74 On Colonial Gems. 



unapplied ; and that, in every instance, I am proud to say 

 their observations confirmed my own. They confirm me in 

 adding to the catalogue of our Victorian gems actual 

 specimens of ruby, the priceless Oriental amethyst, the 

 Oriental aquamarine, the Oriental topaz, and, perhaps, also 

 the Oriental chrysoberyl, i.e., the corundum one. What more 

 may soon turn up, and how much I anticipate from the 

 evidences in my possession, it might be folly to speculate 

 upon. But thus much we are safe in assuming, and in 

 displaying an honest pride in — that as yet no one country 

 on the broad earth has yielded such an assemblage of 

 varieties of rare and precious gems as Victoria, I am proud 

 of it. It looks as if this country had been ordained to be a 

 sort of a synopsis of the world. Here is a home for all 

 animals — the tropics, in vegetation, are within 100 miles 

 of Melbourne ; and in the mineral kingdom, the diamond of 

 India, Ceylon, Brazil, and Siberia, is found at Beech worth ; 

 the blue sapphire of Ceylon is found, in fine large crystals, 

 commonly ; the ruby has now been brought before you this 

 night ; and another form of sapphire, as yet new in Australia, 

 the Oriental aquamarine, and also for the first time Oriental 

 topaz ; and the Oriental chrysoberyl, as far as colour goes, 

 that is, the sapphire of the exact chrysoberyl tint. As to 

 the Oriental emerald, that I have brought before you already ; 

 yet it is pleasing to have found fine specimens of it quite 

 close to the city. I have found and exhibited beautiful 

 specimens of tourmaline and aquamarine, both Victorian 

 and South Australian. The one thing now wanted is the 

 emerald. My friend, the Rev. Mr. Clarke, of Sydney, a name 

 venerable in geological and minerological science, found it in 

 New South Wales ; but we yet want it in Victoria to make 

 this perhaps the most complete and unique country on earth in 

 gem minerals. I need not here fall back on my previous 

 reports, as they can be found in our Transactions. But 

 though we may not have yet found the very finest in their 

 several kinds, I think we may modestly — proudly, if you 

 like — challenge the world for varieties of the various gem 

 classes and families ; and that is something to say for a 

 country whose resources are only now beginning to. be 

 discovered. 



When bringing under your notice collections or single 

 specimens of Victorian gem-stones, I have almost always to 

 point out the obscurity of their crystalline structure. On 

 the present occasion I have to call your attention to some- 



