The sun., 1873-06-24
The south African diamond Fields.

The colony in which these diamond
folds are situated I. called Griluaand West. to
distinguish 1t from the eastern portion Of Gri-
Guaand which formerly belonged to the Gri-
quas. but Is row part of the Orange Tree state.
On the 9th of October, ISL. 1t was proclaimed
British territory ON the petition Of the para
mount chief, Nichola, waterhoer, and his coun-
cl sir Henry Barkiy, the Governor Of cape
Colony, the capith Of which IL some 100 miles
distant from Griqualand, has sent to the colonial
Office in London a map Of the new colony. Ii
extends from the Orange river to the territory
of the Chief II the liatIApin, and stretches aDuut
leo miles from north TO south, and IN from east
The whole ts reported good grazing country.
Copper. lead. iron. and coal are all stated to
have been found there, and there are rilnlors nl
auriferous quartz reefs hut little Il known
about these. II il in lts diamonds that the
wealth uf Grigualand mainly consists. There
are two descrltinn- oi uigglncS those on the
banks of the Naal river, where the diamonds are
obtained hN washing the gravel, and thuse called
" dry diggines, nj winch shafts ate sunk
through uccomposed volcanic rocks. the Gia-
muuds occurring chiefly in tufaccuus limestone,
clay. Sc, which are dried aud then suited. The
famous ul, ~ kuple At DE Beer : New hii-h
where the first diamond WAS discovered la july.
ISL. under the roots of an old thorn tree, which
tucn crowned grassy knoll some ten ucrcs in
extent, hut which has now from excavations
assumed the form uf a circular crater. ana il
huutycumbcd Wifh PITS from ~ i,et t. lr ct
In depth. according 10 the amount OF labor en-
Last wear it is .cStimIted that i've millions of
dptl.rs worth of diamonds were duG out IN
these mines There Is great difference of opinion
as To- tho dCpth NJ whlch the sull will he found
~ contain diamonds; but there can he no aues-
tiun thai the cN nen-es ui working are greatly
/ enhanced by increased depth. the whole ot the
s'uu tu be sorted having to be hauled up In
hirkcts SIR II. Bark estimates the pupula-
tiuu uf GriqIaiand west AT iu,tuu ut the utmost.
| Considerably le4s than half are whites, and OF
| these u is considered that nut above a fourth
| have recently cmigrltcd tu south Africa Bands
! ol natives nave poured in from all p-rts. The
! climate Is naturally saluhruus. a. the general
/ elevation of a.O1l 20 4,th ieet above the sea
duuluiShes the temperature; but the unnat-
/ ural conditions OF lie al the diegings produce
I mach sickness.
The revenue ~ the COLONY Is raised from the
. licenses granted To- the dis-cr- and the shop
/ keepers, and amounted 20 s;hn,On in lS12. the
/ ptiblic tXpendiiuTe was estimated at less than
/ hall that amount. sir Henry Birkly has ap-
! pointed MT. Southey, late Colonial secretary at
] Cane Colony, LIcuteuant-G GoNcTnor Of Grlqua-
/ land. lie viii probably bc assisted by council
! consisting partly OF elective members. Sir II
/ Barkiy recommends that Griqualand West be
] made "a separate oNlnce with constitution
| somewhat like that of Natal in "A certain suhor-
/ diuatlOn To- the Government OF the care Colony.
/ he hopes to see a great south African Fedora
ION.