The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-29

pardon. A few days later the pardon was
granted to him on the condition that he re-
UP his residence in England for a time
In conclusion il may be said that the
Koh-i-noor, about which the dead Mahara-
jah dreamed so many years, Is not in It's
present form the largest diamond in the
world. That glory belongs to the Orion
diamond, which is the sceptre Of the Gar
and Is cut In rose form, with a fat face be-
low, resembling the half OF a pigeons egg.
According to one story It formed the. eye
French deSerter; another is that it belonged
to Nadir, Shah of Persia, and on his death
came into the hands Of an American mer-
chant. who brought it to Amsterdam.
In 1772 it was sold to Count Orloff for the
Empress Catherine for 10000 silver rubles,
with an annuity OF 1000 rubleS and title
Of Russian nobility.
Second TO it is the Regent of Pitt, bought
by Mr.. Pitt, the Governor or Madras, Tor
about 100000, eventually sold after being
cut to the Regent Duke OF Orleans, Louis
XIV, for S650,o00 but it is estimated to be
worth twice that amount. At the time or
the first French revolution it was sent to
Berlin. but reappeared in the hilt of the
sword OF state worn by Napoleon j. IL is
considered the finest and most perfect
but originally weighed 40 carats, and the
fragments split or sawn from II when cut
were valued at some thousand pounds. The
third in weight Is the Florentine or Grand
Duke which weighs 139i2 carats.
The Koh-i-noor, the largest belonging to
7,
corresponding TO the country of its origin:
The Indian legend tells that ii was found
in one of the Golconda mines, near the
Kishna river, and worn five thousand
Years by Karna, one of the heroes cele-
brated in the Mahabharata. II passed
through many hands TO Baber, the founder
of the Mogul dynasty. in 1926, and was
shown by his successor in 1865 to Tavernier,
the French traveller. He describes 1t then
as the shape of a half egg and weighing
2S0 carats having been thus reduced by an
unskillful stone cutter from 1885 carats,
which it once weighed. In 1879 it passed
to Made Pacha, the Persian invader of In
or mountain of light, and from his sue
cessor in 1Sl3 to Runjeet Singh, the ruler
aof Lahore. In 1S49, on the annexation or
sthe Punjaub to British India, the Kohl
moor was surrendered and presented to
Queen Victoria In 1850. 1t was exhibited III
the great exhibition Of 1851, and then
recut with doubtful advantage, in the rose
form, and is now 106 Lie carats. It's lower
side is fiat, and undoubtedly corresponds to
a cleavage plan. Hence it has been con.
jectured that it and the Russian .Orloff
diamond are portions of the original stone
belonging to the Great Mogul, while a
at the storming of Coocha, in Khorassan.
in 1852, may be third fragment This por-
ton was long used by a peasant as flint
for striking fire. The three united would
have nearly the form and size given by
Tavernier, and the Koh-i-noor would then
surpass all known diamonds In its magni-
Whether all these famous diamonds are
more valuable than the "Jagersfontein Ex-
celsior," recently discovered in the Orange
Free State, remains to be seen. This is
said to be the largest diamond in the world,
weighing 971 carats, but uncut. Its height
is about three inches, its width about two,
while the fiat base measures nearly two
inches by one and a quarter. But not till
the lapidaries have worked their will upon
the marvellous stone will it be possible to
compare it with the historical gems above
mentioned.
1t will be remembered that the late Ma
harajah's son, Prince Victor Dhuleep
Singh. visited this country in 1889, and
STAYED for a short time in Newport, when
il was rumored-but the rumor was quickly
denied-that he had become engaged to the
daughter of New York banker, Miss
Jeanne Turnure.