The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-15
BOURBON BAUBLES.
THE sHoDDY GOING TO BID Mon.


Inn enVDHA VVANV ~ DtD HSNe'
rhe Famsus Crown Jewels OF France To b
KneekeA Down Mt Public Auction.
A Paris correspondent writes: The tall
over the crown jewels-we have suci
things in this republic, relics OF the gooc
old DAYS OF course--has RECOMMENDED !,
the Chambers and In public, and II Is aoou
decided that the diamonds and other pre-
cious stones forming this celebrated
collection will have TO be SOLD ioi
whatever sum they may bring. Ther'
is enough OF these jewels to star
two or three Kingdoms and furnish
grc,. many !" shoddies with chances u
sn.rt,e IN 4 manner that native wit will
newer hermit OF. have seen these crown
ieweJs Not less fortunate people may
have that pleasure shortly. for they are now
a. he placed on exhibition In the exhibit
ton in the galleries OF the Louvre. IL has
hen decided that those jewels which have
n scientific value, on account OF their rarity
or REGULARITY OF color or formation, rs well
a. those which have historical value, shall
remain permanently In possession OF the
State. while the other will be sold to the
highest bidder. and the gold and silver
melted in the national mint.
The intrinsic value Of these "gewgaws "
ia placed at $4,000, 900. They will perhaps
bring more than that II the sale Is well
managed. The crown diamonds ought TO
fetch enormous prices. Few ladies oil
fortune, whether plebeian or patrician, but
who would be proud TO own brilliant or
two which has glistened In royal diadem
or sparkled OH the hand OF an emperor,
and these ladies will find hot competitors
an certain queens Of the demi-monde, who
think nothing of living at the rate of
fl0O,G COO a year. Paris boasts OF these
creatures, and their charms will be only
The greater enhanced II adorned with
pearls. emeralds. sapphires. rubies, and
spsrkling diamonds which the Lords
ano,ntedn have worn in other days. As
for the money thus raised, il is not yet
fully decided what will be done with it.
The Radicals make political capital by ill.,
sistiug that IL must be distributed among
men and women out OF work-n0t bad
idea. Men OF letters insist that the proper
investment would be to create with it a
fund to be used in enriching the national
museums and libraries.
Those who believe in kings and empe-
rors; who have anabidiDg faith in "rulerS
by Divine right: who dislike republics
and hurrah for monarchies; who turn up
their noses at people without titles, and
sneer at presidents who marry their OWE
eooks-these sort OF folks are weeping and
wailing about these crown-!ewel and
openly lament the poverty OF nation
which deliberately sells its heirlooms tC
feed the poor or purchase books and pic
lures for lazy students TO read and adj
mire. King Christian, in " Les RoiS er
.Exiie." pawned the crown-jewels of lily
ria to enable himself to come up to Paris
10 lead fast life and merry one. Unlike
i. the imitation king whom Daudet created
Republican France will sell her Jewels tC
raise money needed for better purposes
and Republican France is right. know
OF no reason why q nation who tax them
selves to raise more than 300, 1000. 900 every
year should keep on hand a lot of valuable;
simply because they were once worn by
those who sat on the throne Of France.
SOME OF TTE HOST VALUABLE JEWELS.
Still j am sorry to shy that some OF the
most valuable aud interesting jewels viii
not be sold at public auction. This / will
regret the more as il will prevent my com.
ing into possession OF that diamond Of dia-
mouds called the Regent, or of the Dragon
OF Denmark, OF the watch OF the Dey OF
Algiers, Of certain military sword which
would hang well by my side when came
TO be captain of the Skidmore Cadets. orsoi
certain other historical articles that have
been keeping my eye on while laying away
money in the bank-yauts OF Drexel, Haries
e. Co. / shall miss the Regent. Although
not the largest known diamond, 1t is the
most perfect in shape and OF the pures
water. Experts declare It's value to b,
$2.500, 900, but il owned ii should LET i
90 for something less. / am told that one
reason why the State is opposed to selling
il is the fear that ii will not bring more
than S1,G00,000, unless Jumbo Barnum
should see fl to buy it in and exhibit it in
America on speculation. / think there
would be money in this for the venerable
old humbug, and i make him no charge
for the sugeestion.
Among the jewels that are to be sold are
those which remain in the setting of the
Imperial crown-the others were claimed
as the private property OF Napoleon ILL.,,
and the claim was allowed by President
Thiers-and n wonderful gold belt entirely
covered with diamonds. This belt was
made to crafty within Of the Empress En-
genia, who was so pleased with one she saw
around the waist OF an actress, who played
the part OF the good fairy in "The White
Fawn" when that spectacular piece was
first produced, that she insisted on hayipg
one Just like it, only hers was made out OF
real diamonds, while that OF the actress was
OF paste.
Most OF the diamonds have been the pro-
perry OF the French crown for centuries.
Those that were purchased by the two Ma
poleons remained their private property.
Louis XVIII, Charles X, nor Louis Phil
lippe did not have any taste in that direc-
{ | on. When the Republicans of 1889
abolished the monarchy and cut off the
head OF Louis XVI. they found themselves
somewhat embarrassed by The possession Of
all these baubles," as they called them,
but they came very near being relieved OF
their embarrassment in a startling and IN
pleasant manner.
THE JEWELS STOLEN.
The crown Jewels We're stored away in
the Garde Meuble, a sort OF warehouse
where all the personal property of the State
not in actual use is kept, and three men,
bers OF the Commune were commissioned
TO take care OF them. On the morning OF
September II, 1892, one of the commits
sioners, man named Sergent, the brother
in-iaw OF Marceau, appeared before the
Commune and announced that during the
night robbers had broken into the Garde
Meuble and made clean sweep Of all the
jewels. The Garde Meuble was in those
days in building standing on the corner
Of the Rue st. Florentin and the Place
de la .Concorde, but this house is now
used by the Ministry Of the Marine. Here.
after the days of Louis XIV, were stored
oil the precious arms presented to the
mnnarcls Of Erance hy their hrothar man,