Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-03-09
Diamond Hunting IN south Africa.

n correspondent VI Lue 1OHuUu lueb
writes from Kimberley, South Africa,
for the purpose of correcting few er-
rors, which, he says, still prevail at
home" regarding the diamond fields:
The Colesberg Kepje Diamond Mine
(he observes) is really at this moment
one of the wonders of the world; it con-
tains, maintain, the largest number
of workers in small space that has
been seen in any modern work, and /
cannot call to mind any enterprise, ex-
cepting the Egyptian Pyramids, where
it can have been necessary for such a
swarm of human beings to be so closely
herded together. Can any of your cor
respondents cite few instances2 The
Kopje is not now so busy as it was some
time ago-I will say in October, 1872
when there can not have been less than
10000 men employed in space occu-
pied by 2500 claims of thirty feet square
each. The actual present value of the
mine is estimated at 100000; three
months ago it was valued at e2,000000,
but claims have fallen sixty per cent.
1t is proposed to spend 100000 immedi-
ately in rendering the mine safe by re-
moving the outside dangerous reef.
Some of the claims are l30 feet deep,
and the whole mine, resembling vast
basin, is being emptied bysmeans of the
wire-rope tramway system, which has
cost an enormous sum in erecting. This
can easily be imagined when it is known
that every pound weight of wire, every
pound weight of deal wood and timber,
has cost from 4d to Cd per pound for
transport alone.
Diamond diggers are not now particu-
larly gay" the diamond market is
down, but why it should be so persist
emily affirmed in England that South
African diamonds are not good, that
they are only Cape" cannot con-
ceive. The Cape diamonds are fully as
good as any others, the only difficulty
being that the bulk are often light yell
low, or off.color" descriptions, and
very handsome ornaments they make.
Great numbers of the original claim.
holders in the Colesberg Kopje mine
have made small fortunes. / know of
at least ten among my own personal
friends who will average e8000 each,
all made, it may be said, in two years
out of nothing,
AS facts are worth any amount Of mere
statements, / will tell you as plainly as
possible what the effect of the news of
the gold fields has produced at the dia-
mond fields. 1t will show what is
thought here of them, and will serve
to confirm all have stated Persons in
England can have no idea of the
Juror. Wagons are being brought out,
strengthened and painted; oxen are be-
ing bought and 9l2 per head paid, in
place Of e7 los three months ago
Wagons worth el00 year ago are now
bringing ESQ to elT0 Household goods
are sacrificed at any cost. Ladies, chill
dren and men, all have the gold fever,
and look forward with the greatest plea
sure to journey Of thirty days through
couHtry almost uninhabited. Dia-
mond claims are almost unsalable; the
newspapers TEEN with advertisements
relative to sales of goods belonging to
parties who are off to the gold fields.
The passenger cart, fare ELS los, is
fully engaged for many weeks to come.
In fact, there is regular rush, for peo-
pie say, naturally, if diamonds have
resuscitated South Africa, what may not
be expected Of gold? Among other mo-
tions is the very prevalent one that the
Chinese will flow in, and Captain Gal
toms idea that they should be allowed to
people Africa, may yet come true. In
fact your readers may expect, for some
years to come, to exclaim, as Pliny did
so long ago: Well, there is always
something new from Africa"