Mr, A. A. Fauvel sends us the following sketch on the above subject for publication;—When I first arrived in Shantun, province, five years ago, I was much str with its geological formations, and, after a few journey 3 in the interior, was soon nearly every kind of mineral could be found within its borders. Gold I knew was to be had in its eastern portion, and it was not long before I became quainted with its silver-bearing-lead and tourmalines and even coarse jis were found. Incited by these made a journey to Teng-chou-fa (3B IW Hp), where Thad heard garnets ut; could be procured, and there obtained many of these stones of all. colour, Some of them, cut in Boston, through the kindness of friend, proved to be heavy, rich-coloured garnets and car-bundes of good weight, capable of receiving a very high polish. I then began to entertain "some hopes that the most precious of all stones, diamonds, might found, The description of the diamant tiferous fields of Brazil and the Cape, compared with some of the geological dis opinion. tricts of Shantung, strengthened this
Some Chinese had told me in Peking, in 1873, that the diamonds used by the glaziers and glass and chinaware-menders, all came from the Shantung district of Yi-. chou-fa (Yt TH fF.) The same thing was told me in Chefoo some years ago. In Shanghai, this year, I meta native of Yi-chou-fu, well-mown to me, who repeated the story with such details and such an appearance of truth, that I began to be persuaded that there might be something real in the reports, Avaling myself of the opportunity offered by a temporary residence in Chefoo, this month, I determined to extend my enquiries, and had the good fortune to find another native from the Yi-chou-fa district, who, under careful cross-examination, repeated the story told me in Peking and' Shanghai, with such similarity of details that I considered my belief as almost substantiated. When my friend Dr. Williamson confirmed these statements, and told me he had heard long ago that diamonds were found in the rugged mountains north of Yi-chou-fu, and when I also added to this the testimony of the Roman Catholic Missionaries, I became convinced at last that the stones I had bought a few days before were real Shantung diamonds, as they moreover present all the physical characteristics of the tine stone. These diamonds, varying in size from a millet seed to a pin's head, are procured from the glaziers, who buy them at the ange fairs held every year at Chu-chou (BEND, Lai-chou-tu GE HY fff), ana Huang-hsien (PH BH.) They are not to be found in shops, and are packed in quills. The manner of finding these stones is very curious. Men with thick straw shoes on go walking about in the diamantiferous sands of the valleys and streams of the diamond mountains, Chin-kang-ling GAZE) some 45 ti south-east of Vi-chou-fu. The diamonds, which are ragged and pointed, penetrate the straw and remain there. "The shoes are then collected in eat numbers and burnt, the diamonds ing searched for in the ashes, As is "the case with amethysts and rock-crystal in the Lao-shan (4 []}) [a mountainous district south of Chi-mei-how to cot or polish these stones, which point of the glaziers aril, the only uso to are sim] in
Which they are put. The price of a diamond the size of a pin's head, varies here between
worth about half that price in Yi-chou-fu. fro and three dollars, but they are only I was unable to get a sight of the large stone above-mentioned, and my informant seemed tobe much afraid when I endeayoured to meet the proprietor.
Tremember having read somewhere that small diamonds are to be found in the dust of Peking streets. I think P, Armand David wrote that they are probably imported from Mongolia in the yellow clay with which the Pekingese mam their coal-bowls. Some people are constantly seen sifting the ashes thrown on the street, and refuse to give any information as to the result of their search to the inquiring foreigner. It appears that' they find dia-mands, which are sold to two shops dealing in them in the city.
Chefoo, 14th July.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.