The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-17
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER IT, 1908
WHENCE CAME D1AMoNDsp

"A Scientist" writing in The Scientific American brings forth what may we'll be considered a startling theory about dia- monds. maintaining that they are not and cannot be. of earthly origin or formation. Here is portion of his reasoning:
 It is now positive that in interplanetary space are bouies and conditions where dia- monds are manufactured of a more per feet formation than any found on the earth. The only question possible to ralse against my theory is, are all diamonds of meteoric origin? As & the evaaence haer s,t3sy nov orlgin, and no fact is found to give tesu- mJny to the other side. ... This, it must be admitted, is new theory about one of the most valuable of all mineral products, the origin of which has always been puzzle to the scientists Newton thought it might be ''an unctuous substance coagulated,' as he expressed it, and the same view was expressed by Jameson who held to the theory that its origin might be a gum, like amber. Fol lowing them number of scientific tnves- tigators have endeavored to trace the gem back to a vegetable source, just as coal is traced back. The fact that diamonds are practically pure carbon. which is an important constituent of coal, has been considered a strong argument in favor of their vegetable origin. All this reasoning is discarded by the writer in The Scientific American, and his reasons for declaring that they are not of terrestrial origin but were formed in the planetary or inter- planetary regions, are thus summed up:
 First-Oxygen is everywhere present.
 Second-Sudden cold never succeeded in- tense heat, as terrestrial temperature changes are slow in operation.
 Third-They cannot possibly be recon-- ciled with any of the eraS Of geology and have been denied a place by all geolo-
 Fourth-They are always isolated and are never found in masses of carbon, so common in all parts of the earth.
 Fifth-They are consequently never found In a matriX where they could have been manufactured, as is the case with all
 sixth-They have different refractive powers in their interior and exterior lay CTS, owing to tension during their forma- lion. according to Sir David Brewster and
 Seventh-As conclusive. they have a diff ferent law of specialization from carbon of known terrestrial character and for nation. This the air and the diamonds of meteorite origin, the meteoric forms of iron and other minerals, tell of their celestial Dlrtn.
 Firhth-The diamonds of Kimberley are liable to crack or fly to pieces on coming into the air and the diamonds of the me Teor in Arizona have done the same, This Establishes most remarkable relationship . and nroyes them all to have been subject I'd A pressure unknown to any terrestrial era which they have experienced.
 Ninth-A perfect diamond was never found except in meteorite. They are ali fragmentary, broken, Assured, corrod- ed and coated with foreign material. diff fering in individual cases and localities.
 All this Is interesting, at least and while, to most people, the question of get fling possession of the precious gems is of much more importance than is their ori- gin we may be sure that this view will moi be accepted without much contro- versv. pro and con. But if 1t should be sdonted it will invest meteorites and oth- A, heavenly visitors with a new and ab- sorhine interest. Just as the pearl hunter trapines that each shell he opens may contain a valuable pearl so will the finder of meteorite imagine that another Kohlnoor or Regent may be concealed ir the rough visitor from other regions Me teor hunting will become a fad and w need not be surprised if some over-zeal nus collector tries to devise some plan O drawing them into his net. But still w aon,t know the origin of diamonds anC may never know.