The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-05-18
DIAMOND FIELDS OF BRAZIL.
Ohce of Considerable importance But
Now Comparatively Neg
lected.

1t is not generally remembered that
Brazil was at one time the most impor-
tant diamond-producing country in the
world. We are reminded of this fact
by the second secretary of the British
legation at Rio, who has just sent home
report on journey to that part of
the country, Minas Gereas, whence this
mineral has been obtained In great
est quantity. Mr.. Beaumont tells US
that though the quality OF the Brazil
ian stones still makes them more val
liable than any others, diamond mining
has of late been comparatively neglect
cd, the industry being now, for the most
part, carried on by single individuals,
'garimpeiros," or small associations,
working with rude and obsolete ma
chinery. A company known as the Boa
Vista has recently been formed in
Paris, with capital of 100000 francs,
to carry on work on a systematic ba-
sis and on large scale, for very long
period, and if it succeeds the industry
will no doubt receive a great impetus
therefrom.
Mr.. Beaumont's journey was under
taken partly through curiosity to visit
a little-known country and partly in
the hope of learning something of the
lmethods and prospects in vogue, es-
pecially those of the new company,
from which such great things are ex-
pected. The company's operations are
ra a hn tS,xx Of ninr
a place founded by band of st. Paulo
and Portuguese adventures in the sew
enteenth century. Diamonds were dis
covered in this locality about the year
1928. Between 1872 and 1906, the pc
riod of the most active production, the
diamond mines produced 1,03O,3O5 car
ats, at a cost which averaged Acc. per
carat between 1872 and 1895, FPS. cd. per
carat between 1896 and 1900, and 32s
between 1901 and 1906. During the same
period gold was extracted amounting
in value to 6 1877, 410. From 1872 to
1913, under the administration of the
Real EXtraccao," so stones were found
of an ottawa Us carats) or more. The
gems extracted, after the largest and
best had been set aside for the crown,
were sold by contract at from about
BIS. to sos. carat.
For 16 years at the beginning OF the
present century the banking houses of
Hope in Holland and of Barring in Lon
don controlled the mines, the output
of which was assigned to them in re
Of Of 1
Then the government took hold of the
administration, and continued to do SO
until 1915. In that year it was decided
by decree that the lands should be put
up at auction every four years, the re-
serve price being 80 seis (2d.) ''braca,"
but it's provisions were never carried
out, being modified by the law of 1852,
which recognized the rights of all those
who already effectively occupied min
ing lots on payment of one real per
"braca quadrada." The term of occu-
patton might have been indefinitely eX-
tended. Lands not yet occupied were
to be put up at auction, the reserve price
being one real per "braca quadrada."
Between 1772 and 1S43 1,354,7O0 carats
were taken by the Real Extraccao."
Since that date mining has been carried
on exclusively by private individuals,
and mostly on small scale. The total
production of Brazil up to 1880 is es-
timated by NJ. Garceix AT 2I1s tons. 1t is
impossible to form an accurate esti-
mate of the present production, but it
is probably about 10000 carats a year,
including the Bahia diamond fields
st. James Gazette.