MANUFACTURE OF DIAMONDS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 496, 18 January 1879, Page 3

MANUFACTURE OF DIAMONDS.

lii November, 1828 (says Galignani) the late Dp. Garnal presented a paper to the Academy of Sciences relative to tlie artificial production ofthe diamond. It was referred to M. M. Vunquelin and Chevreuil, and nothing more was ever heard of it. The sons of the deceased doctor >u examining his papers, fpuiid a draft of the document, which they havesent to the Academy. In making some experiments with the carburet of sulphur the idea occurred to the doctor that the carbon might be separated from the combination in the state of crystals, to effect that he took a certain quantity of the carburet, poured on the top a little water, which floated, and then gently introduced some stick phosphorus. The latter dissolved immediately and three separate layers were formed, the phosphorus at the bottom, the carburet of sulphur next, and the water at the top. After a time he observed that a sort of film was formed between the two latter, and that when it was exposed to sunlight it had all the iridescence of the rainbow. After the experiment had been in progress for three months a sudden fall in the temperature occurred, the water froze, the glass was .split, and the contents lost. ETe recommenced his trials, but as each required six months to carry out, and the numerous accidents to which they were liable continually interfering with their final success, he at last abandoned his efforts. However, in the course of his operations he had been able to procure some minute crystals, which he submitted to an eminent jeweller, who tested them by the microscope and other means, and decided that they had the true fire, water, and hardness of the diamond. Moreover, on being subjected to the blow pipe they, like that gem, left no ash. Although hj" discontinued his experiments, he concludes his memoir with the following words: —"I believe that I can announce that the greatest step made towards the solution of the problem of making diamonds, in all respects similar to those which nature has disseminated in India and Brazil. The complement of that discovery will do honor to modern chemistry."