476 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



Austria took large quantities in the rough state to be 

 worked up. The demands of Japan and China were also 

 considerable, and the clear amber sought for by those 

 countries became deficient, notwithstanding the develop- 

 ment given to the extraction. They were not content with 

 collecting amber formerly rejected on the shore. At 

 Konigsberg, pits of 300 feet depth were dug; 500 work- 

 men, steam-engines, and 100 carts were engaged in the 

 works. In other localities, divers and drags were employed. 

 At Munich steam-engines were also used to work the mud. 



The production of amber in 1874 amounted to 363,000 

 lbs., of all sizes and qualities, which was sent to different 

 parts of the world. 



C A. Wisephal, manufacturer of articles of amber at 

 Stolf, Pomerania, showed at the London Exhibition of 

 1862 a fine set of opaque amber of the oriental style ; 

 a fine set of cut pale transparent amber ; three strings 

 of opaque beads for African trade, one, two, and three 

 strings to the pound ; 100 strings, assorted, valued at ;£'230 ; 

 two strings of transparent beads, eight strings going to the 

 pound, at £j, per string ; 19 other strings at 2^3. the 

 string ; specimens of cigar-holders, pipe mouthpieces, etc., 

 of different shapes and sizes ; also transparent cut olive 

 beads and transparent smooth beads. 



Mr. F. Nissi, of Dantzic, showed four pieces of raw 

 amber, one weighing if lb., priced at £\T) ioj., and the 

 others priced at ;£'i3 \os., £\2, and £<^ 15J. 



Mr. H. L. Perlbach, an amber-bead merchant of Dantzic, 

 showed a rare piece of amber in point of size, form, 

 and colour, three inches thick and 14 inches in circum- 

 ference, weighing 12 lbs., valued at ;^6oo, and two pieces 

 weighing four pounds and two pounds respectively. The 

 large piece was found in an amber mine in the village, of 

 Gluckau, near Dantzic. 



