New-York tribune., 1910-12-11
SsorofATico UWGfeom
rn .Scepfre Of George "
W6en He Is Crovned.

Copyright 1910 nv the Brentwood coanpsnys
Africa will play conspicuous role at
the coronation of King George snd
Queen Mary. For the great diamond
thar hears the name OF the Star OF
Af-ics-sar and away the largest cia-
ruon6 II the world, weighing more than
200 carats-wiu figure for the first time
among the historic crown jewels OF the
vast British Empire and VIII glitter
from the head OF the sceptre OF the SOW
ereiCn Il VIII thus receive that same
Christian conservation which that other
great diamond. the koh-i-Noor-a stone
O. The most romantic and eanguinary
history. hailing from the Ortcnt-re-
Ceived for the first time at the corona
ton of King Edward
The Roh-t-Noo- was sorely II need OF
some such publication. by means o. &
religious ceremony OF such soleuanity as
coronation IN Westminster Abbey.
Tor none OF the celebrated diamonds Of
the world has been the cause Of so many
hs-ba-ous we-s, massac-es and cruel
reeas throughout the fifty centuries OF
As pS-1 authentic, part legendary, rec
ord
rcs presence ss one OF the eyes Of the
-,escock throne Of the Great Mogu!, LED
Natir Shah 70 besiege. storm and sack
Delhi with immense loss O. life He
w~ assassinateo OF account Of the
s,one. ano his son Shah Rokh- was not
,nrv oer-tved OF his throne, but blinded
and euhsecre6 70 the most rrightful tort
H. ---y.-- zT-,7rl
IN order 70 induce him 10 surrender the
rem. Shah Zsmsn. his brother, Shuja-
.,l-Nurn besides several other Persian
and Afghan sovereigns, suffered the loss
Of their eyes OF their thrones as well as
violent and cruel deaths, on account OF
the stone. Indeed. the only peaceruI
norton OF its history has been since
1850. when. having been surrendered by
-he government OF Puntaub on the an
r.xation o. that kingdom 70 the posses
sions of the East India Company by
means os treaty. il was presented 10
Queen Victoria for use as one or the
crown Jewels O. England
throughout India this stone is re
xsr6ed hv the natives 0f high and low
degree as a sort OF emblem and taltsnan
~ -he sovereignty Of the empire. and II
wgs for this reason that Queen Alex
aadra -efrained from following the e1-
annie q Queen Victoria in occasionally
wearing II as e pendant or in the form
q brooch. She took the ground that
feir,g only q Queen Consort is Use by
her would ne improper. and that its wear
should ne confined To the actual mon
=-rf7 Of India i IS understood that
Queen Mar shares ner views in this re-
Fpect-
Corcnarions. after all. are symbolic,
and 80. TOO. are al The various portions
O The roCalia that figure IN the cere-
mon. TIE Koh-i-Noor adjoining the
crown used for crowning King George
i indicative Of his sovereignty over
1,rdfa. and all its 3aa0G000o Of pop1la-
-ior. The star o. Africa shining from
l7iS- s-er+ra IS enblematic ef his ruler
shin over ali that huge area Of the Dark
Continent subject 10 the British flag. Il
remains for the Commonwealth Of Aus
--alia and for the Dominion Of Canada
20 he represented in some similar sym
holic fashion among the coronation re
gala of the Empire of George \
Although the crown with which King
George viii be actually crowned next
June bears the name o. St. Edward the
confessor. yet Il really dates from the
reign OF Charles IL For after the exc
r-1-tio- o. Charles ! Cromwell caused the
existing crown and all % the -egalia OF
which n. could obtain possession 70 be
d-faoed, broken Up and sold for mere
eons. Some of the Jewels were subse-
cuently recovered; among them the
famous ruby given TO Edward the Black
Prince by Dom Pedro. King of CASTLE
srrer the battle OF Nagera, and worn N
the helmet Of Henry Y Of England at the
battle OF Agincourt Il now figures on
cha .r,nertsl state crown along with the