The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-05-01
country protecting her sex, or as dcpraved
in her nature as her companion.
Diamonds.

The diamonds prepared for general use arc
fashioned in three different ways, viz brit
tants, roses, and taJle, depending for their
classification on the form and number Of
their faces. The brilliants are cut with ma
ny faces, fat-top, and pointed back, and are
the most used. The rose diamonds are also
cut with many surfaces, but have pointed
tops and fiat under surface The Table dia-
monds have both upper and under surfaces
fiat, and edges bevelling from each surface
to the centre Of the edge. The superior
brilliancy of the diamond to ali other stones
IS owning to It's hardness. The rays Of light
being unable readilz p penetrate s.. are re
Elected rom It's surfaces
The following are the principal colors or
shades Of the diamond namely, yelloWish-
green, cloye-broWn, BLUSH, drownish-biack,
orange, rose-red, and coloTless. The color
less are the most valuable When burned
in oxygen gas, the combination is found to be
carbonic acid gas; hence the diamond is
known to be pure carbon
Diamonds are valued by the carat. A ca
rat is four grains, or little over three grains
Troy weight. The present value of dia-
monds, and the price fuctuates very little,
weigh one carat, of the first scater, tLat Is, Of
the purest and best kind, is about fifty dol
lars; of half carat, from six to eight dol
lars; Of one-eighth, or quarter of a grain
from three to four dollars and under this
weight, from thirty-two to thirty-fiye dollars
a carat, more or less in number making a
carat.
There is great disproportion between the
value OF large and small diamonds, the price
increasing IN much greater proportion than
the weight. Thus diamond weighing one
caret, and valued at fifty dollars, would be
worth, weighing two carats, one hundred
and twenty-five dollars; the additional carat
beng one and a half the value Of a stone Of
one caret; and one weighing three carats,
two hundred and thirty-seyen dollars and
fifty cents; the additional carat, (seventy five
dollars and half the amount with the val
ue of stone Of two carats making this
sum; and so on, adding one-half to the addi-
! tional carat, till a diamond, weighing sixteen
carats, would come to about thirty thousand
f dollars whereas sixteen diamonds, weigh
ling one carat each, would be worth eight
hundred dollars. This mode of computa-
ton, however, holds good only with regard
2 60 small, or moderate-sized stones-under
twenty carats. For diamonds over this weight
there appears to be no fixed standard Of val
ne, the price depending on the competition
q of the purchasers
i The Pitt, or Regent diamond, belonging
to the crown jewels of France, though not 50
4 large as some others, is considered owing to
d It's perfect transparency, one of the most beau
e tltul diamonds in the world, and is valued
= at tarO millions Of dollars, though it was
h bought originally for one hundred thousand
: pounds sterling. This diamond was placed
by Napoleon in the hilt of his sword. 1t
# weighs one hundred and sixty carats, and is
? about as large as a common-sizcd walnut
: Three other large sized diamonds are all that
Il have as yet been found One belonging to
i the Rajah of Mettan, weighing three hun
IT. drcd and sixty-seven carats; another III the
> possession of the Great Mogul, of two hun
+ dred and eighty caratS; and one belonging to
|. Portugal, of one hundred and fifteen carats
= Diamonds ares found in India, on the IS
land of BOrneo, in South America, and some
J. few in Africa. None have been found in the
\ United States, and none as vet except with
IS in the tropics. They are usually found III
IS loose alluvial soil, from which they are wash
j. led out. In South America the diamond
Of mines are many of them, in the beds Of Ger
ID tain rivers, which become dry in summer sea
ct son, when the mud and gravel containirg
Rs the diamonds are taken out and searched.
n Diamonds arc not used exclusively for or
= nament. Discolorcd and poor diamonds ar,
n broken up and used as valuable powder il
e cutting and polishing the diamond-the ONLY
u material by which it can be cut and polishct
Il the agate, cameo, onyx, and other harl
. stones. All the engraving and lettering oil
70 hard stones is done with the diamond Dia
Il monds are also used extensively as every Oh,
q knows, By glaziers.-Bostoa Journal