A PRICELESS JEWEL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8596, 25 September 1893, Page 3

A PRICELESS JEWEL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sib, —In reading your interesting leaderette, under '• Topics of the Day," in your Thursday's issue giving an account of the magnificent diamond, weighing 971$ carats, recently unearthed in the Jagersfontein Company's mine and its almost fabulous value. It may not be generally known that so far back as 1886 a very large diamond weighing no less than 450 carats was also discovered in this mine, which is described by Dr J. W. Matthews in his most instructive book, " Incloadi Yami" (My Tale), on the South African diamond fields, in these words, " A whisper had never been heard of a diamond of sush weight, such colour, and such brilliancy having been found there or in any other mine in the country, but a Port Elizabeth house quietly shipped it, and it was bought in London for £20,000 by a syndicate composed of men knowing the diamond fields intimately." The actuality of this diamond came prominently before the publwi in a auifc before the High Court of Griqualand West in October, 1886, in a case wherein, the chief of the detective department was called to give evidence. During the course of. this gentleman's examination one of the Judges said ««Do you know where that very large diamond produced in London Home time ago came from?" "I do; from information received I could give your Lordship the whole history of the stone from the time it left the ground until it reached Messra —^——' Bros." ' ■„ . From these particulars it ia clear that many of these large diamonds, even "with all the precautions adopted, too often do not find their way to the rightful owners; however, it should be very encouraging to the new shareholders of the Jagerfonteia mine to know there is the probability of more large diamonds being found in thiamine. Unfortunately owing to the disgraceful desertion of the Transvaal by the vacillating policy of Mr Gladstone, toe* ua many valu-

able diamond fields, which now beldittf to the Orange Free State, and alwo gave us tho disgrace of Majuba 1 This weak policy appears again likely to be followed out with the Matabele King, who with his imni is now threatening us id Mashonalanu.—Youra, &c, F.P. St. Albans.