The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-28
KING EDWARDS SWORDS.
Blades of Wonderful Workmanship
 and. Romantic History.

Blades of Wonderful Workmanship and Romantic History,
 Few of the treasures of Buckingham Palace possess one-half the romantic interest of the little armory of swords and daggers- gifts to King Edward from one hundred of the princes and nobles of India.
 It is difficult to separate truth from legend, says the Strand, but of the great antiquity of most there can be no manner of doubt. Here is a little story which will illustrate this fact. | A sword in the collection of the Ma Iharajah of Jalpur was sold to an Eng fish nobleman, together with the scholl setting forth its history: This blade was a talisman in the family of Sadat Chandra Khan, descending from fath- CT to son for eighteen generations, un- til the coming of Nadir Shah, who slew Sadat Chandra Khan and gave this sword to the vizier, who sold 1t at Benares.''
 The Englishman on his return was one day showing his prize to visitor, who, after scrutinizing the blade un- der powerful magnifyinS glass, be- gan to laugh.
 q think some one has been drawing a long bow as well as handling a sharp blade," he said There is the makers name here-tJohan Smith, York. | It seemed an awkward revelation, but there was ood deal more to be revealed. "Johan Smith" was indeed the maker, but he lived and flour ished in the thirteenth century, and made this particular sword-and per- haps one or two others in the present collection-for some crusading knight who, failing in the Holy Land, left his lwtapon to be handed on to the infldels in the Far East.
 One blade is q superb example of Damascus watering, damaskeened with escutcheons and inscriptions in Per sian. At the back is inscribed the makers Mohammed Ibrahim. The hilt is damaskeened In gold with lthe Shiah inscription, La fatta Ma Aly la saif Ma zulhcar ("There is no saint but Ali, no sword but zulficar J
 The history of this blade goes back five hundred years, and to recount all the notable and blood curdling deeds oi IZulficar would require ponderous lvolume.
 Histories of swords exist in many Iparts of the east. In the Royal Libra Try at Teheran there Is a manuscript o1 1.-two hundred pages accounting the ex. lploits of a Damascus blade, probably liar inferior in prowess to the one Sust mentioned.
 Everywhere we come across fine Flu Iropean sabres fixed in Indian handles After time the deep grooves were made deeper and utilized in strange lfashion, being filled with loose pearls which ran to and fro when waved lThese were called "the tears of the en, leiny.N
 | A curious sabre worn by successive Rajahs of Mandi is of Indian make land in the middle of the blade are cir cular apertures containing small lead len slits on either side of the blade lThis shot is said to have been extract led from the heart of foe and Rame JllOSt AGldltS llleillN lllStt1lASCi Iof swords manufactured especially tC contain such fatal leaden pellets.
 Perhaps the most fascinating of al in the collection is the sword of th' renowned Sivaji, founder of the Nah lratta dominion in India. Several na
 tive pens have attempted to write tn history of this wonderful blade, but 1
 Is doubtful if any could relate tith of its adventures.
 It, like many others. was borne il the Crusades by an English knight and may perhaps be of English make Tt is straight, one edged blade witt
 two grooves on either side, in one q
 which the holy letters, T. II. S." ar
 stamped thrice. It Is sal thatd sieaj
 claimed 1t to have been the sword O ~ I.a.