The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-16
JEWELS STILL OWNED IN INDIA.
Treasure the Native Princes Have
Chung 10, in Spite of War and Pow
erty and Extravaganza.

erty and Extravaganza.
That India, after foreign occupation
of some centuries and in spite of the APP
parent poverty of the great bulk of the
people, is still probably the greatest treas
ure house on earth, is due to the fact that
for ages It was, with Ceylon and Burmah,
the field which supplied The rest of the
world not only with gold costly fabrics
and spices, but with precious stones the
finest specimens of which, however, were
ever retained by the Hindu or Mogul
Princes for their own personal adornment.
One of the jewel treasures of the Indian
Princes. that of the Gashwar of Baroda,
is perhaps the most remarkable, being APP
praised by experts a few years ago at the
immense sum of three hrors of rupees, or
SIS 600 600. Among his collection his chief
diamond necklace, worn on state occasions
contains the star of the SOUTH a Bra
lillian stone weighing 254 carats, for which
500, 600 was paid, the whole necklace being
valued al forty lacs of rupees, or 81, 100000
The masterpiece in his possession, how
ever is a wonderful shawl composed en-
tirely of inwrought pearls and other preci-
Gus stones. worked in the most harmoni-
GUS and artistic arabesque patterns, and
which actually cost the extraordinary
price of $5,00O,G00.
This shawl was intended as a present to
cover the tomb of Mahomet, but when It
was finished the Gashwar thought twice
of the idea and kept il himself. While 1t
is true that the native jewelers. as RUE
care less for the purity and commercial
value of the stones than for the general
effect produced, yet their artistic feeling
and skill in setting gems, often but poor
ly cut and polished, can not be surpassed.
As an evidence of this, d comb of match
less workmanship was presented TO the
Prince of Wales by the Raja of Jaipur.
Another present which the Prince of Wales
received on his visit to India in 1875 was a
sword from the Maharaja of kashmir, set
with diamonds and emeralds valued at $685.
600. in addition TO which there was a soli-
taire diamond in the belt worth $4,000.
Probably one of the most expensive hats
ever worn by any person apart from an
actual crown, was that of Sir Jung Bahia
dur. prime minister TO the King of Nepal
| when he paid his formal respects 10 the
| Prince of Wales on the latter entering the
| dominions of Sir lungs master, for in adj
dition to a magnificent headdress of dia-
monds worth over 100000, he wore in an
aigrette a single ruby the size of a mar
bic. presented to him by the Emperor OF
! China, and of inestirnable value.
! Al the grand darbar held at Delhi, the
ancient capital of the Mogul empire, when
| Queen Victoria was proclaimed Kaisar-T.
Hind Empress of India, the costumes
| of some of the native princes appeared e
have beggared description.
| The Maharaia Holhar for instance, pre-
| sumably as a small item in respect to thu
| rest of his attire. wore q certain pair Of
| gloves made of delicate gold flexible scale
work enorusted with diamonds, having IL
the center of each back an emerald a:
large as a hazel nut, and terminating IL
bangles studded with rubes, the whole