Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-16
LONDON IS BEST
PEARL MARKET
Romance of the Industry Explained
by a Queensland Ex-
pert.
Special D:spatch)
LONDON. Saturday.


k.uF you want TO buy pearls the bes
market IL in London. II would no
pay us to risk sending to the Ameri
can market on account OF the heavy
import duty"
Ths is the announcement OF Mr., james
Clark Of Queensland. Australia, who is at
present In London. He Is a member OF
one Of the biggest firms carrying on the
extensive pearl shell fisheries on the
Queensland coast and is considered one OF
the greatest authorities on pearls In the
world.
| In the course OF an interview he gave
some insight into the romance of this little
known industry. The principal pearl shell
fisheries. he remarked. are carried on at
Thursday Island Queensland. near
Brooms. West Australia. the Aroe Islands,
in tho Dutch possessions. and the Malay
Archipelago.
The divers employed" he said. ARE
Japanese and the crews OF the boats are
Malsys. The japanese make excellent
divers: they are fearless and have the ad-
vantage OF being accustomed all their life
to the sea. But they are dishonest. They
open the shells by the application Of heat
OF exposure 10 the sun and then extract
the pearls that may be there. OF course as
soon as practicable we send the collecting
boat along and take away all the shells.
but not before many OF them have been
opened
The shell is sent TO London 20 be sold
by auction. The proportion Of pearls found
Is not very great. but what pearls we do
md are the finest In the world. We find
them varying In size from a pins head 10
a walnut The price OF them all depends
on the quality-on the shape and the lus-
tire. You can have pearls from SIS an
ounce to s225. 0oo an ounce, and even higher
than that. II Is all a matter Of quality.
This reminds me that since have been
In London l have heard OF the sale OF
pearl for $4,000 10 well known American
millionaire. / have not seen this pearl.
but should imagine Il at this price TO be
tho size Of a walnut and one OF the finost
round or pear shaped. Pearls gain In
value II they can be perfectly matched
Ten first class lustre pearls. perfectly
matched in color and size. are worth many
times more than the total value or ten
reckoned as units That IL why neck
lace OF perfectly matched pearls Is so
costly.
Pearl fishing Is attractive because or
its possibilities. 1t Is very nice TO discover
in one OF your shells a $4,000 pearl, and It
for many disappointments.
Judgment II great factor In the pearl
\ man can learn the diamond
trade. n he IL sharp. In six months, but
he can be In the pearl trade all his life
and still be able TO learn.
THE oyster il not uninteresting 20
study. and even the edible kind. should
.ay. IA not without a certain amount Of In
telllsence II you touch him he immediate
Iy shuts his she'll and II parasite. such l.
as a worm. enters his shell he promptly
commences 10 isolate him. and TO remove
the sense OF irritation by coating him over
with his pearl-like substance. The Japan
sse take advantage Of this habit OF the oys-
ters 10 insert small pellets into the shell.
which are covered over IN course OF time
N one side with q thin skin of pearl" IL