The Washington times., 1908-01-23
MAP Of PRECIOUS
STONES A WONDER
Gold and Jewels Framed in
Costly Colored Jasper.
For France.
Composed Entirely OF Sibe-
rian Gold and Ural
Russian Gems.

The annals Of international courtesies
contain no more curious episode than
that relating TO imperial Russia's grace
full present TO her friend and ally
France. II took the form OF map
forty inches square composed entirely
OF gold and precious stones framed II
slate eolored jasper. It is exhibited TO
dav in the Louvre-au imperishable
chart OF fair France. impervious allAe
TO moth and rust, the symbol or a ma
ton that viii Give for ever as the
Oriental toast puts it. Ii is eXhlolted
n the great gallery Enclosed in a superb
walnut case that stands eight rect h'sh'
Much pains was taken TO ascertain the
history OF this most wonderful trophy
gift. / use the word trophy because
The gold is all Siberian, and every sem
that stars the map came from tAe ~ ~.
ueriaf Russian mines in the CTals- 1AT
man was designed with the personal
approval OF the Car by the famous
Russian Engineer De MostovmkO. VINO
s,fperintended its production and com
pletion throughout 1t was put toeetLLeI
al the imperial factory or EkateIllbui =
and nearly eight months were pccuPtyu
In this process alone. The Gar was 81
delighted with the map Wheh i Wa
COmpleLed that he personally coA5i u
lated De MOstOyinkO and presented MN
with a decoration in honor Of his
achievement.
The sea IS represented by a pare ailo
preciCIs marble, and portions OF IoLe-sA
countries necessarily included, such as
England Germany, italy ana SPAN,
are in dark gray onyx. The Whole o.
France is shown entirely IN pollsileu
Jasper. and each department mas DeeH
cut from stone Of different color, a.
though the whole blends without the
slightest lar to the artistic eye
Almost every mine in European anu
Asiatic Russia was ransacked for me
necessary material, some OF the gems
being fC4nd unIV In mines appropriated
bv Inc Emperor and never found IN
commerce at ali The jasper used Is
some of the most beautifully Yelned
that has ever been produced, Wnlle lae
DClishing Is a marvel to behold 80
exQuisitclv do the lines Of each section
meet that they are Invisible 10 the
naked eye.
No fewer than 106 Of the more i'm
pOrtant towns of France are given,
their names being wrought In letters
of uure gold while the towns them
selves are represented by lovely jewels.
Thus Paris is represented by ruby
of enormous size and value, Whlcn
caused quite a COmmOtiOn among the
lapidaries of Europe. Havre boasts a
superb emerald under its golden name ,
Rouen is represented by a sapphire;
Lille by a phenaCite. a rare variety OF
rock crystal; Rheims by a chrysoute;
Lyons by a tOurmalin; Nantes by a
beryl; Bordeaux by an aquamarinc;
Marseilles by an emerald; Nice by a
garnet; Cherbourg by an alc--@udrite
from the Urals cit looks green by udS
and reddish blue by artificial light.
Twenty-one other towns are represented
by amethysts, thirty-ive by t0Grmaiius,
and thiTty-eiEht by quartz crystals
And tho rivers Of France in this eX-
traOrdincry map are represented by
sinuous bars of precious platinum sunk
in the jasper. The courses Of the rivers
had first TO be cut in the lovely stone
and the platinum laid in afterWard
and then polished.
The entire cost Of this unique map. Of
course, came out OF the imperial eX-
chAEuer OF the Gar himself, and Paris
ian jewellers like Cartier and Boucheron
estimate NAT not less than Loo was
sunk in Neis costly International COM
plimeut. ''IrsSoed. % Cartier declared en-
phatically, II discussing its amazing
richness, 'if a millionaire came to my
establishment and ordered a map ike
this. I should have TO charge him prob
ably three times as much, if, indeed. I
could procure the stones at aIl.'-Ez-
change.