Most of the miners are natives, who are kept in compounds for periods of from three to six months; this system has broken up the illicit diamond buyers' ("I. D. B.") system, which seriously threatened the successful working of the mines. The life chairman of this syndi cate was the Rt. Hon. CEcia. J. RHODES (q. v.), who by his genius and will created the corporation apparently out of chaos. The buying and selling of the gems is "controlled by the government.
The total value of all the diamonds known to exist in the world to-day is at least $1,000,000,000. It may safely be said that one-third of all the diamonds known are owned in the United States.
Most of the great diamonds distin guished for beauty and size have very interesting histories. One of the most famous is the Koh-i-Nfir, or Koohinoor, "Mountain of Light." The legend is that it was carried 5,000 years ago by the hero Karna, whose deeds are celebrated in the "Mahabharata." It made its first appearance in history in the 14th cen tury, when Ala-ed-din brought it to Delhi. At that time it was supposed to weigh 793 carats. When in 1673 the Grand Mogul sold it to Tavernier, it weighed only 279 carats, having been injured by the lack of skill of a Venetian lapidary. It was brought in 1739 at the sack of Delhi to Afghanistan. Thence it came into the possession of the East India Company, which presented it in 1850 to the English Crown. It was re-cut in 1852 and now weighs 100 1-16 carats. What was at the time said to be the largest stone in the world was sent to London from the Jagersfontein mines in South Africa in 1893. It weighed 971 carats, or nearly half a pound. Another weighed 640 carats. Another important diamond was set in the poi t of the scepter of the Russian empire, known as the Orloff, which weighs 194% carats. One time it formed the eye of an idol in the temple of Seringham in Mysore, whence it was stolen. It was in the throne of Nadir Shah, and after his murder it was bought by an Arme nian merchant in 1772 at the price of 450,000 silver rubles and the title of nobility. By the gift of Prince Orloff, a favorite of Catherine H., from whom it derived its name, it came into her pos session. The supposed great diamond of
the King of Portugal, 1,770 carats, is mythical; or rather is a rolled oval peb ble of white topaz.
The Regent or Pitt diamond weighs 136.75 carats, and is of the purest water and most perfect shape. It decorated the sword hilt of Napoleon I., and is now in the Galerie d'Apollon in the Louvre.
One of the finest of diamonds is the Sancy diamond, 53% carats, of exquisite shape and perfect water. It has been traced back to Charles the Bold, who lest it in 1477 at the battle of Nancy. It came through many private hands to the Huguenot nobleman Sancy. When Sancy was sent as an ambassador to Solothurn, he received from Henri III. the command to send to him that dia mond as a pledge. The servant to whom it was intrusted was attacked and mur dered, but instead of giving up the diamond he swallowed it. Sancy had the body opened and found the precious diamond in his stomach. James II. pro cured it when he came to France in 1688. Later it came into the possession of Louis XIV. and was worn by Louis XV. at his coronation.
One of the most superb diamonds known is the sapphire-blue brilliant Hope diamond, valued at about $100,000. It is believed to have been cut from a blue diamond weighing in the rough 112% carats, sold by Tavernier to Louis XIV., and which disappeared in the troubles of 1792. The largest diamond ever found in Brazil weighed 2541/2 carats, and was discovered in 1853 by a negress in the river Bogageno; it is known as the "Star of the South." It was sold to the Gaekwar of Baroda for $450,000.
The largest and finest diamond in the world to-day was cut from the Cullinen crystal found in the Transvaal in 1905, which weighed in the rough 3,106 metric carats. The largest stone cut from it "The Star of South Africa" weighs 530.2 carats and was presented to King Ed ward VII. by the Union of South Africa. The diamond weighing method was changed in 1910. The standard "metric carat" is of 200 milligrams divided into hundredths, conforming with the metric system. The United States adopted the new carat July, 1913.