The Sun.
London, England, 1834-09-18 00:00:00

DIAMONDS.

The first mine of this substance is supposed to have been
accidentally discovered by a peasant. Diamonds are, in-
deed, said to have been known previously to the Christian
era ; but the art of cutting and polishing them was first put,
into practice by Bouis de Berguen, a native of Bruges, in
the year 1450. The finest diamond mines are those of
Gani and Conloor, near Golconda ; Raolconda, near Visa-
poor ; Latavar and Somelpoor, in Bengal ; there are also
some productive mines at Borneo, in the Brazils, and at
Malacca.

The value of a diamond is estimated by its weight in
what are called carats. The carat, which is a weight em-
ployed by the lapidaries, is divided into four grains, each
of which is again subdivided into sixteen parts. The finest
diamonds are those which are most free from colour and
most transparent, and which are crystallized in octahedral
prisms, terminating in a point. ' Some stones are yellowish,
others bluish, or of the colour of steel, some are greenish,
and others are black. The diamond burns with a flame ;it
is consumed and dissipated in a crucible at a less degree of
heat than is required to melt pure silver. It has also phos-
phoric and electric properties.
The following are the finest diamonds of which we have
any account :

-Ist. That belonging to the Great Mogul. It weighs 279
carats 9-16ths. It is of the most perfect water, and its
form is that of an egg cut through the middle. Its value
is estimated at about 512,890/.

2d. The diamond of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, weigh-
ing 1392 carats. It is pure, and of fine form, but has a
slight shade of yellow. In consequence of this blemish, it
is not valued higher than about 119,114/.
3d. The Sancy diamond, which formerly belonged to the
crown of France, was named after the Baron de Sancy,
French Ambassador at Constantinople, who brought it to
Lewis XI V. It cost about 26,2501., and is thought to be
worth much more.

4th. The Pitt, or Regent Diamond, so called from the
name of its possessor in England, from whom it was pur-
chased by the Duke of Orleans during the minority of Louis
XV. This stone weighed 400 carats when rough, and
nearly 135 after being cut and polished. The charge for
cutting it amounted to 4,5001., and the diamond powder
employed for that purpose' cost 1,4001. The small pieces
cut from it were worth 8,000/. The Duke of Orleans paid
135,000/. for this diamond. -

sth. The diamond purchased by the Empress of Russia
in 1772, which is the largest known, being of the size of a
pigeon's egg. The following is its history :—A French
private soldier, who was serving in India, having deserted,
and entered the Malabar service, found means to steal one
of the eyes from the famous statue of Sheringham, in the
temple of Bramah. This was the diamond. He fled with
his treasure to Madras, where he sold it to the captain of a
ship. The captain, in.his turn, sold it to a Jew, from whose
possession it passed into the hands of a Greek merchant,
and was ultimately purchased by the Empress of Russia.
It is placed in the imperial crown, just below the eagle. It
weighs 779 carats, and was purchased by the Empress for
a sum far below its real value.

The Berkshire Musical Festival is postponed till
next year. -
The long projected street leading from the end of
Oxford-street and Tottenham-court-road, through the heart
of the worst part of St. Giles's in its line to meet the new
street which will come from Waterloo-bridge to Broad-street,
St. Giles's, is now likely to take place. A survey and
estimate of the old houses to be pulled down for that purpose
is now being made. The improvement will remove the whole
of that dense neighbourhood known as " the Rookery of St.
-Giles's," and reflects great credit on the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests. .

• • SO
A few days ago Mr. Smirke, having visited King's
College to see the works in progress, found none but the
whitewashers at their labour, the bricklayers having struck ;
in consequence of which he dismissed the former, being deter-
mined that the work should not be done piecemeal.
PICKPOCKETS.—SeveraI of the passengers by the
packets from London this day week found themselves on land-
ing, dispossessed of their purses and other portable property.
Since then the police have been on the alert after a detach-
ment of the swell mob, drawn hither, no doubt, by the pro-
spect of a racing harvest. Several persons had their pockets
picked while leaving church on Sunday morning last ; and a
lady, admiring the new chapel, was deprived of her purse, sup-
posed by a gentleman who very politely drew her attention to
the beauties of the building.—Dover Telegraph.