DIAMOND-WASHING IN BRAZIL, AND DIAMOND-CU'l'l'lNG IN AMSTERDAM.

ﬁTlie diamond possesses a much higher and more uniform value than any other article of commerce. The supply has never so far exceed- sdthe demand as to make any chanueiii the price of cut stories. In l843, when the mines at Sincora. in Bahia, were discovered, fears were entertained that a permanent depreciation would take place; but the very high prices which re- quired to be paid for all the necessaries of life. and the unhealthy nature of the climate, speedily reduced the number of diamond-seekers, and the fall was scarcely felt in Europe.

The tract of country in which the Brazilian diamonds are found, extends from the village of Itambe. in Minar-Genes, to incora. on tb river Paragusss of Bahia, between 20 I9 and Id of south latitude. They are chieﬂy obtained from the numerctis streatns which l'orm the sotir- ces of the rivers Doce, Arassuaky. Jequitinhonha, and San Francesco. It is also highly probable thi t tli - auriferoua regions of Ausi s is, l ks those of South America. contain diamonds ; two from t‘ie river Mscqusrtie having been sent to the exhi- bition which was lately held at Pa '

tis.

I)i.inionds consist of pure carbon, and are often in the form of eight or twelve-aided crystals, the latter being the less common ﬁgtire. Of their formation in the great laboratory of nature, no- thing is known : but they are supposed to exist

HASZARD'S GAZETTE, NOVEMBER. 1.

with a wreath of ﬂowers, and carried in proces- sion to the administrator, who gives hitn his trecdom, a stiit ofcloihes. and permission to work on his own account. One who win present when a atone of I6; carats was fonml at 'l‘i-jnco, says : ‘lt was pleasing to see the aiixi-tus desire triaiii- fested by the ollicers,thait it might entitle the poor negro to ltis fI‘e|‘do:‘| ; and when, in being rich- vered and weighed, it proved only ti carat short of the requisite we-iglit, all seemed to sympa- tliise in his diaappoioio-cttt.’ A Iltllltl of eight or ten carats entitles the finder to two l|t'W shirts, a suit of cliitltes, a hat. atid it ltandsoine knife. ‘or smaller, but valuable stones. propt-riinnat pre- miuir-s are given. Brazil sends ye.ir|_v into the trade about 30,000 carat-weight of uticttt dia- moods. During the two years alter the discovery of the diamond-mine at Sincora, in Bzihi-'-, 600, 000 carats were sent to Europe ; lint iti 175'}, the quantity had fallen to I30 000.

'l' e labour expended in collecting that small bag of dull glassy stones is imtnense. ()tre can easily lift with the hand the product ofa year's digs.-tog gird washing ; yet to bring them together much sweat has flowed, while the steitming tie- groes dug the clay under a burning tropicnl sun. The whip has many is time roused the ﬂagging energies, or sharpened the search among tlis gravel in the washing-trou,-zh. Not a few have perished, and been laid by their comrades under the dark green tree, lrom whose branches hang garlands of lovely orcliidoe. And to fill up the

lilainks which have been made in the ranks of the

originally in the mountains. whence they are pulling slaves ol'.BRazil, many have lfreen dtrragged carried down into the vtille 's bv the torrents tom the coast o frica, in spite o the e urtso which ﬂow during the rainy sedsons. The degra- , this country to prevent the unholy traﬂic. 'l‘ tiatiou of the rocks must be accomplished by the; humanity or some, however, arid the self-interest powerful agency of the tropic ﬂoods ; and the of others, have led them to frame rules which precious gems which no thus excavscated. must mitigate slavery in connection with the diamond- be deposited in the sedimentary debris which mines of Brazil. The rewards which are offered, forms the beds of the rivers before the search of not only prove an incentive to careful search. but man becomes successful. The parent stone or impart a spirit to the labour which must renderit matrix is a mics schist. called lte Colnmitewlesa irksome. But the lash is still in the hand of whose fragments mixed with earth forrrt the cas- , the overseer, and numbers of the human family calho. vtltich is dug from the rivers, and in which ' are kept down to the level of beasts of burthen

