Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-01-01
FABULOUS RICHES.

struggling their hardest for the doubt
ful privilege of keeping themselves alive
it seems difficult to realize that jewels
and gold whose value Ia counted In
hundreds of millions OF pounds should
be lying hidden in royal treasure houses
untouched aud seen only by privileged
and curious few.
Those who have been privileged TO
Razs on the wonders ofthe Shah's treas.
ure house tell astonishing stories OF
wealth which is indeed beyond the
dreams of svsrice, and which might
well form u climax to the marvels OF
the Arabiao Nights tales; of diamonds
and rubies, emeralds and sapphires, 50
countless that they might literally be
measured by the peck; OF shields, he'll
NETS and armor thickly encrusted with
priceless gems, and sword scabbards
which 1t pains the eye to look on, so
dazzling are the jewels which sheath
them.
One Of these scabbards is completely
covered with diamonds, the smallest OF
which Is as large as finger nail. Yes
sells OF solid gold, 90 large that only
stroDg man could lift one OF them,
crowns blazing with every color of the
rainbow, chains of gold and rare preci-
Gus stones, ensmels Of matchless
oeauty lie scattered about In careless
1rofdsiop; trays are heaped to over
hJwlng with sappbifes and pearls,
many OF which are w0ttn tens OF thous'
.nds Of pounds.
A glass case. Two feet long and foot
and q balf 80 width and height, is more
than hail filed with thousands Of
pes perfect 10 form sBd lustre. By
IS SIDE Is q globe OF gold. twenty inches
10 diameter, with seas of emerslds and
continents of rubiss and diamonds TO
he number OF $4,000, and each stone
specially chosen Tor its purity and
beauty. The value Of this globe ID
el, 600 900 sterling.
Among the countless treasures OF the
shaw are iwless uncut ruby said 10
bo as large as a hen's egg and OF value
Snicn 90 one has Ventured TO estimate;
turquoise as long mans finger eDO
. belt loot wide which Ia 30 closely
1T with msDy.hued precious stones
nat II Is one uUbroken blaze OF dia-
lnoDds and emersIs, pearls and rubles.
OF all the Oatlye princes OF lndla the
Gaek var OF B B,roda is the richest 10 gold
and jewels. mere Catalogue OF which
would fill some of the worlds richest
nilhonslres with despair. OOe of his
most Interesting, though by no means
most valuable, possessions Is a carpet,
.eu feet loug and six feet 10 Width, com.
posed entirely OF ground work OF ex'
qulsite pearls on v wbich is traced Oe-
sign in diamonds. This Carpet which
certainly has no rival 10 the world is
said TO be worth sSO0,0 or E500 COOS
,quaee foot.
Oi mucn greater value than this car
pet Of gems IS a matohless collar, con-
slstlDg Of five rows Of diamonds snd
TWO OF emeralds, the stones being Of
gradused sizes from that OF walnut to
he slzs Of pea; from this collar of 700
of the most perfect stones in xistence
naDgs as o pendent the famous "5tar OF
the south" diamond, one of the most
magnificent diamonds the world has
ever seen.
The Gar of Russia has q treasure.
house In each of his many palaces, and
one OF which might we'll satisfy the am.
btioD of a0y monarch in the variety
and value of lis contents. Two crowns
alone are valued at "a, 600, 600; and the
Jewels 10 the Winter Palace, which in
olndelmany of the choicest gems in the
World, are valued ut many millions
moie.
The treasures OF the Kremlin ere
said on authority to be worth over
G100, 600, 900; aud the gold on the walls
of the Palace Of Tsarskoye Selo, with
It's walls and ceilings OF amber. tor
toise. shell, ivory, aud mother-of-pearl,
nas been valued at nearly q quarter OF
a million pOunds.
But 1t 10 doubtful whether the Cars
wonders of gold and jewels can rival
those of the Sultan, the accumulations
of centuries of predecessors. The Sui
tan is as careless Of the treasures ss the
Shah, and the room in which they are
Kept has rather the appearance OF a
lumber room than o treasury OF count
| less millions.
But 10 disorder can conceal the rich
ness aud spleOdor OF gold vessels filled
TO the brIm with diamond and sap
pOires, IuOies and emeralds; Of suits OF
armor, crowDs, sword.scs bbsrGs, chains
aud rings oiszing with gent; although,
as d traveller recently declared, "One
cannot fail 10 gasp wrh ams zsment al
the spectacle OF hundreds of beautiful
pearls worth probably $4,000 con.
tanned In an old tin tobacco pox.D-
Pittsburg Chronicle -Telegrspn.