New-York tribune., 1902-12-20
TIE Chrome of Solomon.
BY SIR EDWIN ARNOLD.

throne itself. the best information with wnfcn my
limited knowledge crafty the curiosity OF fair
readers will be to cite from the &XNIAtn oura
OF the Koran. 1t is there set down IN the
Prophets straightforward style how the Queen or
Saba-which. of course. is SheDa-visited King
Solomon The Lapwing Hud-Hud. one OF the KING
feathered messengers. had brought tdings or thde
wise and powerful Empress of Ethiopia, and the
Jewish monarch summoned her TO his court. where
in he had arranged many devices in order ID test
her sagacity. Among these of them belongs
to my present topic The Lapwing has spoken or
the Queens wonderful throne. made of ivory and
gold. and curiOusy encrusted with sapphres, en1er-
aids. opals and mysterious Inscriptions King
Suleiman commanded the strongest OF the Jinns
serving him to fetch this superb throne from the
palace of Sheba as its mistress had started
will give translation of the arabic verses which
her throne. that she may not Know 1T. to the end
directed" And when she come unto solomon
She answered AS though It We're the same
such persPicacity struck the King more than he
mad been disappointed by her when she took the
PoLshed fooc Of his palace for water. and drew
mosten it. Nor. truly. was it less than mar
ve0us that the chair which had no equal IN the
world and which she had left behind in her African
court should be awaiting her in such incredible
s~ittness % OF manner in the palace at Jerusalem
AS 1or the Queen herself. she became on the spot
the vassal Of the King. and believer in his God.
would think Il only a natural finish to the ancient
legend if Lord Curzon had indeed in some way or
were TO occupy il on the great morning OF the
Grand Durbar.
But no one knows and probably nobody will ever
know. what became of chat throne OF Solomon.
WhereOI the Koran treats a thing which did once
exist. The only item Of imperial upholstery which
at all comedies with the splendOr and unique design
or that article of the Queen Of Sheba'S household
furniture was the throne carried away from Delhi
and Its HlndOO sovereign by Nadir Shah, the Per-
sian But we know where that is to-day II IS visit
Bile. and even in occasional use, at the palace at
Teheran. and is the property of his majesty the
Shah. who has lately visited shores 1t is moth
Takht-i-Taous; and surely if skill in workmanship
and wealth of material could settle the question,
rich and fine enough for the dignity of any legend
The Peacock Throne has been valued by COM
petent European jewellers at f4.O000O0; and there
said to be the gold, the ivory and the ebony
of which it is constructed jewels Of absolutely
equalled value and Importance. How it has
vived the financial exigencieS Of successive Shahs
IL Is difficult to realize. what will prove the
ultimate destiny of object which could build
half dozen first class battleships pay the ex
penses Of a small war. The history Of races and
religions would indeed. be romantically rounded If
the famous throne had been found which was
seat Of state for the Queen of Sheba, chair OF
dignity for the renowned son of David and disap-
peared, perhaps as the King OF Israel himself dis
appeared when the great Temple. at Jerusalem was
finished. Who knows what curious and precious
objects may not lie hidden in the Tosha-Khanas-
the treasure chambers-of India and Central Asia
And what wonder, would be the market value OF
such throne If Perpont Morgan or Andrew Car
negie should desire to purchase il to make, perhaps
q rocking chair for the President Of the United
States?-(The Daily Telegraph