5' O

The stone having been fixed in the amalgam, which is then hardened by cooling it in water, the workmnn shows the visitor it little x of this powder, of which it minute quantity is put, with it few drops of oil. oti the mill. This is the diamond-dust with which alone the polish-

value of iibout L60 sterling the ounce. ltis chieﬂy obtained in the first recess which the diamond undergoes after it ins come from the artist, who, ifit is it vitlunble stone, draws out it plitn by which it may be cut with the siiitill- est loss of wei ht. Leaving the mills, \ve ascend to this cpnrtment, und liiid that the workman does everything without the Iiid of machinery. Having tnkcn two siunll wooden levers or hnndles, he selects two diuiuonds. und lixos one in each. The rough form of the facets tire then made by rubbing the one dinmdnd against the other over it little box, which re- ceives the powder us it falls.

The Star of the South. a brilliant of the purest water, as seen at the Paris Exhibition, was cut in the factory of Mr. Coster: und the ablest urtist of the establishment, Mr. V0 itangcr, had the hcniur of successfully re-ctit- ting the Koh-i-noor in the workshop of the crown-jewellcr at London. The meduillc d‘lrori- rreur which the imperial commissioners at Paris assi ned ‘ pour les lupidtiires diamnntaires dc llol unde : titillo do diiirnunts et roses livres an commerce,‘ was well bestowed.

The Kob-i-noor, when presented to Her Mn- jesty Queen Victoria by the East lnditi Com- pun , was of an irregular egg-form,and the cutting had been so unskilfully executed, that its appearance scarcely surpassed that of cut crystal. In the sides were grooves which ltnd been cut for the purpose of fastening it in the former setting, and near the top was it sinnll a lit. To remove those without greatly redu- cing the weight, presented considerable ditlicul- ties, but Mr. oster wns of opinion that these might be overcome in the hands of ti skilful workman. Sovernl models were presented to

G 'I s

the diamond-set-lter ﬁnds his treasure. ln South‘ The process of cutting brings out the iolierent America, the alluvium ofthe rivers not only beauty of the diamond. and greatly enhancestts contains diamonds. but gold and platina, though Value. Even after the stone has been cut, ifl both these metals are generally so ﬁnely powder- unskilfully done. the Iptlflilltllt bdiitily of the gem; ed as almost to defy collection by the ordinsrylis wanting. No change of position which tho

process of washing. The river Jequitinltonlia is commissioners tried could malte the Kt-h-i-noor . one of the richest in Brazil, and the works on its‘ appear, at the London Exhibition, much_ superior 5 in thin .e;gi,g ,,-0,.ki,,g.d,,',-9 of me],-0 imm-3 bsriks have been carried on for a long period. to A piece of rock-crystal : but Ilter ltlﬂttlt ‘"9" 'cnch. re-cut, it became one of the choicest brillianis For of we ,.,,,.01,.;,,,, a long period, the Jews of Amsterdam have almost : to 3000 mm“,

When the dry season, which continues from April to the middle of October, has reduced the, depth of Water. the rivur is turned aside into a canal previously formed by making an embank- ment, with bags iif srintl, over the original channel. The water which remains isthen pump- ett out, the mud dot: to a depth varying from six to twenty feet, and removed tn the p'ace where’ the washing is afterwartls to he performed. Vvhile the drv seat-on continues, the labor of collecting the cascalho is 0'||'ll0'l on tinremittinoly, so as to have a sutﬁ- ient quantity to occupy the‘ negroes during rsinv months. The mud which is raised from some of the rivers contains diamonds so unifortnly diﬂti.-ed. that a pretty correct sp- proxiinatioo can be made to the number of carats which a given quantity will produce. lt some times happens, however, that grooves are found containing large quantities of diamonds and gold. hen the rainy season puts a sto to the raising of the cascslho, the scene ofoperations is changed to the washing-shed, near which the result ofthe dry season's labours has been heaped up. The tfouitbl. called canoes, are arranged side by side. and an overseer occupies an elevated seat in front, I0 II I0 0ltO0t’V0 ever movement of the working negroes lnto each o the canoes, a small stream of user is introduced, to carry sway the earthy part of the cascalho. Having placed half a bun- dredwt-ii.vht_ of the cascslho in the canoe, the negro le‘s in the streatn, and keeps up a constant motion till the mud has been washed away and the water runs perfectly clear. The gravel is then taken out by the hand, and carefully exam- ined for diamonds. When one is found, the negro ataiids upright, and claps his hands, as a signal to the overseer, who receives it from the finder, and places it in a bowl with water, which is bring ‘in the midst of the shed. The day’s work bein finished, all the diamonds which have been foun are delivered to the Iupetintendent, who enters their weight in a hook. Large dia-

