New-York tribune., 1880-02-21
DL1MONDS MADE II LIST

DIAMONDS MADE az LASI
The announcement contained in the cable
dispatches to-day of the successful manu-
facture of diamonds by Scotch chemist. de-
rives its great significance from the fact that
Mr.. Maskelyne who makes the announcement.
disputed and disproved similar claim made
by another Scotch chemist scarcely more than
month ago. Mr.. Mictear, of Glasgow. de-
clared that he had succeeded in making what
he called "purc crystalline forms OF carbon
which had the appearance of diamonds and
withst0od a numLer of tests, and were believed
by several scientific gentlemen 10 be actual
diamonds Curi0usy enough, about the same
time, still another ScOtchman, Mr. Robert Bax-
ter. of Dundee, made substantially the same
clam, but his statement does TOt seem to
have attracted public attention. llr. Maske-
lyme, who is the Mlneraogist Of the British
Museum and distinguished expert. swept
away Mr Mactear's claim by showing that
his " diamonds" when rubbed between two
surfaces oi sapphire, did not abrade the stones,
and could not be ignited upon a foil of
platinum, as would have been the case with
real gems. Mr.. Maskelyne pronounced Mr..
Mactcars product TO be a crystalized silcate.
and the latter, though at first protesting.
finally accepted the conclusion correct. 1t
is Mr. Maskeyne who now says there Is "no
doubt whatever" " that Mir. Hannay. of
Glasgow. the third in this line of Scotch al
chemists, has succeeded in discovering the
modern philosophers stoue.
There is a possibility, which is scarcely a
possibility. that the British MuSum expert
may have been deceived iu some particular
but it is not likely that n man Of his scien-
hfic rank would commit himself so thoroughly
without having been first entirely convinced.
He distinctly states that the two final tests,
noted above. which destroyed Mr.. Mactears
claim. have established that of Mr. Hannay.
The new diamonds scoro deep grooves in the
polished surface of sapphire" and ignite on
n foil of platinum. The process of their manu-
facture is to be revealed shortly to the Royal
Society, when doubtless the whole world will
know IT, The dscoverer is plainly compelled to
take this course, in order to prove his truth
fulpess. and he is thus shut off from the
prospect of pecuniary profit, if he desired it.
1t is needless to say that the disclosure will be
awaited with intense interest everywhere. The
utmost effort of science has never succeeded III
revealing or even indicating tho processes 10y
which Nature manufactures these wonderful
stones, and for chemistry to anticipate Nature,
as it were, will be marvellous episode in the
history of science. Those who are inclined to
be wholly iucredulous should remember the
scientific miracles that have been performed III
recent years-the hquefaction of oxygen and
hydrogen, the transmission of sound by the
telephone, the reproduction of sound 10y the
photograph, etc. 1t may still be found that
full success in diamond making has not been
reached, but it is by no means impossible, and
it has lcng been sought. 1t is nearly two CEN
tures since the academcIanS OF Florence re-
0uced the diamond to carbon, and mems minds
have been busy much of that time with at
tempts to reverse the process, and bring back
the diamond from the carbon.
But artificial diamonds are not likely to be
anything more than scientific curiOsities. The
owners of jewels may comfort themselves with
that hope. Nothing is said III the dispatches
of the size Of the artificial stones but il is not
at all probable that they were large enough to
have any commercial value. The Mactear
" diamonds " were only one-thirty second part
of an inch in diGmeter. DIR. Percy, "A learned
man, writing to the LONDON papers during the
excitement caused by the supposed discoveries
of Mactear. expressed his belief that diamonds
would one day be made by The chemists, but
at the same time showed strong doubts whether
they would ever find place among jewellers
wares. Alumina, the base of the sapphire
and the ruby. was long ago crystalIized,
but sapphires are not manufactured. The
balas ruby, as DR.. Percy showed, was artif-
cIally made by German chemist forty years
ago, but rubies are not manufactured. The
Hannay diamonds may be of use in the arts,
but that they will ever glitter on the brow of
beauty may safely be considered as very
doubtful indeed.