Anniversary Address. 9 



Probably no other person has had more experience of this 

 kind than myself, for I have at times been almost overwhelmed 

 with applications, personally or in writing, upon the subject. 

 Dr. Thomson has also had his own experience of similar 

 occupation, and, in many instances, is well able to confirm my 

 statement. 



One might almost fancy, that colonists were going mad in the 

 search for Diamonds ; and yet one digger confessed to me, that 

 from the labour of six men employed for six years, he had only 

 obtained three Diamonds which were of small size. 



Without wishing, then, to dishearten any diligent man who is, 

 whilst anxious to serve himself, doing his utmost to develop the 

 resources of the country, it is surely only right to warn any who 

 have only their personal labour and pi'ivations to look to, against 

 embarking in a search which, to be successful, requires ample 

 means, union of energies and machinery. 



Moreover, the Diamonds hitherto found have been but of 

 little commercial value ; and as to the other gems, I believe they 

 have realised scarcely any sale at all. Capital and time and 

 contrivances may, however, hereafter meet with a successful find. 



Some of the inquirers as to Diamonds, have deserved a less 

 encouraging reception than this. It is with no unkind feeling 

 that I mention (merely to show the speculative character of the 

 -^ve'&eut furore), that amongst the stones forwarded for examina- 

 tion, have been found pieces of common glass, portions of 

 chandeliers or bottle-stoppers, and some of these have been 

 disguised by grinding and colouring by paint. 



"With what object, persons supposed to hold respectable 

 positions in life, could have condescended to such a device, 

 merely to give trouble to those who have voluntarily given their 

 time and experience to oblige them, is difficult to imagine. It seems 

 to me to be an unworthy reward for wasted patience, and, not 

 unfrequently, unreturned postage stamps and other expenses. 



Many times have pebbles of quartz — such as the one rendered 

 famous by the Townsend imposture — been forwarded, in the 

 hope that they would be pronounced Diamonds ; but I am 

 persuaded, that, save in the Townsend case, there has been no 

 intention to deceive in that way, and that the senders were 

 o 