monds srs exceedingly rare. It has been calcul- ated that, on an average, out of 10,000 there are seldom more than one found which weighs twenty carats, while there are perhaps 8000. each of bicli is less than one. At the works on the river Jequitlnhonha, there have rarely been found‘ more than two or three stories weighing from seventeen to twenty carats each in the washings of a year ; in the whole diamond-mines of Brazil not more than one is found, In two years, of , thirty carats. In I851. a stone of M0} carats was found at the source of the river Puma, in Minaa-Gerses; afterwards, one of 10 eamts on the Rio das Velltas ; and another of 80;. at Cha- psds. But the largest which lies been obtained of late years is ‘The Star of the South,‘ which, previous to being cut, w cunts.

Many precautions are u to revent tbs nsgroee from concealing the statues they and : such as frequently ssusiag tlistn to remove, at given signal, from one trough to the other. En- coursgsnients are also closed to induce them to purastt search

who ﬁnds a diamond arm arata -is crowned

I -I . dtistroysd.

with great care. The negro.

lconimenccd on the ltitli Juli‘, 1852, and litiislied

Her Mti'csty, out ofvvliiclr she selected the loriii it new cars, that of ti regular lirillitint. To accomplish the work of re-cutting, ti sniiill engine. of four horse-power, wns erected to drive the diuniond-mills. The cutting iviis

ing can be accomplished. nud it possesses ti tto

ri removing one of tho ll-awe, the speed Q plnrio required to bc incrt-used, tions in the minute, nndevet-[thong

exclusively munopolised that branch of industry. 5,3,0 0i,j,,ct WM ,,,,,,;,,,,,1 310,,-1y, '1‘i,e yehyclty;

At a time when they were persecuted in all the other lliilllﬂi of Etiropii, the liberal laws and ﬂou- rishing trade of Amsterdam encouraged them to tertle there in great nntnbers ; and the diamond- inills were erected under the special protection which the states of Holland aﬂ'-rded to capital and enterprise. lt is calculated, that not fewer than 10,000 out of the 28,000 Jews who live in

Artisterdttiii depend directly and indirectly on the diamond-trade. The Diamond-cutters’ Cempany, under the

direction of Mr. Ponso, have three factories, worked lit steam. The united capacity of the engines is ninety-ﬁve horsepower, driving 438 mills, and employing 925 workers. There are two other diamond-cutting factories in Amster- dam, tlie one belonging to the firm of B. L. .. Arons, conducted by Mr. 'l‘ri-is, having an engine ufsix horse-power, driving forty mills, and em- ploying seventy people ; the other is the property of Mr. Costcr, with a steam-power of forty horse, driving seventy-two mills, and giving work to 15 hands. In the factories of the Diamond-cutters, Company, and that of Mr. Priatt, the mills are let. those who are not shareholders. at a ﬁxed rate forthe hour or day. Mr. Coster’s mills, on the other hand, are driven on his own acco-int; and to him have been intruated the two most valuable gems that have been cut in late years, the Koh- i-noor and Star of the South.

Hsvin obtained an introduction, the visitor to this mill is treated with the greatest atten- tion. lle no sooner entersone of the ﬂats, than the heads of a dozen persons are stretch forward, oﬂering their services to explain the various steps in the process. The seats of the workmen arc arran d along the side-walls of the building, and fore each is a circular metal plate, revolving horizontally with great velocity. A short lover of iron rests with one extremity on the bench, and the other on the revolving plane. The diamond-polisher stops the motion, and. lifting the lever, sbevrs t_ e stranger that the end which rested on the mill has an anal in placed upon it, in which the stone in ﬂxed: so as to leave only the side ex-

sed which is bsin ound. llsndin the

ever to an assistant, it is put into a smal fur-

nace, heated, and then returned to the lishar.

