The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-12-30

EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN Are there Amer
leans in Jerusalem, and do any Ameri-
cans go there and give up their citizen
ship here? 1t don't seem TO me prob
able, but it is asserted that thousand or
! more reside there, and that half of them
have abjured their citizenship with us.
ABE c., Shasta County.
1t is true, but the number is not as you
| hear it stated. The statistics officially re-
! ported from Jerusalem give for the Con-
! sular district last year Alb A American resi-
| dents, Of whom 80 were naturalized
Americans and the remainder native
! born. There are many transient Ameri-
cans IN Jerusalem constantly, generally
! about 400 IN year, or 10 per cent OF all
transient arrivals, excluding the "pil-
grims," who 90 i'll from 5000 to 10000 an
| nually. AS to whether any Americans
in Jerusalem forswear allegiance to the
| United States we have no means OF in
| formation. If there are any such they
| are very very few, for the reason that to
remain an American there is decided
| advantage, and it IS a greater one to be a
British subject there, because Great Brit
ain gives greater and speedier protection
to her people abroad than we do.
| EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: In dispute on
Christmas day about diamonds. one of us
! asserted that the diamond cutters of
Amsterdam are prosperous class and
get high wages and constant employ
ment. The other held that the British
| African trade had cut into the Amster-
| dam industry by large dealing so that it
( is not any longer a big thing for the
Amsterdam lapidaries. Have you
authorities at hand to decide the question
| between US?
JOE S. AND JOHN c., Sacramento.
In response to your letter we have
taken up the Consular reports made to
the State Department. In that for Octo-
| Der, 1892, we find a report by Consul
Schleier on the trade of Amsterdam, but
he gives only few paragraphs to the
diamond industry, out Of many pages of
report. We quote to you in full what he
Says, because it is interesting reading,
which seems to support the position
taken by the second of your party. The
Consul says, under date of July Il, 1892:
1.-The past year was by no means sat
isfactory one either for the trade or for
the industry. The South American re-
publics and Russia were, for obvious rea-
sons, nearly out of the market. On the
other hand, the United States bought
very largely, principally diamonds of the
highest class, to which the American pur-
chaser pays more attention than those of
any other nation. The restricted impor-
tation into London from the Cape and the
diamond syndicate there cause the price
OF the raw article TO be Kept dlSprOpOr-
tionately high as compared with that for
the finished diamond. On the other hand,
great fluctuations III value can no longer
take place, and the trade is generally
| steadier. The position of the smaller
manufacturers and cutters remains, how
ever, very sad one They have to buy
at comparatively high rates the raw
diamonds which their more powerful
competitors do not care to take. 1t is to
| be feared that the small manufacturer and
the cutter who works on his own account
will eventually be crushed out of exist
ence. The position of the worl<men.
skilled or unskilled, has also become less
| favorable, especially as there are many
more workers than the restricted supply
of raw material can furnish with employ
ment. The owners of mills which are
hired to the diamond-cutters, are natu-
rally also very unfavorably affected by
this state of things. The rent has fallen
to a figure which no longer suifices to
cover expenses, and no doubt exists that
many of these establishments, called into
existence at period of initiation in the
trade, will have to be devoted to other
purposes"