Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08
WET WEATHER ABROAD
Tourists Complain of Unusual
Season of Rain.
THE TRANSVAAL DIAMOND
Something About the Big Gem and
Tom Cullinan.
FRANZ JOSEFS COURT A MECCA
Austrian Emperor's Beautiful Home
Favorite Place-Venerable Sow
ereign's Daily Life.
FRANZ J0sEF's COURT A MECCA
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
LONDON, August Is, 1907.
The unhappy tourists wfo are now visit
ing London are not having worse weather
than Is being experienced nearly over the
whole Of Europe. Every one who is return
ing from the continent speaks of the afro
cious time they have been having as re-
CARDS the weather, which has been almost
uninterruptedly wet No scientific cause
has been given for the phenomenon. IN
deed, what may be called the "ong-dis-
tance' prophets are now silent, for all
their representations have turned out er-
roneous. We are still limited to the daily
weather chart of the forthcoming twenty
four hours, which is generally absolutely
correct
The unsettled weather has had the effect of
keeping many Londoners at home, instead of
spending their holidays at the seaside. One
result of this Is that theater and music
hall managers are congratulating them
selves, hotel managers are beaming and
shopkeepers are thinking Of putting off
their autumn sales. On this date last year
there were only eight first-class theaters
open in London. and of these but five were
doing good business. Today there are four
teen open, each Of them playing to full
audiences.
1t Is worth passing notice that. unlike
continental nations, the people of any i'm
portance in this country scarcely ever pa
tronize English watering places. The mem
bers of the royal family always boycott
these resorts. They flee abroad or to Scot
land for their recreation in the holiday sea-
son. Indeed, the Scotch highlands for the
wealthy and distinguished classes are the
favorite grounds. Scotsmen come to Eng
land, and they achieve a foremost place in
every department of skill or industry. and
they have been clever enough to make their
barren highland mountains recreation
ground of the wealthiest class of this and
other countries.
Diamond Gift to King.
The gift of the Cullnan diamond to the
king is a pleasant Indication of the good will
of the government and the people of the
Transvaal toward this country, but 1t is
poor compensation for the thirty millions
which were promised to Mr.. Chamberlain
by the Rand magnates at the beginning Of
the Boer war. 1t Is not quite clear whether
the diamond Is meant to be a personal gift
to the king or whether it is to become one
Of the crown Jewels. The idea Is that Gen.
Botha means that it should be added to the
ornaments of the crown which is placed on
the head of the sovereign at the coronation.
The crown is already very heavy. 1t
weighs over three pounds, and to add the
Cullinan diamond to 1t would add another
three-quarters Of a pound to its weight.
The crown Is so rarely worn that this, how
ever, is not a matter Of very great impor-
lance.
If the Cullinan diamond be placed in the
crown it will be the most costly Jewel in
it. At present the principal gem IN the
crown is the ruby which was given to the
Black Prince in Spain, and the value of
which is estimated at about 910O,OoO.
The diamond weighs over 5000 carats
in its present natural state. He would be a
rash man who would venture, to say
what It's weight will be when cut.
The Koh-i-noor was reduced by an
| unskillful stonecutter from 1885 carats
to $50 carats; a second cutting brought 1t
down to 1876 lie carats, and a third to
1O6 1-18 carats, or less than, seventh of its
original size. The original weight Of the
Pitt or Regent diamond was 40 carats, but
in the hands Of the cutter two-thinls of
South" which was picked up in river by
| a negress, lost little over half its weight
by cutting. How delicate matter this
diamond cutting is was proved IN the case
this stone, according to Tavernier, weighed
7S71a carats. "It was Hortensio Borgis who
cut 1t, for which he was also badly paid.
When 1t was cut he was reproached for
having spoiled the stone, which might have
remained heavier, and instead of reward
ing him the king fined him 10000 rupees"
When Tom culltnan started building and
contracting, a quarter Of century ago. In
Cape Town, am told by a South African,
he little thought that one day his name
would be handed down to posterity in COM
Great Mogul. But it is. The "Culnan
diamond is called not after its original
finder, but after the man who was the first
owner of the mine near Pretoria on which
1t was found
Tom Cullinan is sonnet thing of a rough
diamond himself-a CHEEKY. hearty Eng
| nshman who has had his ups and downs in
the colonies and come out on top at last.
He did well In Cape Town and better in
Johannesburg as builder and contractor,
and, being of saving disposition, put
away a certain proportion OF his profits into
this diamond farm, which, from indications
of blue ground and garnets similar to those
of Kimberley, he thought might turn UP
trumps. 1t did, and his name became
known throughout the world as the god
father of the most expensive white ele-
plant on record
Fashion With Crowned Heads.
1t seems to be becoming the fashion for
crowned heads to make the pilgrimage to
| Ischl to confer with the venerable Emperor
| Franz Josef Ten days ago Prince Ferdi
nand Of Bulgaria was his guest. Wednes-
day last King Edward passed twenty
four hours with him, and hear from san
| Sebastian that King Alfonso will leave for
Ischl Via Paris Thursday next. euch'
at least was his intention two days ago.
His majesty will be accompanied by Queen
Victoria the Prince of the Asturas and the
queen mother They will travel IN strlctest
| incognlto with small suite OF six persons
| l hear that King Alfonso desires to have
| the advice of the aged emperor on certain
points Things are not going as well as
| they should in Spain just now, and the
| king requires the benefit of the emperors
| great experience in affairs of state. King
! Alfonso and his consort seem to be slowly
| but surely recovering confidence in the 10y
| atty Of their people. Wednesday last they
went officially to the service in the Church
| of Santa Maria, In San Sebastian. This is
| the first public ceremony they have at
| tended officially since the bomb was thrown
| at them on their wedding day.
The soiourn at Ischl will last about
week and while there they will live with
| the greatest simplicity, as everybody does
| who visits the Austrian emperor in that
| beautiful watering place. For in Ischl the
| emperor utterly refuses to be bound by the
| rules of court etiquet. Though when need