The amalgam is now soft. and the ismond,

having been picked out, is replaced with the

pa&xposed which is next to undergo the ac-

tion of tghinill. A clever workman can keep

two, at it three, small diamonds on tho

aclttjfat once; but the greatest care has to be

taken,tliat they are not exposed too long. The

mlpute facets of diamonds, so small as to re- quire froiu1600 to 2000 for s single osrat’s w t,csnbo easil qvercut, and the stone _ _ . In tho etherlands division of the eithibition at Paris, rose-diatnon were exhi- bltsd which required 1500 to the carat; glltil not tho limit to which the cutting can be carried.

3 as =-

U U B-

7with which the mill rotates, nnd pressure on

the lever which rests the diamond upon the plane, nloue give power to the workman. 'l'liat pressure may either be upplicd by the hand, or weights proportioned to the size of the stone and nature of the work. In cutting the Koh- i-noor, it was re ultitcd. so as who capable of being increased rom one to fifteen Netlierltinds pounds.

The roccss reduced the Koh-i-noor from ISO l-I6 carats to 109 1-16; considerably under the average loss. which is estiiiinted rtt one bull’ or more. The Star of the South, when uncut, weighed 254 carats. and is now 125, the reduc- tion being somewhat more than linlf. No lur e diamonds were ever before cut with so litt e diminution of their weight. The ‘Regent,’ which belongs to the crown-jewels of France, lost nearly two-thirds. But this is not the only circumstance which points out the great progress made in the art of diamond-cutting.

he time required to perform the work has been very much shortened. 'l‘he Regent occu- pied two years; while the Koh-i-noor, which is only thirty-seven cnrnts lighter, was finished in less than six weeks; and the Star of the South, twelve carats smaller than the llcgcnt, was cut in three months. Morevcr, no one can look at the cabinet of models in Mr. Cos- ter’s room without recognising the superiority of the Koli-i-noor and the Star of the Souti overany of the other gems which belong to the sovereigns of Euro o.

'l'he manner in wbic i the value of cut dio- nionds is calculated, makes it oftlic greatest im rtttnce that the weight should be reduced as ittle as possible. A stone of one carntll valued at L.8 sterling, while one twice the weight is worth l..32; the role being, ‘ the square of the weight multiplied by the price of a stone weighin unity.’ tves the true value. According to this rincip e, the Kob-i-noor is vrorth about , , the Star of the South L.l25,000. But the rule is never applied to stories of a very large size; these possess ti value altogether arbitrary. By cutting, the peculiar brilliunc of the diamond is brought out and its value xed, Then the jcweller adds new beauty by tasteful setting. llis skilftil combination of various kinds of precious stories, so that the one may import a laminar to the other, makes the starry rays 0 the dia- mond s rkle with glor in the tiers, brooch, or neck cs. During the last twenty years, great progress has been made in the art of set- ting, of which a londid specimens were exhi- bited both at the ndon and Paris Exhibitions. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds are now formed into oncmones, roacs, oarnntions, tull s, doavolvnll,-lilies, and other ﬂowers. Pro bly, the idcnoriginated with the glory

which is seen. earl ‘on is summer morning,

when the rising sun shines on the deity ﬂowers.

'l‘he revolution in France, at the end of the last ccntury, nearly ruined the jewellers of Paula, and bro time gave it check to improyg- mcnt. Under the imperial governmentof Na. poleon 1., some progress was again made, but the art only began to flourish after the restore. ' At first, they worked with stones ofthe second class, such as topazes, sniethysts, and nigue-marines, with which trinkets of mo;-. nppenrnnco than value could be made. After. wards, it was found that by imitating ﬂower. the nutnbcr of precious stones, in pro rtioii to the size of the jewel, could be reduced with. out injurin the cﬂ'ect ; while diamonds oflen. purity, am: as those of Bahia, could be “,0” reely used. The practice of setting diamond; in silver, and rubies in gold, so as to impart an up arcnt increase of size to the one, and eplen our of colour to the other, bocgmg mom enorul; and the most beautiful designs linye een wrought out with the reiitcat neiitness and taste. At no period in t e history of tho world have so fine specimens of the jeweller’s art been produced as during the present cen. tury by the artists of London and Paris.

