The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-16 00:00:00

THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN.

The following is a description of the imperial State
crown, preserved in the Jewel House at the Tower of
London, by Professor Tennant, of King's College :
"The imperial State crown cf her Majesty Queen
Victoria was made by Messrs. Rundell. and Ridge, in
the year 1838, with jewels taken from old crowns, and
others furnished by command of her Majesty. It con-
sists of diamonds, pearls, rubies, sapphires and emeralds,
set in silver and gold. It has a crimson velvet cap, with
ermine border, and is lined with white silk. Its gross
weight is 390 z. sdwts. troy. The lower part of the
band above the ermine border consists of a row of 129
pearls, and the upper part of the baud a row of 112
pearls, between which, in front of the crown, is a large
sapphire (partly drilled), purchased for the crown by
his Majesty King George the Fourth. At the back is a
sapphire of smaller size, and six
.other sapphires (three
on each side), between which are eight emeralds.
"Above and below the seven sapphires are fourteen
diamonds, and around the emeralds are one hundred
and twenty-eight diamonds. Between the emeralds and
sapphires are sixteen trefoil ornaments, containing oue
hundred and sixty diamonds. Above the bands are eight
sapphires, surmounted by eight diamonds, between which
are eight festoons, consisting of one hundred and forty-
eight diamonds.
" Is the front of the crown, and in the centre of a dia-
mond Maltese cross, is the famous ruby said to have been
given to Edward Prince of Wales, son of Edward 111.,
called the Black Prince, by Don Pedro, King, of Castile)
after the battle of Najera, near Vittoria A. r). 1367.
This ruby was worn in the helmet of Henry the Fifth,
at the battle of Agincourt, A.D. 1415. It is pierced
suite through after the Eastern custom, the upper part
of the piercing being filled up by a small ruby. Around
this ruby, to form the cross, are seventy-five brilliant
diamonds. Three other Maltese crosses, forming the
two sides and back of the crown, have emerald centres,
and contain respectively 132, 124, and 130 brilliant
diamonds.
" Between the four Maltese crosses are four ornaments
in the form of the French fieur-de-lis, with four rubies
in the centres, and surrounded by rose diamonds, con-
taining respectively eighty-five, eighty-six, and eighty-
seven rose diamonds.

" From the Maltese crosses issue four imperial arches,
composed of oak leaves and acorns ; the leaves contain-
ing 723 rose, table, and brilliant diamonds ; thirty-two
pearls forming the acorns, set in cups containing fifty-
four rose diamonds and one table diamond. The total
number of diamonds in the arches arid acorns is 108
brilliant, 116 table, and 559 rose diamonds.
"From the upper part of the arches are suspended
four large pendant pear-shaped pearls, with rose diamond
caps, containing twelve rose diamonds, and stems con-
taining twenty-four very small rose diamonds. Above
the arch stands the mowid, containing in the lower
hemisphere 304 brilliants, and in the upper 244 brilliants,
the -zone and arc being composed of thirty-three rose
diamonds. The cross on the summit has a rose-cut

sapphire in the centre, surrounded by four large brilliants
and 108 smaller brilliants.

" Summary of jewels comprised in tLe Crown :-
1 large ruby irregularly polishgd, 1 large broad-spread
sapphire, 16 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 4 rubies, 1,363
brilliant diamonds, 1,273 rose diamonds, 147 table
diamonds, 4 drop-shaped pearls, and 273 pearls."

The return of the Court to Buckingham Palace is
likely to be postponed for a few days, in consequence of
the death of her Majesty's brother-in-law, Prince
Hohenlohe Langenborg.
SWINDLING LETTER-WurTEF.s.---It seems necessary
again to warn the. public against the devices of the
swindling letter-writers in America, who are in the
habit of addressing the relatives of deceased gentlemen
in England, a few weeks after the announcement of the
death, supplicating aid in the character of a mother with
a dying son, the impression which it is desired to convey
' being that the said son is au illegitimate child of the
deceased.
On Tuesday evening the King of the Belgians enter-
tained his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, at the
palace of Erirsels, the company at the dinner including
the Duchess of Brabant, the Count of Flanders, the
first Sooretary of the Englizh Legation, the Lady
Howard de Walden and Seaford,. Later in the even-
ing the Pritlce of Wales and the Duchess of Brabant
and their suite, went the Theatre Royal, where they
witnessed the Pardon dr Floe-nal. On Wednesday
morning, at half-past nine, his Royal flightless lett
BraSsels for Coburg.

