The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-03-12
DIAMONDS FROM THE SKI.
Singular Discovery Resulting from the stuAy
or n Mcteorlc Stsns.

Singular Discovery Resuiting from the study
or n Mcteorlc Stsns.
Since the time Of the German philosopher
Ernest Frorens Friedrich Chladni. who was
born in Wittenberg In 1855. scientists in all
parts Of the globe have made a study OF mete.
oric stones. Their fall, their origin. and COM
position have been subjects Of the closest ex-
animation, but it has always been found that
the stones, no matter how complex their ex-
ternal or internal appearance, were OF the
same composition. being made up Of rocky
substance and metallic iron. These two ele-
ments varied considerably in proportion one
to the other. so that some Of the aerolites ap-
penred to be almost entirely stony. others
almost entirely metallic, and others again to
contain nearly equal proportions Of the metal
lie and stony ingredients.
This similarity in the meteorites lessened the
interest OF scientists in this direction. and it
was not until the latter part Of 1886 that 1t was
reawakened by the falling OF a peculiar stone
in Siberia. On Sept. 4 in that year a meteoric
stone weighing about four pounds fell at Novy
UreJ, krasnoslohodsk, in the Government Of
two gentlemen Of that country. who were yersed
IN this branch of science. secured 1t, and in it
found what they supposed to be diamonds Of
They caused the fact Of their discovery to be
published abroad. and in a short lime the
derful event: Letters came from, all paris Of
the globe asking for fragments Of tho meteorite
ana ana pictures m,1, 81 Of It tho stone; anybody who had
cure aspeeimen OF the phenomenon, and study
NM. J%orelfeif and Latclinof were very slow
in parting with even the smallest chip. of the
stone. and it was not until a few weeks age
NAT z piece reached E this c%9TrGTntry: It game to
specimen weighed exactly four grains. Just
one v e;hundredth part Of the stone. and. be-
cause OF It's minntsness; 1t was feared that the
famed. The fragment. however. was divided
into sections. ind q small piece subjected TO a
scope, Only some grains OF olivine or peridote
were discovered in this inspection.
m ae; naHI ana aaeP bo 5nsf the sn IN h Diaees II the
This cooling process had the eject OF re araTs.
nj IT the s" ss @ssnss'e Of f' oiivi hs.'f to ' wslch le Il was
discovered elung small bright black particles.
determined. they appearing to be two Joined
cubes with rounded ends.
On crushing one OF these Notwithstanding
objects with a sapphire. tho surface Of the gem
was deeply scratched. a fact which at once gave
evidence that there was some diamondiferous
gem cabinet several highly. polished sapphires,
and with each Of, the particles found clingingto
scratches on the faces Of the gems. There is
only ono mineral that can scratch the polished
surface OF q sapphire. and that is u diamond.
MIR. hunZ: therefore,. at once decided that the
particles in the stone were diamonds, or a new
mineral having al the qualities OF the diamond:
the diamond known as the carbon or carbon.
ado. SO minute are they; but because Of their
great scratching, power it Il. believed there is
no doubt Of their being genuine.
The establishment Of these facts is Of special
interest TO the scientific world. since some Of
the most eminent scientists have scoffed at the
idea OF precious stones ever being found in
meteorites.
Prof Fletcher. curator Of the METEOROLOGICAL
years ago secured q meteorite. which was found
in the .sub-district OF Youndegin. Australia, 1t
was Of a substance entirely different from any
most thoroughly through ia a one.Saarter.inch
caIciHGsd + From nt If structure the professor
tive graphite. the sharpness. separateness and
completeness OF the CRYSTALS. the brightness Of
the faces the d%elicacy, Of the %acicular %projec.
square pyramids. were quite sufficient to prove
that the form had never beer, any other than
thst IN which It was found; In other words,
Ths ala@ends in tho stone found by MN.
unlike those Of the .Youndegin crystals. and
show 2 similar beyelling Of tho edges. by the
roEnaea tetrahe1Tddra:
eissy q iR.Fl and on ss! %an. Is ise ls @ipf Prof. ffstc her
ssSS s sa that the stone I he found vas probably Of
Lstchinofr, only that the gems were not com.
pleted. He argued that, during a hurried crys-
tali,zation q the carbon. circumstances ini-
TALLY favorable to the formation ofthe diamond
had finally permitted the existence In his stone
o. carbon IN q graphite form only.
This discovery OF diamonds coming from the
worlds above us Is another Of the many mys-
terious THINGS that will probably never be ex:
planned. How 10 such. q mineral formed. and
whence como the small particles which the OK
Rerts nave pronounced as diamonds The
ilttle w1ite stone. as everybody knows, Is found
buried deep In the ground. A suggestion might
Dc offered that a particle Of tho blue or dia-
and. forming into a stone by reason OF it's jour.
n nSyr through the different changes Of ,atmos-
form found BY Mn. gJorehlf fRa and Iatc dhe
nSnnoI This may az 30 one exclamation q ~
4 could work such q remarkable change in
me apnearanee OF the natural mineral, How
Or not, i Is known That the stone fell and con-
tained diamonds; This fact alone will never
ful occurrences In the scientific world.