The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-08-14

indulgence Of Au,ungzebe, was per-
mittcd to handle, examine and weigh
it, being the first anu ill now proba-
bly, the last European who had ever
enjoyed such q privilege. The Great
Mogul sat on his throne of state,
while the chief keeper Of the jewels
produced his jewels for inspection on
two golden dishes. The magnificence
of the collection was indcscribable,
but conspicuous in lustre, esteem and
value was the Koh,i.noor. Some
times worn on the person of the Mo-
guls, some times adorning the famous
peacock throne, this inestimable gem
was safely preserved at Delhi, until,
in 1898, when the empire received its
fatal blow from the invasion Of Nadir
Shah. Among the spoils Of conqucsts
which the Persian warrior carried
back with him in triumph to khoras-
san, and which have been variouslv
estimated as worth from 80 to 90
millions sterling, the Koh-i-noor wos
the most precious trophy; but it was
destined to pass from Persia rs quick
ly as that ephcmeral supremacy in
virtue Of Which it had been acquired.
After detailing the various hands
into which this gem successfully
passed, the account goes on to say {:
In this way did the "Nlountain of
Light" pass in The train of conquest
and as the emblem Of domination,
from Golconda to Delhi, from Eclhi 10
Mushed, from Mushed to Cabul, and
from Cabual to Lahore, verifying the
esteem where it everywhere commend.
cd the perspicacity and judgment Of
Nicer Jumla (who is the Nlirslnola
Of Tavcrnicr's traveD and the Prince
Shah Jebann. Excepting thc some
what doubtful claims Of the Brazilian
stone among the Crown jewels ofpor.
tugal, the Kohi.noov is the largest
known diamond in the world. When
first given to Shah Jehaun it was
still uncut, weighing, it IS said, in
stiat rough #stbte, ne5ilyF860 carats,
which were rouuced by the unskil(ul-
ness of the artist TO 279, its presen.
weight. It was cut by Hortcnsio
Boryis, a Venitian, who, instead Of
receiving remuneration for his Ia
Dor. was fined 10000 rupees for his
wastcfulness by the Mogul. In
form it is "rose cut"-that is to say,
it is cut to point in series Of small
faces of "laccts," without any tabu
lar surface. A good general idea
may be formed of its shape and size
by conceiving it as the poiutcd half of
small hens cgg, though it is said
not to have risen more than half an
inch from the gold.setting in which it
was worn by Bunjcet. lis value is
scarcely computaJlc, though two mil.
lions sterling has been mentioned as
a justGable price if calculated by the
scale employed in the trade. The
Pit diamond brought over from
Madras by the grandfather of Lord
Chatham, and sold to the Regent
Orleans i'll 1T17, for 125, ,00Ol,
weighs scarcely $50 carats; nor does
the great diamond which supports
the Eagle on the summit of the Rus.
sian sceptre, weigh as much as 200.
Such is the extraordinary jewel,
which in virtue Of conquest and soy.
ercigntv, has passed into The possess.
ion of England. 1t was prulcntly
secured among the few remaining
valuablcs Of the Lahore Treasury at
the commencement Of The last .insur-
lcction, and although even its nomin-
al value would be an inadequate com
pensation for the cost of the Sikh
wars, we may look upon its acquis-
ton as fitting symbol of that SUI
premacy which we have SO fairly
won.