The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-12 00:00:00

Til

NDr-

(From the Polytechnic Journal)
There appears every reason to believe that this gem
has received its name from its great degree of hardness,
for, on reference to the words used to express the same
article in different languages, a striking similarity will
at once be evident as to the identity of the terms ex-
pressed ; indeed it almost appears as if it derived its
name in the first instance from some specific property
inherent in it, and that the different languages; with but
a few exceptions, have burrowed the word, merely al-
ttejorliinogrthtieleVt,Cer‘l).caigaCt o coincide
level‘fi•intldi Theatcodizi.astmrauen;
Tongues.asto
is the word used by the Germans, the Dutch, French,
• demant or diamant by the Swedes ; diamante is the
usom: by the Portuguese, Spaniards and Italians ;
while a ll:nag-
use of by the Russians, dyaniant
by the Poles, adinaa ' by the Greeks, and hira by the
llindoos. •
The diathond, when crystalliiec,', is considered to be
the purest form of carbon, and it is (6 Laroiser science
is indebted for the discovery, that when charcoel and this
gem are burned in oxygen ga-b,both substances disap-
pear, and the oxygen becomes converted into cat honk
acid gas. When it occurs in a pure state it is perfectly,
transparent, and is possessed of a very high degree o.
refractive power compared to its density: It is on this
property that its superiority over the other gems depends ;
tbr the rays of light, instead of passing through, as in
other precious stones, becomes refracted again to its
surface, reflecting those brilliant and beautiful tints for
which it is considered so celebrated. It is the hardest
of all knoWn minerals, and is therefore capable of
scratching all others. 'lts specific gravity varies from
3,488 to 3.600, the average being 3.52. When submit-
ted to a temperature of 140 deg. of Wedgewood's Pyro-
'Meter 'being rather below that at which silver melts,
it unites with the Oxygen of the surroundingattnosphere.
Wog converted into carbonic acid gas, and is entirely
tliasipated.
Of late years considerable discussion has ensued re-
.
speeting the origin of the diamond. Sir David Brew:.t r
states' its'his Opinion that it is of vegetable origin. Sir
,Isaac 'Newton :conjectured that the diamond was pm-
bably an unctuous substance coagulated ; and Sir D.
Brewster, after detailing many important facts,
considers that the conclusion is rendered the more pro-
bable by other analogies, viz., that the diamond origi-
nates, like amber, from the consolidation of perhaps
vegetable matter, which gradually acquires a crystalline
form by time ;sod the slow action of corpuscular forces.
India has always been famous for its diamonds, more
however on account of their superior hardness and bril-
liancy than for their size ; in this respect they cannot be
said to equal those from 13razi/. Their locality is in allu-
vial sand or rubble, chiefly- from the beds of rivers, and
they are usually found for the most part in high and
rugged tracts of country, the vicinity of which is peopled
with numerous tribes, extending from Golconda across
the interior of Orissa, The principal mines in former
times were those of Raolconda, Color, and Sumbulpoor.
At Raolconda the diamonds occur in narrow veins tra-
versing the rock, and mixed with the sand and earth
which fill their cavities. At Galia Color they are met
with in the soil of a plain, which stretches along the foot
of some high mountains, and are found here weighing
from ten to forty carats or more ; they were accidentally
met with in this situation by a countryman, who, on
digging his ground to sow millet, met with one of these
stones of great size. This gave rise to a general search,
even to th depth of from ten to fourteen feet, until they
found water, which served to wash the earth with ; it
is even stated that, at one period, 60,000 persons were
employed in the search at this place. At Sumbulpoor,
in Bengal, they are found in the sand and gravel of the
river Gouel, which falls into the Mahanuddy. As re-
gards the size of those obtained from this locality, they
are by.. no means so large as those from Color, which
yielded ,shah Jehan, the celebrated stone, weighing 793
carats. Whdri Tavernier visited this mine 60,000 persons
were employed ; of late, from some cause or other,
it has not been much WorLed, probably from the supply
' having become so exhausted as not to make it worth
while to continue operations.
The diamond mines of Brazil were discovered in
1728, and yielded such an abundant supply to the mar-
ket as to lead the Portuguese Government to limit the
number of persons employed to seek for them. Large
diamonds do not, however, abound in this country,
although some of considerable size have been occasionally
met with. The European market is chiefly supplied
from the mines of Serro do Frio.
Of all the depositaries of diamonds, the most cele-
brated is the river Jiquitonhonha, which flows nearly
as broad as the Thames at Windsor. When worked, the
channel is turned aside, either by canals or pumps, and
the earth from the bottom due: out. The cascalho is then
laid in heaps by the side of a flooring divided into
various compartments, into each of which a current of
water is admitted. While this passes through, the cas
calho is kept in constant motion by raking it till the
earthy particles are washed away. The negro sta-
tioned at each compartment then begins a most diligent
search for diamonds. When lie finds one he clasps his
hands, and holds it up between his forefinger anti thumb,
to the overseer, who places it in .a bowl suspended from
the centre of the shed. When a negro
.presents a stone
of seventeen carats and a half, he receives his liberty ;
and handsome presents are given whenever any diamond
of inferior, though of considerable size, is found.
The cutting and polishing of diamonds was first in-
troduced in the year 1456 by Louis Berghen, a native of
Bruges, who found that, on rubbing two stones together
a new facet was produced, a discovery the result only of
accident. A. wheel was subsequently invented which
was made to revolve rapidly, and was fed with diamond
powder instead of corundrum, which was formerly used
y the Hindoos and Chinese, and this probably was the
method employed in the most remote ages in Asia. The
descendants of the celebrated diamond-polishers of Gol-
conda are still to be found at Muni Mudgoo, in the Pun-
eliapoliam taluk near Gooty.
The following ,ttre the most remarkable diamonds on
record. The largest that is. known seems to be that of
the Rajah of Matan, in the East Indies. It is of the
purest Water, and weighs 367 carats, or, at the rate of 4
grains to a carat, upwards of three ounces troy. It is
shaped like an egg, with an indented hollow near the
smaller end. It was discovered by Laudak about 100
years ago, and though the'posseSsion of it has cost se-
veral wars, it has remained in the Mattan family for 90
years. A governor of Batavia, after ascertaining the
qualities of the gem, wished to be the purchaser, and
offered 150,000 dollars for it, besides two war-brigs with
their guns and anummition, together with a certain num-
ber of great guns and a quantity of powder and shot ;
but this diamond possessed; suchuelebrity in India, and
was regarded as a talisman involvirig the fortunes of the
Rajah and his family, that he refused to part with it at
any price. The diamond possessed in the time of the
traveller Tavernier by the Emperor of Mogul, a king-
dom now no more, weighed 279 carats, and waal:pckoned
worth upwards of 400,000/. It is said to have lost: half
of its original weight in cutting. After these.prodigiot;s
gems, the next are-1. that of the Emperor of Russia,,
bought by the late Empress Catherine, which weighs 193
carats ; it is said to be of the size of a pigeen's egg,
and to have been bought for 90,0001., besides an annuity
to the Greek merchant of 4,000/. It is reported that
the above diamond formed one of the eyes of the famous
statue of Sheringan, in the temple of Brame, and that
a French grentaber, who bad deserted into the Malabar
service, found the means of robbing the pagoda of this
precious gem, and escaped with it to Madras, where he
disposed of it to a ship captain for 2,008!., who resold it
to a Jew for 12,0001. ; from him it was transferred for a
large sum to the Greek merchant. 2. That of the Em-
peror of Austria, which weighs 139 carats, and has a
slightly yellowish hue ; it has, however, been valued at
100,000/. 3. That of the King of France, called the Re-
gent or Pitt diamond, remarkable for its form and its
perfect limpidity. Although it weighs only 136 carats,
its fine dualities have caused it to be valued at 160,0001.,
though it cost only 100,000/.

