The record-union., 1898-02-21
BARNATO.
The Mans Life and His Fortune in
Diamonds.

Are we toafollow John Ward, VINO
said that mo man could be valiant uh-
less he hazarded his body, nor rlch uii-
less he hazarded his soul'? ? or Balzac ,
sinister idea. lie secret des grandes
fortunes sans cause apparente est uhe
crime oublie'? When a man amasseS
great wealth. how he managed TO gain
er in his millions is always topic OF
common interest, and this volume, en-
titled Barney Barnato, a Memoir,
will help somewhat to allay such curl
osity. Men who have been the arplters
of their own fortunes will always excite
envy. and because for certain perlou
Rarnato was a most successful money
maker he came in for great deai Oh
obloouy. which, as far as we can nhu
out was unmerited.
The beginning of BarnatoS fortune
was made by economy. He hao great
foresight. He first amassed some Ut
tie money in dealing in diamonds In
South Africa. saved all he could ana
so. as his biographer, Harry Raymond,
writes it. formed "a war chest for fu-
ture operations" The Kimberley min
ing Industry, when Barnato took hold
of it was in a chaotic condition. Claim
holders We're numerous and interfer-
ences were common. Working, as II
were on the sides of one vast common
nit which held the diamonds, the falling
of the sides of the excavation was a
daily accident. Then it was believed
that in the yellow clay alone diamonds
were to be found Presently the blue
ground was reached and many thought
that this was the end of diamond MIN
abandoned a
Though with but the very least or
scientific requirements. Barnato sought
the advice of such yeologists as We're
then to be found in Kimberley. He be-
lieved that there were diamonds in the
blue clay. In 1876 he bought his nrst
claim and started mining on his own
account. He was no longer diamond
dealer. Still, what would be the re-
suits were unknown.
Year after year, by patient, unweary-
ing. untiring industry, Barnato added
interest to interest, until, in 1881, ne
became the largest shareholder and the
Rarnato Diamond Mining Company was
formed Later came the idea OF amalga-
nation. Then all the interests were
Joined together IN one huge company
known as De Beers. The Barnato COM
pany. under his. management, PAID a
dividend OF 36 per cent. for a time. Mr..
RAYMOND SAYS that Mr.. Rhodes began
exactly as did Barnato. first buying a
few well-selected claims and then. at
the proper time, on a rising market.
floating them with limited company
Mr. Rhodes interests were mainly with
the De Beers mine ITO lessen cost
and control price was Rarnato's sole
object For a time the interests of
Rarnato and Rhodes clashed. 1t was
in 1883 that the divided interests were
joined.
Subsequently Barnato took hand IN
gold mining. but with less success. En-
tering into African politics, Rarnato
showed fair ability. There We're many
mishaps in his speculations-'s 'slumps, "
Mr. Raymond calls them-but Barnato
seems for time to have held his
ground fairly we'll. The coming troubles
with the Boer Government could not
have escaped Barnato's observation.
But they occurred sooner than he had
expected
The man had been living under high
tension for years He did not know
how to find relief When first came
the signs of dementia is not known.
Bitterly attacked by all the London
stockholders, who. believing that in
Barnato's financial fall their own for