The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-23
QUEEN vIorORIA's CROWN.
Thousands of Diamonds and Gems
Are fn IL, and IL Is Very Uncom-
Portable.

!
Portable.
From the New York Sun.
In the Tower Of London is kept the
queens crown. the diadem used at her
coronation in 1888. 1t is composed Of very
ancient relics. but is a modern composition.
having been made by the firm Of Rumble q
| Bridge. and completed in the year 1S3s.
The crown is constructed Of jewels taken
/ from old crowns. and other stones pro-
/ vided by her majesty. II consist of en-
/ eralds, rubies. sapphires, pearls and dia-
monds. The stones which are set in gold
\ and silver, encase a crimson velvet cap
/ with a border OF ermine. the whole of the
I interior being lined with the nnest white
/ silk.
Above the crimson border on the lower
I edge of the band is a row of l2y pearls.
Round the upper part OF the band IS Dor
/ der Of 1l2 pearls. In the front, stationed
I between the two borders Of pearls, is
huge sapphire, purchased By George ",
set ia the center Of valuable pearls. At the
back, in the same position, is another bur
| smaller sapphire
The sides are adorned with three sap
phires. and between these are eight emer
aids Above and below the sapphires. eX-
tending all around the crown, are placed
at intervals fourteen large diamonds. the
eight emeralds being cncircled by clus-
ters Of diamonds, lbs In number. Between
the emeralds and sapphires are sixteen
ornaments, each consisting of eight dla-
monds. Above a circular bend are eight
sapphires, set separately, encircled by eight
diamonds. Between each of these eight
sapphires are eight festoons Of eighteen
diamonds each.
In front of the crown is a diamond MAJ
tese cross, in the center Of which glistens
the famous ruby given to Edward l. by
Don Pedro the Cruel. This is the stone
which adorned the helmet Of Henry V. at
the battle of Agincourt The center of the
ruby is followed out, and the space filled,
in accordance with the eastern custom,
with a smaller ruby. The Maltese cross
is formed of seventy-five splendid dia-
mopds. At each Of the sides and at the
back is a Maltese cross with emerald CEN
ters, containing respectively 1872 124, and
100 sparkling diamonds.
Level with the four Maltese crosses, and
stationed between them, are four orna-
ments shaped like the fleur-de-lis, with
four rubies In the center, and surrounded
by diamonds, containing 50, Sc, and 81 dia-
monds. From the Maltese crosses. spring
four imperial arches, composed of oak
leaves and diamonds. The leaves are
formed of 72S diamonds: 80 pearls repre-
sent the acorns and "a diamonds the cups
From the upper part of the imperial
arches hang suspended four large pend
ant-shaped pearls set in diamonds, the
stems from each of the four hanging
pearls being incrusted with twenty-four
diamonds. Above the arch IS the mount
which Is made of 43S diamonds. The zone
and arc. are represented by thirty-three
diamonds. On the summit of the throne
is a cross. which has for its center a rose
cut sapphire set in the center of four,
teen large diamonds.
Altogether the crown comprises one large
ruby, one large sapphire twenty-six small
er sapphires, eleven emeralds, four rlIbies
1868 brilliants. 1913 rose diamonds. four
pendant-shaped pearls, and 27S smaller
pearls.
1t is the heaviest and most uncomfort-
able diadem of any crowned head in Eu-
rope.