Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-09
Diamonds ut Last.


The announcement contained in re.
cent cable dispatch OF the successful
manufacture of diamonds by Scotch
chemist. derives its great Significance
from the fact that Maskelyne, who
makes the announcement, disputed and
disproved similar claim made by an
other Scotch chemist, scarcely more
Glasgow, declared that he had succeed.
ed In making what he called "pure
crystalline forms of carbon" which had
the appearance of diamonds, and with
stood number of tests, and were be.
lieved by several scientific gentlemen
to be actual diamonds. Curiously
enough. about the same time, still an.
other Scotchman, Mr.. Robert Baxter,
OF Dundee, made substantially the same
claim, but his statement does not seem
to have attracted public attention. Mr..
Maskelyne, who is the mineralogist of
the British Museum and distinguished
expert, swept away Mr.. MActear's claim
by showing that his diamonds" when
rubbed between two surfaces of sap.
phire, did not abrade the stones, and
could not be ignited upon foil of plat.
mum, as would have been the case with
real gems. Mr.. Maskelyne pronounced
Mr.. Mactear's product to be crystal
lized silicate. and the latter, though at
first protesting, finally accepted the
conclusion as correct. 1t is Mr.. Maske
lyme who now says there is "no doubt
whatever that Mr.. Hannay, of Glas-
gov, the third in this line Of Scotch al
chemists, hos succeeded in discovering
the modern philosophers stone.
There is possibility. which is
scarcely a possibility, that the British
Museum expert may have been deceived
in some particular, but it is not likely
that man of his scientific rank would
commit himself SO thoroughly without
having been first entirely convinced.
He distinctly states that the two final
tests, noted above, which destroyed
MIR. Mactears claim, have established
that of Mr.. Hannay. The new dia-
monds score deep grooves in the "pol-
ished surface of sapphire" and ignite
ON foil of platinum. The process of
their manufacture is to be revealed
shortly to the Royal Society, when
doubtless the whole world will know it.
The discoverer is plainly compelled to
take this course, i'll order to prove his
truthfulness, 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 Ut
most effort of science has never sue
ceeded in revealing or even indicating
the processes by which Nature manu-
features these wonderful stones, and for
chemistry to anticipate Nature, as it
were, will be q marvellous episode in
the history of science. Those who are
inclined to be wholly incredulous
should remember the scientific miracles
that have been performed in recent
years the liquefaction of oxygen and
hydrogen, the transmission Of sound
by the telephone, the reproduction of
sound by the photograph, etc. 1t may
still be found that full success in dia-
mond making has not been reached,
but it is by no means impossible, and
it has long been sought. 1t is nearly
two centuries since the academicians OF
Florence reduced the diamond to car
bon, and mems minds have been busy
AnuCu Va tudt tlu1o Will htCcupbS W re-
verse the process, and bring back the
diamond from the carbon.
But artificial diamonds are not likely
to be anything more than scientific GU
riosities. The owners of jewels may
comfort themselves with that hope.
Nothing is said in the dispatches of the
size of the artificial stones, but it 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
diameter. DR.. Percy, 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
jewelers. wares. Alumina, the base of
the sapphire and the ruby, was long
ago crystallized, but sapphires are not
manufactured. The balas ruby, as DR..
Percy showed, was artificially 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 oon-
sidered as very doubtful indeed.-N.
Y. Tribune.
c,ux,,1. Cux,,x,,,r VIAL 49,.