Bisbee daily review., 1915-03-09
WAR SKATERS THE DIAMOND
 MARKET
Largest Mines in World Have Shut Down and Cities Where Gems Were Sent for Polishing are Idle

shut Down and ClTleS where
 Gems Were Sent for Polishing .
 are Idle
 WASHINGTON Mar S.-"War has l worked a greater disturbance in the l production of diamonds than almost | of any other commodity" says a bull | letin just issued by the National Geo | graphic Society Not only has the l cutting of these gems almost ceased 1 but the largest diamond mines in the 1 world have been shut down since last | August More than 90 per cent of the annual diamond output comes from South Africa, from mines within the war zone whose operation has been suspended. It is feared in Belgium that the Antwerp diamond-cutting in- 7ustrv has been ruined past repair he Rue de Pelican has been deserted fn Amsterdam the other great dla- mond-cuttng and polishing center work hes almost completely halted. The worlrooms of London and Paris are reported to be as quiet as those of the Dutch
 Diamond production is of consid ! erable geographical localization The stones were produced through the cen juries in India and many are sdu mined there thoungh few Of this out. unt leaves theh country. Likewise. | the diamond production of South Ann erica 8 of little importance in con- nection with the worlds supply South 1 Africa is the great diamond source and the greatest par of its product is | purchased by the Diamond Syndicate, with headquarters in London which takes the entire product of the Da l Beerfs Consolidated Mines Ltd This 1 -vndica .c through it's centralized cone trol of the diamond industry has been able to fix the worlds price for these rare gems.
 "The machinery by which the nice l balance between supply and demand necessary to the maintaining of dia- Imcuds in superior relationship to 0th CT commodities of life was devised hv Cecil Rhodes Many millions of dol lars worth of these stones were tal- en each wear at the mines near Kim berley. the Premier mine in the Trans vaal and the mines of German South west Africa. It is estimated that the total diamond production of the mines of South Africa has reached the en0f nous sum of S75O.o0o 900 In single wear 1913, the combined outputs of the De Beers and the Premier mines amounted in value to S57 000 000 while German Southwest Africa produced during the same year diamond valued
 at SlO.750 O00 The United States takes the largest percentage of these gems.
 Some of the weaIthiest houses n Europe are included among the man agers of the diamond syndicate great amount of capital has been Jcl up in the quantities Of stones held back from the market by the sndi cate in order that prices might be maintained There is therefore lir - ue cause for fearing that those who
 have the money and the desire tI
 buy need feel the effects Of dia
 mond famine The diamond surplus
 from the years of peace will likely , cover any demands which may hl
 made during the wartime The de
 mand for diamonds in this country
 according to experts. is remainins , good despite the war being about g..
 per cent of normal
 Diamond production has been th. backbone almost of South African de
 velopment It has increased in i'm
 portance from year to year. the out
 puts being limited practically only (,
 the amount of capital which the Eu
 ropean houses dealing in these pra n cious crystals could aHord to tie up u
 their purchase In 1913 the mina Y of German Southwest Africa produce, a about l570000 carats. and am Ant
 werp syndicate which was formed fo
 the taking of Che whole Of this pr. y ducuon, failed Just before the wa Is a conference of all the leading dia
 mond interests was called in Londo
 whose object was the adoption O
 plans for a better control of the evel y swelling South African diamond ou ,t put