DIAMONDS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 566, 2 September 1869, Page 4

DIAMONDS.

The following gives some particulars regarding diamonds celebrated for their 3ize, and which have had, on account of their great value, a history of their own : — The largest stone professing to be a diamond is the "Braganza," found in Brazil, in 1741, and preserved in its rough state in the Royal Treasury at Lisbon. It is as large as a hen's egg, and weighs 1680 carats ,* but doubts are entertained whether it may not be in reality only a white topaz, and no diamond at all ; a supposition which, as the Portuguese Government decline to allow it to be cut or sufficiently examined, would appear quite possible. The largest authenticated diamond known is that of the Rajah of Matt an, in Borneo. It is of the purest water, of a pear shape, and weighs 367 carats. It was found a century ago at Landack, and has been the object of many wars for its possession. The celebrated "Pitt" or "Regent" diamond was found in 1702, in the mines of Parteal, twenty miles from Masulipatam, by a slave, who having concealed its discovery from his employers, offered it to a sailor on condition that he would give him his freedom, The sailor lured him on board his ship, threw him overboard, and sold the stone to the then Governor of Fort St. George, whose name was Pitt, for L 100 0; he quickly ran through the money, and then hanged himself fo» remorse. The diamond was purchased from Pitt by the Regent of France, for LI 35,000. It weighed 410 carats in its rough state, but was cut into a fine brilliant of 137 carats, thus losing two- thirds of its weight in the operation. It is said to be the finest diamond (though not the largest) in the world, in beauty of fo»m, and purity of water. During the Reign of Terror, when the Tuileries were plundered, the diamond disappeared, along with all the other Crown jewels ; but it turned up again, and was pledged by the Republic to a merchant in Berlin. Redeemed at a later period, it embellished the sword of Napoleon 1., and was taken by the Prussians after the battle of Waterloo. It is now in the French crown, and was exhibited in the French Exhibition of 1855. The ' ' Star of the South," another large brilliant, was also exhibited there ; it was found lately in the Brazilian mines, and weighs 125 carats ; it is of an oval shape ; 35 millimetres long, 29 wide, 19 thick. It is very pure> but iti color is slightly inclining to pink. The " Sancy" diamond, of 53 J carats, has a singular history. It came originally from India, and about the fifteenth century was in the possession of the luxurious Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, who Wore it, probably as a talisman, in the unfortunate battle of Nancy, in Switzerland, where he was killed, A common Swiss soldier, who discovered the body in a ditch, found the jewel in the clothes, and, not knowing its value, sold it for a florin to a Swiss priest, who transferred it to the hands of the Confederacy. It subsequently came into the possession of the King of Portugal, who, in 1489, being in want of money, parted with it to a French trader. In the sixteenth century it found its way into the hands of a Huguenot nobleman, the Baron of Sancy, who happened to be in Soleure when King Henry 111. was tiying to negotiate a loan. Sancy offered him, as a true subject, the diamond, and his offer was accepted ; but the messenger who was entrusted to convey it to the King (some accounts says Sancy himself) was waylaid and murdered, but had time before his death to swallow the stone, which subsequently was found in the stomach of the corpse. The stone was next traced into the hands of James 11. of England, who took it with him when he went to France 1688, and afterwards when he was in distress f or- money, he parted with it to Louis XIV.. for.L2s,ooo— and Louis XV. is said to have worn it in the clasp of his hat at the coronatiGn. It vanished in 1792, but reappeared hi the Napoleon era, and was sold for 500,000 silver rubies to the Emperor of Russia, in whose possession it still remains. The "Nassack" diamond was captured

during .the Mahratta war in India, in the Peishwa's baggage, by the combined armies under the Marquis of Hastings ; and, after changing hands several times, was purchased, about twenty years ago, by the Marquis of Westminster. It was afterwards partly recnt by Hunt and Roskell, and is now a beautiful colorless stone, weighing 78f carats. It is of a triangular or pear- shape, Many other large diamonds might be mentioned, each of which has a history, but perhaps the moat interesting of all is our own great diamond, the celebrated Koh-d-Noor ; the story of which would make a very £ajr true romance of three goodly volumes. Its origin is older than any historical records reveal, but it can be traced as far back as the beginning of the fourteenth century, when it came into the treasury of Delhi ; and from this time it became intimately associated with the entire history of the Indian wars and dynasties, until, on the late annexation of the Punjab, it was taken possession of by our Government, brought to England in 1850, and presented to the Queen. It was shown at the International Exhibition in JB5l, in the state it was received, weighing 186 carats ; but it was so badly cut that its brilliancy scarcely exceeded that of a piece of crystal, and it has several fleiws and defeats in its structure. The Queen, after taking advice from competent judges, decided to have it recut, which was done in London (by workmen expressly brought over from Amsterdam for the purpose) in 1852. It has now the form of a regular brilliant ; and, though its weight has been reduced to 10£ carats, it has become, what it never was before, a most splendid jewel,