that between
January ist, 1874, and December 31st, 1877, the net weight of diamonds
sent to England by post amounted to one ton. The Government returns of
duty paid on diamonds, shipped from September, 1882, to February, 1884,
amounted to £4,428,157, and weighed 3,617,226 carats.
In
connection with the developing use of precious stones, but more
especially the diamond, it is impossible to overrate the significance
of the Table of Statistics given below, for which I am indebted to the
painstaking courtesy of Messrs. Tiffany, Ihe eminent goldsmiths, of New
York.
These
gentlemen have used their influence with the Government of the United
States of America, in order to procure the most perfect form of tabular
