Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-09-07
some.hing ahent ninmenss.

HARPEE's AIaf- me for September contains an
article eRtilled Something About Diamonds, which
shows extensive research and 8 thorough knowledae
of the snbjec it is therefore valuable for is sta
tsticl well. as instructive and entertaining for
its general information, aud We, therefore, from
want of space to give the article entire, adopt an
abstract which we iud in the Boston Pest
After reviewing the estimate in which the aucie5ts
held this precious stone. and the various fields Of
discovery in the tern world and the more modem
one of Brazil, he devotes portion of tae article TO
an examination Of the many limitations of the dia-
m'nd, of which the Paris brilliant appears to be
the closest and most valuable This, as our readers
are doubtless aware is composition of paste form
ed of pure white glass sand r%si.ex-lhe best Of
which is now found iu Rhode Island, and exported
to Paris for manufacture potash, borax, red lead
and ars enic. After the Paris brillians, follow the
Bristol Stones, Irish diamonds Cape May diamonds,
and California diamonds, which are skilfully
cut quartz They are of coarse harder than the
paste, but lack It's lustre. Then follows q fine
description of the lapidary's art, the various
forms with which diamoBds are cut, and the
standard Of value Of the gem, and tie probabil ty
of its origin. The diamond mines CT Brazil
we're discovered in 1928, but we're not thought
to be CT much value until 1915, at which period
number Of fine diamonds were oblain,d There
were thea employed In the sesreh 5000 slaves. which
number gradually decreased until 1918, when it
was reduced to 1860, ard thsr. has since been 10
increase The annual yeild is supposed to be about
10000 carats, Of which eighth only is suitable
{, Erou he I.Eo ,r 4Ic 4 Itgo u
Brazil to tie year 1919 the district Of Diamaniina
had yielded $4,000 0GO worth Of Diamonds Dia-
monds are also found in snail q7anii.ies in Russia
en- The West C.us. Of Africa, ard occasi, nal'y in
some parls Of cur 0ED eoIu'ry. Ole was found
near Raleigh, North Carolina, which weighed nearly
two caTGts, and several Smaller ones in Connecticut
aad Kentucky. The only North American damon,
Of considerable size was found in Manchester, Va,
about four years since. Ii weighed nearly % carats
and in general eaaraeteTisiesa2 approached nearer the
Brazilian than The Eastern ones OGr readers will
be somewhat astoni.hed to learn that of all the dia-
monds found to this date in all parts of the world
not more than % weigh mere than 40 carats each;
thus it is the easiest thing in the world to trace the
origin and history Of the most valuable diamonds
If, therefore, it we're asserted by psrson that he
possessed diamond weighing leo csrats, the false
hood would be manifested at once, as no such one
coull have existed WithOu. previous knowledge of
lis history.
The first great diamond of the world is 'Tne
Grea: Mogul, seen 10y Tave1 sier in 1865 Iwsigh-
Ell in its rough state 793 carats a1d when cut $50
carats. This diamand from description, is suppos-
ed to be identical with the "Koh-i-noor, which
came in possession Of England by conquest from the
Sikhs in 1850 lis history from its discovery hs s
Eeen one of blood. The Russian diamond weighs
1875 eirats and IS Of the size of half Of pigeons
egg. /. was sold in 1915 to Prince GREGoRY Oa-
LOFT by Persian merchant for S540 600, and
annuity Of $4,000. Nothing defaile is knewn of
its previous history. 1t was probably the property
of NADIR Shall tie conqueror Of India, stolen fgcm
him as lie stole it from the Great Mogu. The dia-
mond cf The Grand Duke cf Tuscany weighs l39
carats; it is an inch deep and an inch aud
half in diameter and has no equal in the world for
purity of c5lor ard beauty of form. There is a
legend that this stone was originally hcusht at
s and in Florence for few cents. under tie supPo
siion that it was bit Of crystal. The Regent, or
Pitt diamond, was Purchassdby THOMAS PITT grand
of a native merchl2t for 81, 600. In 1883 il was
bought by Louis XV. for $3.50, 600, and is
now che of the French royal jewels 1t s
the same diamond that was worn by NAPOLEON l.
in the hilt of his sword it weighs 1863 carafs,
and is the same in depth and diameter as the
Tuscan. Another diamond, The 'Efoile du Scd,"
was found six years ago in Brazil, and purchased
by a Partisan finn, who have just finished emitting
it, The weight is 1853 carats, and it is said to he
Of the purest water and free from blemisb. The
!" Koh-i-ncor" row Weighs l93 carats, its original
weight having been reduced by an error in cutting
in 1882. The great damo1d belonging to the
King Of Portugal is sill in a rough state, and is
asserted to weigh J., $50 cara's, and 10 be worth
$50 100000. It is larger than an egg, but many
eminent judges believe it to be white topaz, ard
without any specific value The " Blue diamond"
belonging 70 Mr. IIorE, the banker, Of Amsterdam,
v eighs a earats. The Pacha Of Egyft owns a dia-
mond weighing 40 oara's. The Piggot. diamond
weighs II carats. 1. was brought from India by
Earl PIGGoTr, who disposed of it by rattle, vaung
it at Sl5O,O0) II was drawn by lady who sold
it 10 The Pacha of Egypt-a most sensible woman
in opinion, and doubtless 81 j'wel to her hus-
band" The "Sancy" diamond weighs SO carats |
the Polar Star % both are an ing the crown
eTeis Ct France, g.. |