The Washington herald., 1908-02-09

London, Feb. S-The Incompatible Cul-
linan diamond formally presented TO the
King on November 9 last. his majesty's
birthday. yesterday left London for Ann
sterdam 10 be cut.
This marvellous gem. which weighs
nearly a pound and "A half, has been in
sured for s2.500CJo. and its value can only
be c0njectured. King Edward accepted It
as gift from the people OF the Trans
yaal, and for nearly three months it has
lain at Scotland Yard, guarded day and
night by armed men.
1t is four inches long and about two and
one-haIf inches wide and deep. Ia its un-
cut state It is not particularly beautiful.
and is neither useful nor ornamental
The question Of leaving it in It's present
condition has been discussed from every
point of view but al last the decision has
been taken to send il to Amsterdam, the
headquarters Of the diamond industry.
The Men Who Knew.
Only specially instructed representative
of Scotland Yard. who watched from
little distance, were aware that three
/ quietly dressed men who entered a re-
/ served frst-class compartment in the 9
o'clock boat express at Chsring Cross
/ yesterday morning were escorting the
/ famous jewel
/ Wrapped in tissue paper. the magnih-
/ cent stone lay In a small brown leather
/ bag carried by one Of the trio. and this
morning the leather bag and its treasure
viii be handed to the great Amsterdam
/ firm. employing 200 diamond cutters. 10
which the task of dividing and polishing
/ the Cullinan has been intrusted.
/ At Dover a special cabin had been re-
/ served on the steamer, but not soul on
/ board except the three guardians of the
jewel, had any idea that a treasure worth,
/ at the lowest computation. many times
the value of the great ship itself, lay IN
/ tiny handbag In a deck cabin. Each Of
/ the three guardians carried revolvers, and
it would have gone i'll with any stranger
/ who had behaved suspici0usly in their
! neighbOrhOOd
Not Worth Stealing.
But the extreme dificulty Of dividing so
enormous gem into marketable stones.
and the utter impossibility Of selling it as
/ it is. would deter any one but a maniac
from trying to steal H. At Amsterdam,
/ the headquarters of the Diamond Work
eTs' Union. where the finest appliances
are al the disposal OF the most sKllful
/ Iapidaries in the world, the task of cut
ting and polishing viii take two years,
and will cost from $4,000 20 $58,0o0
/ There is much soreness OF heart among
the diamond workers Of Hatt0n Garden
az the stone having been sent abroad but
/ some Of the wisesJ recognize that if Am
sterdam cannot produce cutters Of greater
/ general skill it certainly has many who
are more experienced in regard TO large
stones, and better equipped with tools.
/ For eleven weeks the huge gem had
been deposited in a sealed safe at New
/ Scotland Yard. On Thursday evening
Lady Hopwo0d wife Of Sir Francis Hop
| wood. permanent under secretary for the
1 colonies, cut the sealed tapes surrounding
/ the safe IN the presence of Sir Melville
/ Macnaghten, Sir Edward Henry, Sir Fran
els Hopw0od, Sir Richard solomon, Supt
Froest and Chief Inspector Drew
Taken 10 West End.
The stone was then taken TO a West
End storeroom, and yesterday morning
detectives took il in motor car direct TO
/ Charing Cross Station IN time 10 catch
the boat express
OF course, the diamond viii lose weight
IN the process Of cutting. From 5,o53
/ carats Il will be diminished TIL the main
result may not exceed half that weight,
| though many smaller stones Wa be in
cIuded IN the clippings
| The Kohin0or originally weighed 195 SO
carats. reduced by successive cuttings TO
80 IS6 lie, and 106 1-16 carats.
r. NJ Cullinan, who gave his name 10
the stone. made a fortune before the war
as a builder and contractor. After peace
was declared he sold everything, and
bought old Joachim PrincelOo's farm.
near Barberton, in the belief that IL was
diamondifer0us.
Stones worth millions of pounds nave
/ been taken from the shaft he sunk, and
( he is now a very rich man.
The great jewel was found by an over
seer at the Cullinan mine who noticed a
point Of light flashing in the rays Of the
| setting sun far up the wall of the shaft.
1t proved to be the worlds record dia-