We understand that tho
E marriagea
Russell, and the daughter ofelefilinotef,
takesLo
rdplJoaeehn
e
the t
Minto House about the 20th of the present month. Orders
for the bridal-cake have been received by Mr. Blair, of the Ita-
lian Warehouse, South Bridge.—Edinburgh paper. ,
THE REV. J. R. STEPHENS.—On Sunday
afternoon and evening, this person who has lately been released
from Chester Castle, preached in the Vicars's Croft, in this
town ; his congregations on both occasions were very numer-
ous. The addresses he gave were of an exciting character,
and calculated to stir up the people to acts of physical force, in
order to obtain what he described as their rights. His dis-
courses were confined to the physical condition of the labouring
class of the people, which he pourtrayed as in a very lament-
able state. The proceedings commenced by singing and
payer by the friends present, after which Mr. S. ascended a
' chair provided for him upon the platform, and, after looking
upon the a.sernblage for a minute or two, began his address.—
Leeds Mtrcur'J.
The General Steam Navigation Company's
packet Ocean, J. Fife, Rotterdam, arrived off the Custom-
house yesterday, with the Dutch mail.
SWAMPING OF A
,s STEAM*VESSEL.— YP t er-
day afternoon, between three and four o'clock, the utmost
consternation and alarm was manifested by the numerous pas-
sengers on board the Aurora steam-vessel, which plied be-
tween London and Battersea Bridges, in consequence of infor-
mation that the vessel had sprung a leak, which in a few
seconds was discovered to be too true, as the water was pour-
ing fast into her hold from a hole in her bottom. It was low
water at the time, and with assistance the whole of the pas-
sengers, notwithstanding their numbers, were safely landed
without a single accident. It appeared that the vessel passed
over an anchor, which injured her bottom. On the return of
the tide nothing was to be seats of her but a small portion of ber
funnel appearing above the water. The occurrence took place
between 'Vauxhall and Westminster Bridges on the south of

the river.
DEPARTURES.—Mr: and Mrs. Williams, from
Portland-place, on a visit to the Hon. Lady Susan and
Captain Ilotham, Woolmers, Herts.
LUCIFER MATCHES.—The other day, one of
these matches being ignited near a room fireplace, it was
ob-
served that before the match had been well lighted the whole
papers in the grate were in flames. The sparks from lucifers,
It would thus appear, are calculated to take effect on papers,
cottons, and other combustibles,-Edinburgh Courant iS 8
.
A Fox CAUGHT BY A LIMPET.—it
well known fact that foxes, inhabiting sea-shores, sub-
sist chiefly uptin limpets, and other shell7fish. One day
last week it happened, that whilst a fox was searching
for his food on the shore at Porthvven, near Cemaes, he
found a large limpet on a rock, basking in the sun, it
being low water at the time. Reynard thrust his tongue
beneath the shell, when the limpet, on being disturbed,
instantly cleaved to the rock, holding poor foxy fast by
the toni;ue. Soon after the tiered.a to flow, and in a
short time the rock was cov The fox was found
dead, his tongue still in the grasp of the limpet, at the
ebb, by a young man who was passing.
THE WEATHER.—Some apprehensions are
felt, on account of the continuance of the rain. This is the
pinching time of the year. The country loolutglorious, but
thin
everyg is growing too fast, wheat in particular. Never-
theiess, we think iltese Bars premature. 14e injury, but much
cfood, has bees hitherto done by the ttins..—.Dubhn Evening