DIAMOND CUTTING.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 237, 14 January 1888, Page 8

DIAMOND CUTTING.

Mb Lewis Atkinson, manager of the British diamond industry exhibited in the Cape of Good Hope Court of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, writing to the " Times," says that the public are probably, riot aware of the extont to which diamondcutting has been revived in London. Mr Atkinson goes on to ,B,ay that nearly 200 years ago Englishmen , were the finest diamond-cutters in the world, the trade being nearly all carried on in London, and that at the present time old English cut diamonds will idwavs fetch a very high price, as the cutting is still so much prized. Through religious persecutions the cutters migrated to Amsterdam, where they have since remained. At tho time when the African diamond fields were discovered there was only one diamond-cutter in London. Dutchmen were accordingly engaged to work in London from Monday, morning to Friday sunset, and they were to reeehe £10 per week each man. They struck several times successfully for higher wages, but when they demanded £18 per week each man they were discharged, and English precious gem cutters wero put at the work. At first the Englishmen were only able after a deal of trouble to cut a class of diamond in one month which they could now cut in about four days. As soon as it was clearly proved that Englishmen had once more gained the art, the Worshipful Company of Turners decided to give English cutters every encouragement, and have, with the valuable assistance of the Baroness and Mr Burdett-Coutts, ; offered money awards in competition against the Dutch for the best cut diamonds. After" several contests the Englishmen gained the first prize and most of the others. Up to the end of 3885 out of four of the principal mines of South Africa— namely r Kimberley, De Beers, Bultfontein, and Dv Toit's Pan, no less than 33 million carats of diamonds (or six and a half tons weight) have been extracted, realizing aboiit £40,000,000, The diamonds now discovered are nearly all found in British possessions — namely, Africa and India. Yet the vast majority of the stones are still sent" to foreign countries to be cut and polished, which every Englishman should consider ought not to be. As one of the greatest secrets connected with, the trn'de consists in the one word "patience," there is an immense fieldfor the employment of women. As a nation, the Americans are the finest judges of diamonds in the world, and it is to London that America goes for her finest cut diamonds. The last official report published was that America took about £3,000,000 worth of cub diamonds annually from England. -

In chronicling the death of Sii* .Wfilliam McArthur, the London «» Daily News" Ba y B : _« The deceased was the lay general troasurer of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, the Key, Dr. Rigg being his ministerial colleague. His share with the late Sir Francis Lycett in the inauguration, of the Metropolitan Chapel Building Fund, his munificent gifts, and his loyal support of that grand undertaking, will, says the •Methodist Recorder, 1 ever ensure thegratitude ,of Methodism, not only in London, but throughout > the kingdom. His enlarged sympathies led him to take an active part in the extension soheme, and earned for him the lasting esteem, of the villages of England. He was a member of nearly every important Connexional Committee, and with [nearly: every department of the work he .was in warm sympathy. - The' generous help he .rendered 4 to ' Irish Methodism pill .never bejorgofcfcen, We nedd onjy mention the MoArthur Halli of > the Wesfey Bejfas^j.tlje building \ ■of which he undertook at h|s ow;n cost, awa'l towards the^endowment of which ho canttibuted,£s,ooo/^'itiWill be perpett|»l *vigence.>: •of genuine patriotism. /?, < -.j

, Hofft&or- Bonimy>i Price^,. M; A; > ithe greaifc/ politiiJM economist,-: prof esadt ofPolitical. Economy in the Univ,era^y,cfi Oxfer^, is deaa,»ged -81. 4 He wwjfchi auftluir ol nuierbus works on Political Economy.