Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-18
BUSHELS OF GOLD AND GEMS,

The Sultan's Hundreds Of Millions
Inspected by Two American DiplO.
mats.
On Wednesday last, according to the cable
dispatches, our minister to Turkey, General Lew
Wallace, and our minister to Austria, Mr.. Phelps,
were permitted to inspect the imperial treasury
at ConstantinOple. The privilege, it was added,
Is one very rarely granted, and the two diplo-
matists were impressed at the amount Of treas
ure displayed to their view, when the forty Off
Gals IN attendance had, with many fOrmalities,
opened the locks. The sultan's treasury to
which so few strangers are ever admitted,
is situated In the inner court of the Seraglio,
IN one OF the heavy stone outbuildings of the
ancient palace. Three massive walls have
to be passed ere the building, rooted with
lead and closed by heavy iron doors
kept constantly locked. is reached. 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 it. Each room has gal
iery running round all four sides. and the walls
OF the floors and galleries are occupied by glass
cabinets, while in the center of each apartment
there Is large glass showcase Guards in
black broadcloth and red fezzes stand notion
less around the walls at an interval of four or
I'VE feet. In the center of the first room is q
throne about yard square, with cushion of
cloth OF gold. embroidered with diamonds.
ruDles and pearls, surrounded on three sides by
low rail supported by miniature columns
about eight inches high. It is all covered with
plates OF gold, and the rail is crusted with
clusters OF blazing rubies. In corner is the
throne OF Nadir, shah of Persia. the seat and
canopy OF wood inlaid with livery and pearl and
having suspended over the occupants head
a huge ball Of gold decorated with precious
stones. Even more costly is a cradle for the
babies
BORN TO THE CROWN, OR CORD
OF solid gold, bassinet, and rockers, the two
ends, foot high, connected by golden bar on
which to hang curtain or veil. Every inch of
1t, Mr.. Dwight records, is crusted with rubies,
diamonds and turquoises. In the galleries are
efiiges OF all the snltans down to Mahmoud the
reformer clad in the state robes of the sover-
eigns represented, weighed down with jewels,
with large turbans bedecked with diamonds and
weapons OF priceless cost. Thus the dagger of
the cOnqueror of Constantinople has for hilt an
emerald two inches long and nearly as thick.
The last OF the series alone appears in European
costume, but with plume Of bird of paradise
feathers fastened by an aigrette of diamonds
''There are antique arms and armOr heavy
with gold and jewels; innumerable horse
trappings and saddles. covered with plates of
gold and studded with emeralds, rubies, to-
paZes diamonds and pearls, and saddle-cloths
embroidered with precious stones" As back
grounds to the articles in the various cabinets
hang sofa covers of cloth ofgold embroidered with
seed-pearls, some of them worth $3.50, OOO There
are golden bird-cages, some with clocks at the
the darlings of the harem lying lazily on the
divans beneath; school satchels of velvet en-
broidered with diamonds, pearl and gold; s'sam-
piers" OF red velvet, on which texts from the
Koran have been worked in beads Of diamonds:
amber mouthpieces for pipes, studded with dia-
monds and rubies; coffee-sets and tea-sets of all
degrees of magnifcence, and vases of crystal.
agate and onyx, some OF them prOfuseiy bejew-
eled. There are inkstands and snuff-boxes in
Vulnerable, all
DIFFERING WITH PRICELESS GEMS
There are royal knives and forks and spoons
of solid gold with jewels on their handles and
there is an immense array of clocks. Oftoys there
are many. For instance, there is a tea-set of
tortoise shell as thin as paper; parasol OF
white silk exquistely embroidered with gold
and having for it's staff one single spray of red
coral, unique In the world; there are fans innu-
merable. There is one toy-a throned sultan
sitting under canopy Of gold ribbed with ru-
bies and emeralds, the whole structure being
some six inches in height. The turban of this
doll is made of diamonds; its body is single
huge pearl; the lower extremities were carved
out Of a turquoise. CATER every conceivable
use has been made OF jewels, the surplus un-
mounted stones are gathered by handfuls into
crystal bowls at one end of the cabinets in the
second room, among them being such trifies
as three uncut emeralds, the largest as big as q
mans fist, the smallest larger than hens egg.
Apart from the historic value of the treasures
there collected the intrinsic wealth is almost in
calculable. During the last war with Russia the
government borrowed 5000 600 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 small boxes Of
precious stones, and yet no appreciate gap was
left in the collection. Such is the treasure
house of the most hOpelessly bankrupt ruler in
the world.
A Doubtful Story.
From the Congregatonaiist.
WASHINGTON, April 81 have occasionally
spoken OF the lack of morality in some of the
colored churches. Ridiag in the horsecars into
the city in the early morning, the seat by my
side was taken by police captain. In his hands