It appears that the diamond merchants of Hatton Garden are
in the habit of sending quantities of diamonds in registered letters through the Post Office, insuring them with insurance offices at the rate of ls. 3d. per £100. Some members of the criminal class knew this, and knew also that a large amount was to be transmitted on Wednesday. On that day, therefore, at five p.m., they transacted business in the Hatton- • Garden Post Office, turned off the gas, seized two bags with £80,000 worth of diamonds in them, and escaped. The post office has a lady for superintendent and ladies for clerks, and they seem to have been paralysed by the rash, though the superintendent flung her arms round some valuable bags on the counter. No clue has been dis- covered, or, we may venture to say, will be, unless the thieves quarrel; and though suspicion falls on the employees, it is, prima facie, unreasonable. How should they know that such a quantity of diamonds were going that night ? It is more probable that some jeweller's clerk has betrayed his employer, and that the jewellers were robbed by some of the adroit gang who stalk down every woman of rank on her marriage, and seize her wedding presents. It begins to be impossible to keep jewels in England, except in a banker's box, where they are not particularly useful. In France, we rarely hear of jewel robberies, even actresses like Mdlle. Schneider keeping theirs, though they are seen every night on the stage.
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