The Kanzas news., 1857-08-29
By P. B. PLUMB.

knife. FOR SmalIers Dut valuable stones,
proportionate premiums are given. Brazil
sends yearly into the trade about sc, 900 car
at-weight of uncut diamonds. During the
two years after the discovery of the diamond
mine at Sincora, in Bahai. 600, 900 carats
were sent to Europe; but in 1852 the guam
tity had fallen to 130, 900.
The labor expended IN collecting that small
bag of dull CLASSY stones is immense. One
can easily lift with the hand the product oi
a years digging and washing; yet, to bring
them together, much sweat has flowed while
the steaming negroes dug the clay under a
burning tropic sun. The whip has many a
time reused the tagging energies, or sharp
ened the search among the gravel IN the
asashing- trough. Not few have perished,
and been laid by their companions under
the dark green tree, from whose branches
hang garlands of lovely orchida. And to
fill ap The blanks which have been in the
ranks of the toiling slaves of Brazil, many
have been dragged from the coast of Africa,
In spite of the efforts of this country to pre-
vent the unholy traffic. The humanity OF
some, however, and the self-interest of 9th
ers have led them to frame rules which nit
igate slavery in connection with the dia-
mond- mines of Brazil. The rewards which
are offered, not only prove an incentive to
careful search, but impart spirit to the Ia
Dor which must render it less irksome.-
But the lash is still in the hand of the over
seer, and numbers of the human family are
kept down to the level of beasts of burden.
The process of cutting brings out the in
herent beauty of the diamond, and greatly
enhances its value. Even after the stone
has been cut, if unskillfully done, the spark
ling beauty of the gem is wanting. No
change of position which the commissioner
tried could make the Koh-i-noor appear, at
the London Exhibition, much superior to a
piece af rock-crystal; but, after having been
re-cut, it became one of the choicest bril-
liants. For long period, the Jews of Am
sterdam have almost exclusively monopoliz-
ed that branch of industry. AT the time
when they were prosecuted in all other ma
tons of Europe, the liberal laws and -four
ishing trade of Amsterdam encouraged them
to settle there in great numbers; and the
diamond-mills were erected under the spe-
cial protection which the States of Holland
afforded to capital and enterprise. 1t is cal
culated that not fewer than 10000, out of
the %, 600 Jews who live in Amsterdam,
depend directly and Indirectly on the dia-
mond trade.
The Diamond Cutters Company under
the direction of Mr.. Posno, have three fac
tories, all worked by steam. The united
capacity of the engines is ninetyfive horse
power, driving 438 mills, and employing
925 workers. There are two other diamond
cutting factories in Amsterdam, the one be-
longing to the firm of B. L. NJ. Arons,
conducted by Mr.. Prins, having an engine
of six horsepower, driving forty mills, and
employing seventy people; the other is the
property of Mr.. Coster, with a steam power
of forty horses, driving seventy-two mills,
and giving work to $50 hands. In the fac
tories of the Diamond Cutters Company,
and that of Mr.. Prins, the mills are let to
those who are not shareholders, at fixed
rate, for the hour or day. Mr.. Coster's S
mills on the other hand, are driven on his
own account; and to him have been intrust-
ed the two most valuable gems that have
been cut in late years, the Koh-i-noor and
Star of the South.
Having obtained an introduction, the WIS.,
itor to this mill is treated with the greatest
atteztion. He ho sooner enters one OF the
flats, than the heads of dozen persons are
stretched forward, offering their service to
explain the various steps in the process
The seats of the workmen are arranged along
the sidewalks of the building, and before
each is circular metal plate, revolving
horizontally with great velocity. A short
lever of iron rests with one extremity on the
bench, and the other on the revolving plane.
The diamond-polisher stops the motion, and,
IL, oo{rs hot III,
end which rested on the mill has an assaigam
placed upon it, in which the stone is fixed,
so as to leave only the side exposed which Is
being ground. Handing the lever to an as
sistaat, It is put into small furnace, heat
ed, and then returned to the polisher. The
amalgam is now soft, and the diamond,
having been picked out, is replaced with the
part exposed which is next to undergo the
action of the mill. q clever workman can
keep two, or even three small diamonds on
the shift at once; but the greatest care has
to be taken that they are not exposed too
long The minute facets of diamonds, so
small as to require from l,500 to 1000 for
single carat's weight, can be easily over
cut, and the stone destroyed. In the Ne
therlands division of the exhibition at Par
is, rose diamonds were exhibited which re-
quired ! 500 to the carat; and that Is not
the limit to which the cutting can be car
ried.
The stone having been fixed in the ANAL
gam, which Is then hardened by cooling it
in water, the workman shows the visitor a
little box of fine powder. of which minute
quantity is put. with a few drops of oil, on
the mill. This is the diamond-dust with
which alone the polishing can be accom-
plished, and it possesses a value of about
ESQ sterling the ounce. 1t is chiefly OBJ
tanned in the first process which the dia-
mond undergoes after it has come from the
artist, who, If it is a valuable stone, draws
out plan by which it may be cut with the
smallest loss of weight. Leaving the mills,
we ascend TO this department, and find that