The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-09
NIzAN DIAMOND MAY BE STOLEN.
Reported That the Costly Jewel Has
been Replaced by Paste.


From the New York Herald.
1t is reported from Hyderabad that the
historic diamond which was sold some
time ago to the Nizam of Hyderabad has
been stolen and replaced with an imita-
ton of the stone in paste. 1t is believed
that it was the intention of the nizam to
present the diamond to her majesty upon
the occasion of her diamond jubilee. The
Victoria, Imperial or Great White Dla-
mond, the most celebrated diamond in the
possession of the Nizam of Hyderabad,
and the largest brilliant in the world, is
probably the stone meant i'm this dispatch.
1t was sold to the nizam four or five years
ago for over $1,5O0,0O0, after having made
a sensation among the London dealers,
who could find no European customer for
1t. The origin of the stone is not definitely
known, but in all probability it was sto-
len from the Kimberley mines i'm 1884 by
a dishonest inspector.
1t weighs $50 karats, which makes it the
second largest cut diamond in the world,
and the largest brilliant, as the Orloff dia-
mond, belonging TO the car, which alone
is larger, being l94A karats ia weight. is
not brilliant. The KOh-i-noor weighs
only 1929 karats.
The history Of the Kohi-i-noor is obscure.
According to Hindu legend, it was worn
ny one Ol lnt heroes OF the indian epic
poem the Mahabharata, and 1t would
therefore have a history extending back
ward over 4OO0 years. Coming down to
late times, we find IL in POSSESSION Of Vi
kramaditya, Rajah of Uiayin SO b. c..
froLn whom 1t passed 10 his successors. the
HaJahs Of Malwa and latterly to the Sui
tans OF Delhi, when Malwa fell into their
posa session. Queen Victoria now possesses
it.
Another beautiful diamond Is the EN-
press Eugene. 1t is cut as a brilliant and
weighs fifty-one karats.
A third famous diamond belonging for
some time to France is the Saucy. Its his
tory is not quite certain But 1t is certain
that IL had many vicissitudes According
to the inventory Of 1871, the Saucy weighed
30 l2-l6 karats. 1t is now in Russia, and is
valued al what NJ. Helphen considers an
exagl Grated price, sls6OOO
The country that is richest In diamonds
a pre- sent Is Russia. Among the large dia-
mondI In Russia the most remarkable is
the Ollow. II weighs 1893 karsts. Ii has the
form l)f a half egg. IL is one Of the orna-
ments OF the imperial scepter. This beau
uful diamond was originally from India
II formed for a century and a half one Of
the eyes of the famous idol of Serrngham
In the temple Of Brahma. The other eye
was a diamond Of the same size
The crown diamonds OF Brazil are val
ued al more than Sls,6OO.O0O. The marvel
among. the productions of Brazil Is the
Star OF the South. This extraordinary
diamoiid was found In 1853 In the mines
Of Boiagan by poor negress. The rough
diamond weighed 257ib karats II Is of ir-
reproalchahle purity. transparent and TAX
ing by refraction a lovely rose tint The
Star Of the South was cut az Amsterdam
by NJ. Costor.
Another weil-known diamond Is the Pig
OFT, which was brought from the Indies
BY Lord Pigott It's weight Is slk kari
ats. II was sold by lottery In 1901 for the
sum OF SiS9.JOO. Later Il became the prop-
erty OF the Pasha OF Egypt, who paid an
equal sum for II.