NEW BOOK STORE! BOOK-BIJVDIJVG OFFICE

-—awo CIBCULATIHG LIBRARY. (nawsi-iv‘a BUILDINGS, xsatr-er-., cnnuorrarowtt.)

OIIN Bl-INNI-3'l"l‘ STRONG begs to invite his

friends and the reading public to an inspection of a select STOCK OF‘ BOOKS, in Htrronv,

IOGRAPHY, aud Gnvstiui. LITIIATUII. Also, Books for the Young. Gift Books, Sunday School Ke- wards, &c.. drc.

In addition to ltis Stock of new Books, he has made a selection ofthe best works in Lrartr I.i'rla- ATURI, for the purpose of formin a CIRCULA- ’l‘lNti LIBRARY, which he is res y to lend out at a moderate rate per volume.

I .8. takes this opportunity to solicit work in HOOK-l.llNDlNG. which lie is now prepared to ex- ecute in every style of the Art, and iii any quantity.

N. .—Agent to the London Printing and Publish. ing Company.

Ucl ll, l856.—lrl&Adv2i

LOST. N Wednesday the 10th inst. lietwcen Charlotte- town nutl the Queen's Arms, a Butlhln Skin, lined with cliecltercd homespun, belonging to the front ofn Slt.-igli. 'l'lie liiider will be rewarded for ltis trouble by, leiiving it at the ollice of llnszart‘l'l Gazette Sept. 15th, 1856.

‘A DRAIN WATER PIPE-lg?‘

Olt SALI". at the QUEEN SQUARE House, It quatitit of superior Snlt~ lazed Stoneware, Piper, Junctions, Bends, .5-c., rum 3 inches to to in diameter. supplying the clicapestsnd iiiost eflicicnt riictliod ofconveying water under round. \Vll.l.fAM HEARD. Chiirlotletown, 22d April, 1856.

fvnw SUPPLIES!

.—A1‘__ George T. Haszai-d’s Book-store. September 24th, 1866.

EORGE T. IIASZARD, by recent arrivals. ltns added to ltis large Stock of—-

Statlonery and Fancy Goods,

lluving received from England via Halifax, I00 reams large and siiisll POST PAPER (ruled and plain), Note Paper (ruled and unruled, vii- rious sizes), Altns. Double Elephant, linperiril 8 Royal and Royal Driiivitig l'ripcrs, Blotting |’n per (superior quality), Blue-lnid, demy double folio Foolscap Paper. 26,000 Envelopes, (very low prices), I70 gross Pena, Account and Me- inoratidutii Books of every site and us ity.

A few articles in PAPIER MACIIIE, viz.. Albums, Trinket Boxes, Card Cases, Card Trays (with

or without handles), Portetnonnsies,Ladies’ Ri-

ticulea. 'I‘ea Trays and 'l‘ablea, Ink-stands,

Wor Boxes. c.

In SCO'l‘ClI WO0l')— undies‘ Companions, Paper Folios, lnksiitnda, (lard Trnys, Portemonnaiss. Reiiciiles and '.‘1ri.l t.'ases.

'— ‘LIO-*

Bacltgammon and Chess (Boards, Ladies‘ and Gen‘ tetnen's Dressing Cases, Work oxss, (Rolo- wood) Ladies’ Mancle Rericules, Patent Leather Meassrin Tapes, I-Zlectro-Plated Tea, Deli!" and Tube Spoons rind Forks, Ivory-handled Knives, Gloss lrtkstitnds, a large assortment of Pocket Books, Gold. Silver, German Silver and Electro-Plots Pen and Pencil Cases, Alpltaltﬂl

cites, a. FURTHER SUPPLIES EXPECTED. expected per Ship Majestic from Liverpool.

To Theologlansi _ _ 1 EORGE '1‘. IIASZARD line on hand Dr. ltitto I Cyclopedia and aueral ttorks; Dr. Cbslmsr at Dr. Jay's Works; yle‘s, Bonar'a and Hooker s Works, mostly complete; Pearson on the 'C]00d.tl0- on lnlidelit .( iss ); Dr. D-c|«'- It--0|-var: Dr. 'l‘hos. lclt‘s complete Works, besides a large STOCK of Miscellaneous Trtaosooicai. WOIIM too numerous to mention. _ WbatG.'l‘. It. has not In the above, he can supply at an early date. '