The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-28
MANY new DIAMOND FIELDS.
GERMANS ABOUT To WORK ONE
~ AFRICA.
kimberley's Monopoly 10 he Broken Other
Diamond Fields INV Orkcd Fifteen
Tons OF Gems From Kimberley
A Monster Awaiting a Purchaser.

A Monster Awaiting a Purchaser.
Some German capitalists Of Bremen,
headed by Senator Acnelis, have formed a
syndicate to work the diamond fields that
have recently been discovered in German
Southwest Africa The German newspa-
pers say that it is hoped to develop anot her
Kimberley in this region and to destroy the
monopoly at present enjoyed by the great
De Beers Company.
The discovery of diamonds in German
Southwest Africa is quite recent, and little
has been made known about this new source
OF wealth in that colony except that the
fields arc situated among the mountains
, in the central part of the colony.
II has long been known that Kimberley
could not permanently have a monopoly
OF the diamond trade. At present it sup
plies most of the diamonds in the market;
but there are several other fields in South
Africa that promise we'll. though little or
nothing has yet been done TO develop them.
The Australians also are beginning to
work diamond mines in New South Wales
which promise rich returns. The fields Of
Brazil, at one time the great source Of sup
ply. are quite certain to be as productive as
ever when modern methods OF diamond
mining. backed by abundant capital. are
introduced there.
Very little has been done TO devotion
diamond mining along the banks Of the
Wal River in South Africa, where the dia-
monds Of that country were first discovered
Mines were opened there and they yielded
abundantly for two years. until the mar
vellous richness OF the beds at Kimberley
was revealed. in 1869.
The Naal River is Of very little use to the
navigators, but it has rolled down in its
waters great treasure in diamonds which
led to the discovery of this great source
Of riches. The Boer farmers often observed
the sparkling stones, -mooi klippe," as
they called them, along the vaal River.
but never suspected that they were dia-
monds.
Boer rner named Schalk van Niekerk
was calling one day at the house of a friend
and, seeing the children pla ying with a
pretty stone, expressed his admiration of il .
Their mother presented il to him This
was in 1887
He showed II to a trader ma med John
OReilly, who. suspecting that II was more
valuable than mere crystal, took II to
Cape Town for examination. The stone
was pronounced to he a diamond. and II
was sold to the Governor Of Cape Colony.
Sir Philip dollhouse, for 81, 500.
II was two years later that the famous
star of South Africa, now in the possession
Of the Countess of Dudley, was obtained
from a Kaffir sorcerer, who had used II as
one Of his adornnents. This stone weighed
uncut eighty-three carats and sold for
SIS. 900
Far north of this vaai River along the
hanks OF the Limpopo or Crocodile River.
the boundary between the Transvaal col
ony and Nashona Land. diamonds have
been found, though nothing whatev yer as
yet has been done to exploit this field. For
all that Is known.the region along this river
is as rich in diamonds as the Vaal.
Diamonds have also been found among
the mountains Of the Transvaal, also at
two points in Cape Colony at D,toitspan.
only two miles to the southeast of Kimber-
ey, and at Bult!ontein. These 'diggings
are less than quarter OF a mile apart.
Two diamond centres have also been
discovered In the western part of the Orange
River Colony. one Of which, Jager's Fon-
tein, eighty miles from Kimberley. has
yielded about s?sO,OO0 year, including
many fine diamonds. Nost OF these regions
are entirely undeveloped, beca use the
whole interest centred in Kimberley after
it's richness was discovered. The time
Is coming, however, when these other dis
tricts will receive the attention they de.
serve.
Perhaps the Kimberley mines will never
be equnled, but it is quite certain tina, they
will not continue to monopolize the ina,lstry
The entire product Of this field up to the
present year for period Of about thirty
five years Is little over fifteen tons of dia-
monds, having value in excess Of $780,
OO0,OOO
In lecture before Harvard and Yale last
winter John Hays Hammond the famous