The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-08
THE AMBER TRADE.

The trade IN amber is becoming more extern
syc every year at Mcneil The diggings in the
Samland, the district between Konissberg and
the Baltic recently yielded five thousand three
hundred pounds OF amber in one year. Amber
is found on the seaCoast of Eastern Prussia and
on the shores and AT the bottom OF the Fresh
and Curish HaIs. 1t is hshed for in the surf
with nets, or dug up out OF the sands, but the
most successful method is TO dredeC for il at
the bottom of the water. An English paper
says:-
an former times amber was only procured by
picking il up ON the seashOTe, but it has since
been discovered that large amber fields exist
from sixteen to thirty feet below the surface OF
the sea- i'll a tertiary stratum. AS, however, 1t
is impossible to make amber pits without re-
moving the sand hilOCks on the coast, large
tract of land, by this practice, has been deprived
OF its natural barrier against the lnroads of the
sea, and the sea border has thus been exposed
to the dangers Of Hoods and drifting sands. 1t
is suggested that when the leases are renewed
the Government should make some arrange
ments for preventing the amber districts from
being exposed to such dangers; indeed, ii ap-
pears that the diggings could be carried on more
efiectualy by system of mines, which would
obvlate the necessity OF removing the hillocks
on the coast.
"The diggings up to 1862 had yielded very fair
profits, but by the system OF dredging a Memel
firm in one year obtained 1850 pounds of
amber, at cost of about $4,000 Prussian dol
lars. In 1868 the quantity collected by this
method was nearly twice as large; in 1865 more
pounds Of amber were raised. In 1866 the
quantity had increased TO $4,000 pounds. At
present about IA machines and about 400 WORK
men are employed in dredging, who work day
and night il the Haf is not frozen up. The
Memel firm pays about 1000 Prussiau dollars per
annum to Government in rent and the current
expenses are said to amount to lS0, 900 Prussian
dollars year. Similar works are about to be
established In the Fresh Half, near the port of
Pillau.
"The quantity Of amber thrown up by the sea
of late years has been inConsderable; the exact
amount however, cannot be ascertained, as the
fishermen who collect this mineral sell IL pri-
vately, in small parCels. Mr.. Ward, her Majesty's
vice-Consul at Memel, reports that amber now
constitutes an important article of trade at this
pOIt and also at Dautsc. It is exported to Aus
tria, Turkey, and France, and after many fruit
less attempts TO introduce 1t as an article of
trade with this country, orders were received in
1865 TO ship amber to England, whence it is re-
exported TO the East Indies, Africa, and China.
1t appears that considerable quantities are now
sent to England, but, unfortunately, no official
accounts of the quantities are on record at
Memel. The amber found at that port is OF eX-
celent quality, aud is considered to be partiCu-
laIly adapted for pipe mouth pieces. The prices
vary according to the size and quality of the
piece, from five silver groschen to $50 per
pound. The largest piece ever found in the
height horhoOd OF Meme weighed about five
poUnds, and was valued at about four hundred
PruEEian dollars