1867.] Mining, Mineralogy, and Metallurgy. 421 



Austrian diamond called " Florentine," which has been made by the 

 commission appointed to examine it. 



According to the Imperial inventory, the stone weighs 133J 

 carats, whilst in all works on precious stones the weight is given 

 as 139 h carats. The recent examination of the gem shows its 

 specific gravity at 19° Cent, to be 3*5213, and its weight, 27*454 

 grammes. Now the value of the carat is : — 



In Amsterdam . . . 2057000 milligrammes 



„ Florence .... 197*2000 „ 



„ Paris .... 205-5000 



„ Vienna .... 206-1300 



Therefore the newly-determined weight, 27*454 grammes, corre- 

 sponds to 139t Florentine carats, 133t Paris carats, and 133*180 

 Vienna carats. The last number, corrected for weighing in air, 

 gives 133*160 Vienna carats as the true weight of the famous 

 Florentine. 



Mining. 



The Select Committee on Mines continues its sittings. Several 

 of the Colliery Inspectors have been examined. It is evident from 

 the tenour of nearly all the questions that the members of this Com- 

 mittee are inclined to recommend an additional number of Inspectors, 

 and possibly the introduction of sub-Inspectors. 



There is a great objection to the latter ; an inferior class of men 

 would be placed in positions of considerable responsibility, and they 

 would not be enabled to exert any beneficial influence over the 

 men. Any attempt to remove the responsibility from the coal 

 owner and his agents will be replete with danger. 



Another Committee deals with the question of Mines Assess- 

 ment, admitting in the abstract, the correctness of the principle of 

 rating mines to the poor; it is unfortunate that any additional 

 burden should now be thrown upon our mineral industries. A 

 very mistaken idea prevails, arising mainly from the want of 

 practical acquaintance with the subject ; many persons conceiving 

 that since the mines draw a population to a parish, and thus in the 

 course of time throw many burdens on it, that justice demands 

 from them their contributions towards the support of that poor. 

 The result at this time, if the Bill introduced by Mr. Percy Wyndham 

 should become an Act, would be that a large number of mines 

 which are now working at a considerable monthly loss, and which 

 are continued hoping for an improvement in the metal market, for 

 the purpose of keeping the miners employed — as if once dispersed 

 they would never again be gathered together — would be aban- 

 doned, and thus hundreds of families thrown heavy burdens on the 

 parishes. Under more favourable aspects there would be but little 