METROPOLITAN POLICE.—From a return just pub-
lished we learn that the number of superintendents in
the metropolitan police who have been promoted to
their present positions from other posts in the force is
18 : the number of inspectors so promoted is 175. The
number of superintendents appointed without having
been previously in the public service is 18, and the
number of inspectors 145. A note informs us that all
these men joined the police force as constables, and
were promoted tc their present rank.
SINOL'I.AR SUICIDE.—A singular suicide baS been
committed at Louversey (Hare). A boy, eleven years of
age, son of a dressmaker, having suddenly disaapeared,
his mother sought for him, and to her horror she found
him hanging by the neok by a cord to the upper part of
the gate of her garden. A neighbour, attracted by her
cries, cut him down at once, but he was quite dead.
The suicide is ascribed to the child having been plunged
into despair at learning that his mother, whom he
tenderly loved, was afflicted with an incurable malady.
He had frequently declared with tears that he would die
before her.
CHANGING PLACES.—A faw days ago, an athletic
young rustic visited Clonmel for the purpose of engag-
ing and paying for his passage to Australia. The
money was lodged and the ticket given, after which he
returned to the home and friends he had made up his
mind to leave, perhaps, for ever. The sailing day was
approaching rapidly, and each day that was numbered
with the past, but seemed to awaken feelings that
" binds the heart to home." At length the eventful
morning came, and, accompanied by a few friends, a
car was freighted to the Goold'e Cross Station to meet
the Dublin train. The shriek and whistle of the iron
monster sounded like the knell of departing happiness,
and, fairly overcome, he determined on clinging, through
weal or woe, to the old soil. One moment's considera-
tion, and a younger brother, au enterprising, spirited
fellow, took ticket and traps, and with a hasty wring of
the hand to each, and a message of love to those at
home, he was borne from the station, and has since
taken shipping for the land of gold.
" HOOFS" AND FASHIONABLE PETTICOATS.--Seven
pauper woman, inmates of the South Dublin Work-
house, were brought before the magistrates of the head
office of peke, the other day, charged with ric4,
smashing nearly 100 panes of glass and "other property."
It appeared in evidence that the female paupers objected
to the lanky"—the unfashiouuble—form of the petti-
coats supplied by the guardians, and with a mind to
remedy the deficiency, provided themselves with various
apsuch as pieces of rope, bent canes, twigs, bits
of 'buckram, iron hoops, &c. The supply proving made-
quate to the demand, the ladies were obliged to resort to
other expedients, slid, in plain Enelish, stole several
spare petticoftts frein the laundry. 'The stolen articles
were order to be given up, or a general and personal
search Should ensue. The ladies first denied all know-
ledge of the missing. articles. A search was then.
attempted, and the riot then broke out. Every tin,
form, poker, tongs, brush, or other available weapon,
was flung at the heads of the officers and guardians,
and great was the cre.ih of glass, while fortunately skulls
escaped with siigit bruises. The ringleaders of the riot
were sent: to prison and hard labour for fourteen days.
' LAUGHABLE MISTAKES ARISING FROM ILLEGIBIE
WASTING.--" Troubles you may well call them," said
he, with a deeper sigh. "There, rericl that—if you can
read it—for the old earl does not grow More legible by
bein older." " Crews Court,"' read she aloud;
"handsome old abbey it must be," added she, remarking
on a little tinted sketch on the top of the letter. "Yes,
that's a place of mine. I was born there," said the boy,
half proudly. "It's quite princely. It's a fine old
thing, and I'd give it edl this miauto not to have had
that disagreeable letter," 'My dear Henry,'" began
she, in low! 112404111 g voice, " I have heard with—
witlai—not abomination—oh no, k astonishment—with
astonishment not unmixed with'—it can't be straw—is
it straw ?—rto, it is shame—not unmixed with shame,
that you have so far forgiven—forgotten'—oh, that's
it—' what was done to yourself ?'" " N 0,." " W hat
was due to yourself,' " interrupted he; "that's a favour-
ite word of his, and so I know it." " To become the
the'—dear ale, what can this be with the vigorous G at
the ir),eginning to become'—is it really the Giant'
The boy here burst into a fit of laughing, _and.
taking the letter from her, proceeded to read it out. "I
have spelt it all over five times," said he, "aid I know
it by heart, 'I have heard with astonishment, not un-
mixed with shame, that you have so far forgotten what
was due to yourself as to become the guest of one who
for so many years was the political opponent and ever
personal enemy of our house. Your ignorance of family
history cannot possibly be such as that you are unaware
of the claims once put forward by this same Sir Wm.
lieathcote to your father's peerage, or of the dirigryeful
law proceedings instituted to establish Us pretensions'
As it I ever heard of all thit before as if I knew or
cared a brass bi.i.ttor, about the matter !" burst he in.
" Had youx. tutor%L:here comes in my poor coach for
his tarn," said Agincourt—`" had your tutor but
bestowed proper attention to the instructions written by
mine own hand for his guidance'—we z erar, could read
liem : we hare been at them, for hours together, an; all
we could make out was, 'Let him stv,dr hazard, and
roulette, anti all stroll other garlicS';' which rathe
prised us, till we found out it was Anci
study,' and only frequent the fast ssaci%,y. 411 •
he visits,' which was a rdistale (404"..'
the noble lord has *
she, sroilielii

each city '
" " Certainly
caligraphy," said
Ar. Layton 15 not so culpable as
imagined." "Ah I" cried the boy laughing
- 1 wish you had seen Alfred's face on the day he re-
ceived our first quarter's remittance, and read out 'You
may drag on me like a mouse, if you please,' which was
intended to be, draw upon me to a like amount, if you
please ;' and it was three weeks before we could make
that out:"