The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-05-12
Bushels OF Goa AMI Gems /.

Bushels or Go'd AMI Gems.
On Wednesday last, according 10 the
cable dispatches, our Minister 10 Turkey,
General Low Wallace. and our Minister
TO Austria. Mr.. Phelps. were permitted
10 inspect the Imperial treasury ut Con
stantinoplo. The privilege. il was added,
IL ono very rarely granted, and tho two
diplomatistH were impressed at the
amount of treasure displayed 10 their
view. when tho forty officials in attend
ance had, with many formalitisa, opened
the locks. The Snllan's treasury, To
which 80 few strangers are ever admitted,
Is situated in tho inner court of tho Sc
rnglio, in ono OF tho heavy stone out
buildings Of the ancient palace. Three
massive walls have 10 be- passed ere the
building. rooted with lead and closed
by heavy iron doors kept constantly
locked, il reached. A low arched doorway
leads into heavily -vaulted room about
eighteen feet square. lighted by small,
grated windows. Another room Of the
same size opens from IL. Each room has
a gallery running ronnd all four sides,
and the walls OF the floors and galleries
are occupied by glAAs cabinets, while in
tho confer of each apartment there iA q
large glass showcase. Guards in black
broadcloth and red frezzes stand motion
less around the walls nj an interval Of
four or five feet. In the center of the
first room is n throne about yard
square. with q cushion Of cloth OF gold,
embroidered with diamonds, rubbies and
pearls, surrounded on three sides by
low rail supported by miniature columns
about eight inches high. II IL all GOV.
cred with plates Of gold. and tho rail Is
crustad with clusters of blazing dia-
monds. rubies and pearls. In q corner
10 the throne Of Nadir. Shah Of Persia,
the seat and the canopy of wood inlaid
with ivory and pearl, aud having sus-
pended over the occupants head huge
ball of gold, decorated with precious
stones. Even more costly ~ a cradle for
the babies born To 10 the crown, or cord
of solid gold, baHsinet, and rockers, the
two ends foot high. connected by o
golden bar on which TO hang u curtain
or veil. EsysIy inch Of it. Mr.. Dwight
records. il crusted with rubies. pearls,
and torquoisas. In the galleries arc eli.
gies Of all the Sultans down to Maha.
moud the Rcfermer, clad in the snver.
eigns represented, weighed down with
jewels, with large tnrbans bedecked with
diamonds, and weapons of priceless cost.
Thus, the dagger Of the eonqueor of Con
stantinople has for hilt an emerald two
inches long and nearly as thick. Tho last
OF the series alone appears 10 European
costume, but with the plume Of the bird
Of paradise fastened by an aigrette of
diamonds. There are antique arms and
armor heavy with gold and jewels; innu.
merable horse trappings and saddles,
covered with plates of gold and studded
with emeralds, rubies, topaZes, diamonds
and pearls, and saddle.cloths embroider-
ed with precious stones. As backgrounds
to the articles in the various cabinets
hang sofa-covers of cloths of gold, EN-
broidered with seed pearls, some Of them
worth Sl50, 600. There are golden bird
cages, some with clocks ut the bottom,
face downward, for the convenience of
the darlings of the harem, lying lazily
upon the divans beneath school sachels
of velvet, embroidered with diamonds,
pearls and gold; samplers" of rcd vel
vet, on which texts from the Koran have
been worked in beads of diamonds; am
ber mouthpieces, studded with diamonds
and rubies; coffee-sets and tea sets of all
degrees Of magni6cence, and vases of
crystal, agate and onyx, some of them
profusely bejewelled. There are
inkstands and snuf-boxes innumera-
bio, all glittering with priceless gems.
There are royal knives and forks and
spoons OF solid gold with jewels on their
handles. and there is vast array of
clocks. OF toys there are many. For
instance, there is a tea-set OF tortoise
she'll as thin as paper; parasol Of white
silk exquisitely embroidered with gold
and having for its staff one single spray
o. red coral, unique in the world; there
are fans innumerable. There is one toy
"a throned Sultan sitting under n canopy
of gold ribbed with rubies and emeralds,
the whole structure being some six
inches in height. The turban of this
doll is made OF diamonds; It's body is a
single huge pearl; the lower extremities
were carved out of q turtuoise. After
every conceivable use has been
made of jewels, the surplus
unmounted stones are gathered by hand
fuls into the crystal bowls at one end of
the cabinets in the second room, among
them being such triaes as three uncut
emeralds, the largest as big as mans
fist, and the smallest larger than hens
egg. Apart from the historic value of
the treasures there collected, the intrin-
sic value is incalculable. During the
last war with Russia the government
borrowed $50, 900 900 from the bank, the
officers of which took away to their own
vaults as many jewels as would secure
the loan. They carried away three boxes
OF precious stones, and yet no appreci-
able gap was left in the collection. Such
is the treasure house Of the most hope.
lessly bankrupt ruler iu the world.