The Washington herald., 1911-06-27
FORTUNES IN JEWELS

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No tale Of the rulers of legendary
India would be complete without say.
ing at least something of their jewels
Yesterday. In this column, 1 mentioned
the names OF the maharajas, rajas, and
sirdars who participated at the coro-
nation. &C., but limited space forbade
my speaking of the Indian prince who
possesses the finest collection OF gems
in the world, the Gaekwar of Baroda.
On the occasion of the Gaekwar's
tour through this country a year ago
told that Baroda has been In the
hands OF the Mahratta family since
early in the eighteenth century when
his ancestors wrested the land from the
Moguls. He became the ruler at the
age of twelve, when his predecessor
Malhar Rao (Rajah). poisoned HIS
brother and also the then British resi-
dent at his capital, Col. Phayre. The
result was one OF the greatest state
trials of India, before six commission
ers. three Britons and three native
princes.
The trial lasted FIVE weeks. The
three British officers were in favor of
conviction. The Rajah of Jaipur was
for acquittal. while Princes Sindis and
Dinha Rao found mot proven" The
government solved the matter by de-
posing Malhar on the ground Of his
previous misconduct. installing his
nephew, the present Gaekwar, Sir Sa-
yaji Rao, as ruler. His first public ap-
pearance was on the occasion of the
visit of the late King-then Prince of
Wales-to India in 1875. A contempo-
rary description of the scene is as fol-
lows:
"All eyes were daZzled when Maharaja
Sayaji Rao. the little boy Gaekwar Of
Baroda, stood at the thresholds crys-
tallized rainbow. A small, delicately
framed lad for his twelve years, with
bright pleasant face. he was weighted
neck, head. chest, fingers, and ankles
with such a sight and wonder of vast
diamonds, emeralds. rubies, and pearls
as would be the loot Of many a rich
town. 1t is useless to give the estimate
/ heard of their value, and the little
gentlemen had more at home"
The Gaekwar in reality is rich beyond
all dreams of avarice. His palace at
Baroda City is one of the most remark
able buildings in India. It is named
'Iakahimi Villas (abode of the Goddess
of Fortune), and has cost millions Of
sterling to erect. All corridors are OF
alabaster and pearl, inlaid with precious
stones, and the throne room is Inagnifi-
cent IN its gorgeous splendof.
In one Of my variations, a year ago.
mentioned the fact that The popular title
by which this ruler is known among his
subjects is Gaekwar. o. cowherd. But
why a man with so modest a name
should go in so very much for precious
stones and heirlooms is one OF the in
explicable things Of the mysterious East
At any rate this cowherd's jewels are
the wonder Of all Asia. The old palace
is at Nazi Bagh. and in its ''tosha-Sana"
(treasure house, there are gems the like
Of which neither Aladdin nor Sindbad
ever saw.
There Is the famous Star OF the
South" one of the great diamonds Of
the whole world, bigger than the Ko-
hi-noor in the Tower of London and sec
ond only to the Cullinan. Then there Is
the great collar Of 500 diamonds, with a
double row OF pear-shaped emeralds, the
broad scarf literally covered with row
uPOh ~" VI pSdEios anu hhOIlCu Win
immense pigeonblood rubies on the left
shoulder; and the necklace, which falls
from the throat to the waist. made up
of seven rows Of pear-shaped diamonds
as large as hazel nuts.
There is a carpet, large enough to
cover the floor Of a fair-sized room, COW
cred with seed pearls, and the necklace
which the Gaekwar habltuelly wears is
made of magnificent pearls and is worth
kings ransom. And besides all this.
there are bushels OF uncut<stones and
cups carved out of solid emeralds.
Nor are these gems and precious metals
confined to the treasure chambers. They
may be found in the elephant stables as