Show I r Uncover Japans Japan's Diamond Cache Estimated to Be Greatest Assortment Ever Seen In Modern Modem Times WASHINGTON WASHINGTON American n occupation occupation pation forces farces uncovered In Japan a aboard hoard board of hundreds of thousands thousand of cut diamonds dla monds probably the greatest assortment ever assembled in mod mod- modern ern times Government officials said laid the Jap Jap- Japanese Japanese anese government collected the treasure from the Japanese people as III a war financing measure Ap Ap- ApI Apparently the Intention wa w waa to sell lell I the gems for tor foreign exchange and purchase munitions and raw materi materi- materials als al The gems are valued at between 20 and ond 25 2 million dollars But gem experts I th knowledge of the hoard said laid the army undoubtedly was speaking They present the entire diamond dia dia- dia diamond mond res of the whole nation Edward Henderson of Smithsonian Institution said This undoubtedly Is a situation situation- unique In history I know of ot nu no other time when virtual virtual- ly every diamond owned by every Individual in a nation was waa assembled I at t one place I Skid Held In Bank Vault Vaults Vault The Th The gems now are In vaults of the i Bank of ot Japan In Tokyo Officials here said laid on one box of gems was Wis located in Tokyo after alter a Jap Jap- anew anese reported he be knew of at a place I where diamonds are arc scattered all an allover anover over I IU U S army intelligence nce then un un- un uncovered covered covered other hiding places which yielded gallons of at diamonds often otten In flimsy elms containers such luch as shoe boxes boxel The gems were In a confused contused condition dirty and mixed with worthless debris the army said Henderson and Dr William H Foshag curator of minerals at the Smithsonian were called to Tokyo to classify and appraise the I tion If It 11 they had been piled plied in one heap I dont don't suppose you could have l 1 stretched your arms around the bot tom of the pile Henderson said GIs 01 Kept Eyed Bur It took Henderson and Dr Foshag working with four tour Japs Jape five eve ve months to count and ond classify them GIs assigned to watch over the room where the diamonds were kept were eyed bug-eyed when they saw the display Later they were bored by bythe bythe the monotony of ot the count If It I ever marry a girl Ill I'll never give live her a diamond one GI said I hate the sight of them No famous Individual diamonds I turned up and apparently none from fromI I the Jap crown jewels The three I heaviest weighed a total of at carats This Thia compares with carats for the diamond of ot the British crown jewels Government officials expect the diamonds to become reparations for payment to the Allies who fought taught Japan |