174 

 DISCOVERY OF THE MANUFACTURE OF DIAMONDS. 



AT a recent meeting of the Academic des Sciences, a letter was read 

 from M. Gannal, stating the result of his inquiries into the action of 

 phosphorus brought into contact with carburet of pure sulphur. 

 Having occasion to prepare a large quantity of carburet of sulphur, 

 M. Gannal conceived the idea of endeavouring to separate the sulphur 

 of this product, in order to procure a pure carbon. Phosphorus was the 

 material which he employed, and he found that, by the phosphorus 

 entering into combination with the sulphur ; the carbon was set at 

 liberty in the shape of small crystals, possessing all the properties of 

 the diamond, especially that of scratching the hardest bodies. The 

 following is a detail of the experiment : If several rolls of phosphorus 

 be introduced into a matrass containing carburet of sulphur, covered 

 with a layer of water ; the moment the phosphorus finds itself in 

 contact with the carburet, it dissolves, and, becoming liquid, is pre- 

 cipitated to the bottom of the matrass. The whole mass is then 

 divided into three layers, the first formed of pure water, the second 

 carburet of sulphur, and the third, of liquified phosphorus. Things 

 being in this state, if the matrass be agitated so as to cause a mixture 

 of the different bodies, the liquor grows thick, becomes milky, and 

 after a little rest, separates anew ; but only into two layers ; the upper 

 one of pure water, and the under one of phosphuret of sulphur, and 

 between those two layers there is a very thin stratum of white powder, 

 uhich, when the matrass is exposed to the sun's rays exhibits all 

 the colours of the rainbow ; and which consequently appears to be 

 formed of a multitude of little crystals. Encouraged by this success, 

 M. Gannal endeavoured, by the following process, to obtain larger 

 crystals, and succeeded. He introduced into a matrass, placed where 

 it would be quite undisturbed, first 8 ozs. of water, and then 8 ozs. 

 of carburet of sulphur : and 8 ozs. of phosphorus. As in the pre- 

 ceding experiment the phosphorus dissolved, and the three liquids 

 arranged themselves in the order of their specific gravity. After 24 

 hours there was formed between the water and the caburet, an ex- 

 tremely thin pellicle of white powder; having, here and there, several 

 air bubbles and various centres of crystallization, formed, some by 

 spars or very thin sheets, and some by stars. In the course of a few 

 days this pellicle grew gradually thicker : at the same time the 

 separation of the two inferior fluids became less complete ; and in 

 three months they appeared to form one and the same substance. 

 Another month having elapsed without any new result; the ques- 

 tion was, how to find means to separate the crystallized substance 



