Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-02

Interesting Foreign Letter Dfa-
monds- Picking up Pebbles One
Hundred Goats for a Hoh.i-nOOr-
House OF Parliament-GeOI0 for
Builders.
Special Cor. Charleston Courier.l
LONDON. June 10, 1859.
Some few months ago great excitement
was created by the intelligence from the
Cape of Good Hope OF the discovery of
large numbers of valuable diamonds A
long interval of silence followed the first
outburst' of talk about the discoveries,
and some persons began to believe that
there had been some deception in the
matter. The latest advices, however,
more than confirm the FIRST statement as
to the size and value of some of the stones
found. One diamond in particular, the
new African Koh-i-noor, has become the
object of fierce contest and law suit.
The legal interdict has of course de-
tered the present holders from sending
to Europe this large diamond, the dis
covery of which has given rise to so much
speculation and caused 30 much sensa-
ton. II is reported that the diamond is
| to come to England in steamer, and
that it has been insured for 100000.
The following is q true statement of
the finding of the South African Kohl
moor. Smsrtboy, the finder, who now
lives at Sanfoutein, on this side of the
Orange river, was asked to tell all about
the finding of the diamond, and there
upon he, pointing to the opposite bank of
the river, said (: DO you see the hill
there, about three hundred yards from
the river, with the hut on it 2" Yes"
Smartboy then rejoined, that is my
hut; / am Griqua, and l was living
there about two months age, when one
morning ran out of the hut to turn some
goats which were strsying, and about two
hundred yards from the hut, on the
ground, saw peculiar looking stone,
and on taking it up felt convinced that
il must be o diamond, although / had
never seen one. carefully put it away,
and only showed it to few mutual
friends, cautioning them not to say any
thing less it should get to Waterboer's
ears, who would claim it. Shortly after
l removed to this (the ColonialD side OF
the river, and entered the service of my
present employer. | told him l had q
diamond, for which / wanted one hun
dred goats or sheep--but l did not pro-
duce the diamond, and nothing came of
my offer after this. one day gave 1t to
nv nephew and told him to take it to
Schalk Niekerk, and ask him what he
would give for it. then sold it to ME-
kerk for five hundred sheep, ten head OF
cattle and horse. The Goldsberg Id.
pertiser says: "The magnificent diamond
which our readers will recollect, was pur-
chased by Messrs. Lilienfeld Brothers
from Mr.. Van Niekerk, who bought 1t
from Hottentot, turns out not to be the
stone which has been so long in the pos
session of the Csffre Doctor" Mr.. Lewis
lHond writes: Mr.. Emile Hoffa has
this week brought in three diamonds, Of
which one weighs l04 carats, another AZ,
and the third IL carat. Mr.. Steyn, a
trader, brought in small diamond
weighing 2 carats, and Mr.. Jacob Naude
has brought in two diamonds, weighing
81 carats and carat respectively
1t seems as if these gentlemen hesitate
to state where the above mentioned stones
were found, since an embargo has been
laid on the splendid diamond weighing
83R carats, at present the property oil
Messrs. Lilienfeld Brothers. 1t seems to
me that there is good intention on the
part of Messrs. Grimmer, Green, Math-
ews and others, yet their speculation with
Captain Waterboer is a coup detdt IN
which have no belief 1t may be added
to the above that on Friday last 1t was
understood in Capetown among those
likely to possess good information that
the 4" "Albania" spectators wished to dis
pose of their presumed rights for El00,'
900.
Speaking of diamonds, we are nat
uraily led to the subject Of stones. 1t is
a matter of surprise that several OF the
finest monuments in London-the House
of Parliament for instance-are built OF
stone, which, on exposure to the weather,
becomes friabls, and gradually chips and
breaks off, threatening at no distant day
the destruction of the buildings.
In a paper read before the Civil and
Mechanical Engineers Society, on the I'd
nit. by Mr.. Arthur Pain, G. E., on the
principal building stones used in the me-
tropolis. the author after fully treating
on all the different sorts of stones as they
came into use chronologically, and Illus
trating his paper with large map, show
| ing the position and distance of the quar-
ries from the great center, also, table
complied from various sources giving de-
tailed information as to the weights, de-
scription, chemical analysis, prices and
other various information of each sort OF
stone, drew the attention of the Society
to the remarkable fact, that nearly all
the principal buildings in the neighbor'
hood of the various susrries were in an
excellent state Of preservation, while
structures built out of the district and OF
the same kind Of stona, were more or less
in state Of rapid decay. This, he be-
lieved, was ewing to the architect, builder
and stonesman, in the 6rst case showing
all about the stone, and being able to re-
ject the bad, while in the second instance
they often know nothing OF its good or
bad qualities, and the stone was put IN
without proper selection. BE mentioned
as an instance Of the evil Of non-selee-
ton the House of Parliament, the conse-
ouence of which was we had building last
crumbling to decay; on the other hand, the
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