Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-24

E& * \ M\ gain or adventure,
on zsA-X1AMN rare opportunities are
. AS.AS4snSS<-*Sx9 enjoyed to adj i'm
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their fund OF yarn
spinning material as
they view the quaint, the curious and the
| magnificent of foreign lands. Poor and in
significant indeed must be the country that
does not possess more or less rare and beau
tiful material, popularity classed under the
comprehensive head of treasure, all care
fully boarded and guarded, usually open to
| inspection only to the favored few
Various tours of duty in all portions of
the globe have enabled the writer at various
periods of his career to view treasures and
objects of interest that in many insta noes
would battle the pen of a Fabre or Verne
to attempt description.
Take, for instance, the old seragio at
Constantinople, the sultan's art treasury.
Probably few strongholds of the orient or
the world can boast Of such IN accunula-
| ton of wealth and grandeur
Throne of Beaten Gold.
In one room is deposited a great throne
I or divan Of beaten gold set with pearls,
rubies and emeralds numbering many thou
sand. 1t belonged originally to Persia and
was captured many years ago Opposite
to it stands a throne of Turkish workman
ship many hundred years old, and many a
sultan has sat cross legged upon its jewel
incrusted surface. Hanging from the 1oof
or the canopy is golden rope on which
bangles an ornament in the shape of a
heart. and beneath that large uncut en-
erald. Numerous richly decorated suits Of
armor and rare specimens of arms are ar
ranged in inches of all the rooms compris-
ing the sepaglio. The most notable work
of this class is one of chain and plate ex-
Quisitely damascened and jeweled, worn by
Sultan Murad ~ in 1898, at the capture
of Bagdad. The hilt and scabbard of the
scimiter are incrusted with diamonds, some
of them exceeding half an inch in width.
On one ebony bracket stood massive
tankard of gold. The handle, coycr and a
raised band around the center of the cup
were covered with jewels of all colors and
sizes, and in point of value must have been
worth kings ransom.
Scattered on all sides were splendid VEL
vet saddle cloths embroidered with jewels
then came enameled jewel-hilted daggers,
sabers, scimters, maces and battle axes
Vases filled with diamonds, rubies, eIner-
aids, pearls and sapphires reposed side by
side with bales of brocades and velyets
stiff with sold embroidery and cleaning
precious stones Paintings. statuary. Jew
ery of all descriptions mingled with he'll
NETS. arms and all sorts of odd objects. ap-
parently placed there with no regard to
order or taste.
The Standard of the Prophet.
1t is here also that the standard of the
hat ir- ;y,a e
sacred and far-famed Sanjak- Schrief or
grand standard, the principal banner used
by Maho.net in his wars. and figured nota-
bly, on the occasion of his triumphal entry
into Mecca. 1t is of such Importance that
a British ambassador at Constantinople
used all his power on one occasion to pre-
vail upon the sultan not to display the
emblem of the prophet.
The standard is a piece of dark canelot,
some II feet long. and said to have formed
part OF the curtain which hung before the
door Of the room belonging to the prophets
favorite wife, Ayesha. With a view to it's
protection it is covered first with another
nag, that OF Omar, the second caliph. and
IN the next place with forty coverings of
taneta, while over all these envelopes is
a case OF green cloth. To enhance the
sacredness of the standard a CODY of the
Koran in the handwriting OF Omar has
been placed within its wrappings and like
wise the silver key of the Saaba. which
vas presented by the Schrieff of Mecca to
Selirn i in 1917.
The Saniak-Schrieff was brought to Con-
stantinople from Damascus in 1925. and
was thence carried to the Turkish army
then engaged in a war against Hungary
and Wallachia. Previous to that time it
had been carried at the head of the an
nual pilgrimages to Mecca. 1t is, however
only when the sultan or his grand yizief
assumes the personal command of the
army that the Sanjak-Schrieff is borne
into battle. When a campaign is futrustod
to ordinary officers the sacred banner is
SIMPLY displayed in the capitol at the open-
ing or the war. War Under such a banner
becomes wa in the service Of the faith.
with visions of Mahomet Omar, Osmsn'
the Koran and Mecca Its disDlay IL lilo Lla
to excite and the excuses and fanatical
enthusiasm common to men when they re-
gn,s one another as the enemies of God.
When the sacred banner is wholly unf,,ri.
ed the sultan will be in desperate straits
ana thousands upon thousands of the faith
fui VIII rally under it's folds ready to shea
thelr iast drop of blood in its defense
Treasures of the Vatican.
The treasurers of the Vatican are beyond
all price or calculation. and but few ray
ored mortals outside of the church have
ever been permitted to view the inner sac
rlsty where the Accommodations of centuries
are boarded.
Aheie are iour ToCHS specially decorated
in which are deposited scores of r,iters
ornamented with precious stones: chaIIces
In gold and silver: capes and Garments for
the highest church officials and only dom
ned upon special state occasions. Nany
OF the robes are embroidered in gold. with
the arms CT various popes emblazoned upon
them. In the cabinets were once stored
hundreds of precious objects, but when
Plus vi was forced to pay a part of the
POI. 100000 francs imposed by Napoleon l.
the prelate had recourse to the chalices
and golden vessels. which were melted down
and placed side by side with numerous
gems OF the Vatican treasury in order TO
satisfy the demands of the rapacious con-
queror. When the French army occupied
Rome in 1913, the treasury was sacked, and
many paintings and rare statuary carried
off. The tapestries, or arazzi, as the
Romans call them, because they were made
at Arras, hung in one of the inner alcoves
OF the Vatican. The cartoons for them
were made by Raphael, in 1915, and repre-
sent various events in the life of the Savior
Some of these tapestries were carried off
in 1IoS, and sold to a trader at Genoa,
who burned one Of them for the sake of
the gold and silver threads used in the
bright lights representing sunshine. The
speculation proving Improbable the trader
In 1908, disposed of the remainder to Plus
VII. who restored them to their original
inches.
Under glass cases are many beautiful
swords, which the popes are wont to be-
VI hn x1-iv, 1tcts,, al