Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-02-09
THREE DIAMOND KINGS.
Comparison of Alfred Belt, Cecil Rhodes
and Barney Barnato.

and Barney Barnato,
The death of Alfred Belt in London
recently recalls his association with Cecn
Rhodes and Barney Barnato in exploI-
ing the Kimberly diamond mines. Bar.
nato, in i'll health and suffering from
dependency, committed suicide 10y
jumping overheard from a Cape liner in
1897, ut the age OF 45. Cecil Rhodes
was less than 30 when he died. and Al
fred Belt was 81. 1t is probable that all
OF these great promoters succumbcd TO
me STRAIN OF managing their business af-
lars. which in the case of Rhodes and
Belt were colossal. and in that of Bar
nato lntricateIy speculative and hazard
Gus.
Barnato was merely daring and reck-
less gambler without education or re-
refinement, but it was no small thing
for man who began life in South
Africa as Il clown in "A circus to become
IN few years a power on the London
and Cape Town exchanges and sit in the
Legislature of Cape Colony as the NOM
Der from Kimberley. One Of Barndto's
transactions was the sale of Il diamond
mine, of which he was chief owner. for
ST 100000. 1t WAS not until he matched
his wits against the wileS Of the special
lists on the London Stock exchange that
he suffered eclipse.
But for a time he carried all before
him, and the rush to subscribe tor shares
offered by the cX-clOWn, whose original
Stun name was Isaacs, exceeded in en-
thuSiasm anything Of the kind known
before in England At one time he was
rated at SSo.0UO,OO0. and he had the
doubtful distinction of being mentioned
as one of the underwriters of the Jane
son raid. 1t was charged against him
in the old days that he got his first start
in finance as an Illicit diamond buyer.
Their association with BarnatO was
only an incident in the lives Of Rhodes
ad Belt. They were made of finer clay.
and each in his way was an idealiSt. Belt
as a genius of business Rhodes as All
empire builder.
They had to work with Banato, as
gambler born under Il lucky star, until
he could be eliminated as a factor in
South African affairs; but Rhodes and
Belt continued to be partners in things
financial and political after BarnatO's
star had paled in the speculative sky and
he had found his level. Alfred Belt was
probably the greatest business man in
the world at the time of his death. his
interests including copper mines in the
United States, gold mines in South
America, Siberia and Korea, and shares
in steam and electric railways III all
parts of the world, besides his enormous
investments in South African mines,
lands and industrial and traction compa-
nes.
Both Belt and Rhodes went to South
Africa originally in search of health as
very young men, Rhodes without any re-
sources at all and Belt as the son of n
prosperous Hamburg merchant. Born in
the same year, 1893, they became inter-
ested in the Kimberley diamond mines al
about the same time, made great Tor
tunes at an early age, and succeeded in
forming what is justify called the dia-
mond trust. since il controls the price of
diamonds the world over. The stream
of imperial expansion was Rhodes. but
he was always able to enlist his friend
Belt in the promotion Of his railroad and
charter company enterprises. If Belt
was involved in tine high-handed Jane
son outrage. he had Rhodes TO thank for
it. The firm name and business might
have read: Rhodes x Belt EXploiters
of Africa from Cape Town TO Cairo"
The two men had many tastes in com
mon as lovers Of the arts and as collec-
tors. Rhodes was an oxford man and
read the classics in editions specially
brought out for him. They were both
generous givers for educational and char
liable purposes. Belt was a man who
stunned notoriety, and his methods were
subtle and soundlcss. Rhodes was proud
of his fame. and did things on a lavish
scale and in n royal way, as one who
should have been born in the purple
and could not but make Il noise III the
world. Had Rhodes lived to old age
there is no knowing what part be might
have still played as a British stateman,
had Belt long survived he would have
become ii Millionaire. BaTnIto would
never have been anything hut "a happy
go-Iucky samblcr.-New York sun.