362 The Co7nmercial Products of the Sea. 



At the first London International Exhibition, in 185 1, 

 tortoiseshell bracelets, brooches, ornaments, circlets, and 

 rings were shown by M. Philip, a Parisian manufacturer, 

 who received a medal for them ; but it is only lately that 

 this species of ornament has come much into vogue here. 

 This tortoiseshell jewellery, however, is neat, tasteful, and 

 moderate priced, and is taking the place of the vulcanite 

 and jet ornaments which have been so much worn. The 

 tortoiseshell is moulded for these into earrings, brooches, 

 bracelets, crosses, and other pendants, in which pique gold 

 ornaments and fancy devices are worked. 



England imports annually large quantities of tortoise- 

 shell, and maintains the monopoly of this artistic material. 

 It would scarcely be believed that in some years upwards 

 of 30 tons of this ornamental substance, valued at more 

 than ;^74,ooo, are imported here, and on the average of 

 years about 25 tons are received. 



At the Paris International Exhibition of 1867, among 

 the countries which exhibited tortoiseshell were Holland, 

 Dutch India, the Bahamas, and Tahiti. A French ex- 

 hibitor at Nossi-be, who exports 6000 to 7000 lbs. annually, 

 showed some fine plates of shell. 



To show how widespread is the range of the marine 

 tortoise, it may be mentioned that tortoiseshell comes to 

 us from more countries than any similar raw ornamental 

 substance. We receive it from India and China, the 

 Eastern Archipelago and Pacific Islands, Australia, the 

 West Indies, South America, and Africa. The Indian 

 islands furnish the largest supply of tortoiseshell for the 

 European and Chinese markets, the chief emporia being 

 Singapore, Manila, and Batavia, from which 26,000 to 

 30,000 lbs. are annually exported. 



