Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-02

From ~ =. =. TrisusA
At the late meeting q the British asassiation
| a paper Of special interest to AmsrSsens was
read BY Prof H. Carvsli Lewis, before the gsolo-
bearing peeidolite, and the genesis Of the dia-
mond." The professor drew his Arguments
rom an investigation Of the Kimberley dis-
Inond neid Ia souea Aniea Whcp diemonds
e:r II .ss the 'os
deposits, but il has now BEEN ascsrtained that
they are really volcanic pipes or tubes, OF
1871 further fields were discovered ut Kimber-
icy, and ali had the same geological structure,
end Ssn .ns ~ In @
penetrating the surrounding strata. The dia-
was q SOFT, yellowish friable substance, readily
crumbling when exposed. At depth OF about
and finally acquired . slats-blae color, varying
IN places 10 q dark green.
Recent excavations have showed that the
black shale These shales ''were very combus-
iiols and carbonaceous. and extended at least
iorty miles away from Kimberley, underlying
The whole district" The question put by Prof.
Lewis was whether the presence Of these car
bOnaceous shales did not xplain the genesis of
called attention to the fact that the diamonds
were most abundant where the pipe was sur
rounded by shaie Earlier speeulations concern
lag the origin Of the diamond had, he said,
given way to the theory that the diamonds be-
iongsd to and formed . part OF the matrix in
which they were found, and that that matrix
The form Of Maud, or ashes or lava. The new
hypothesis assumes that the diamonds were
lormed in the volcanic pipes where they are
found. by the action OF chemical processes set
in motion by volcanic force. All exploration
tends 70 confirm the belief that the deeper parts
of the pipes, and where presumably the chemical
action Was greatest during the formative period.
contain the richest deposits, and 1t Is further
supposed that the pipes descend to very great
depths, and that originally they communicated
directly with the fused and plastic mass under
lying the crust Of the earth.
All this Is Interesting, for, a. the president OF
the section, Prof. BOnney, observed at the con-
clusi0n OF the reading. ''it seems il Prof. Car
veil Lewis has al last arrived 1t the true theory
interesting statement made by Prof. Lewis re-
mains to We mentioned. 1t Ii TO the effect that
The only place in the world known to biologists
where the same peculiar geologic phenomena
lucky. There the conditions SO closely resem-
BILE those OF the South African diamond fields
as to Justify the professors confident predic-
lion that diamonds, II sought Tor, will also be
found in The American state. The import
ance Qf this prediction 10 perhaps cOnsidera-
BILE. 1t il certain that there are c2rL0nif-
erous beds in Kentucky, though the existence
OF the volcanic pipes niied with the perldoIite
which Professor Carvell Lewis holds To be the
matrix OF the diamond has not been generally
known, or II known to biologists has been
gardeo as possessing no particular significance:
No DOUBT the PROFESSORS bold prediction will
at once stimulate research in the region indi-
Gated, and American biologists may expect
before long 70 be Hooded with demands for such
lists and adventurous ~ put tue new theory to
the test. The actual discovery OF diamonds In
Aentucxy wound De an event OF great import
ance, and the serious suggestion OF such q
must attract general attention aud insure
prompt exploration.