Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-22
BIGGEST OF DIAMOND SHOWS
Blaze of Gems to Mark the Durbar al
Delhi, India.
WEALTH OF PRECIOUS STONES


The keepers OF the British crown Jewels
are making preparations for their safe
transport from London to Delhi in readI-
ness for the great durbar. at which King
George will crown himself Emperor OF
india. Those who attend this durbar will
have a chance 90 see such a display Of
precious stones as the eye OF no living man
has ever gazed on.
The British crown Jewels. fine as they
are, cannot, with the exception Of few
Individual gems, compare with some
Of the great Indian collections. The
princes. rajahs and maharajahs of India
have the accumulated wealth of genera
tlons invested in countless dazzling
gems. whose value IS incalculable. But
Z every Indian rajah had as great and as
valuable a collection as the aggregate
Of all their collections even then. in the
syes Of india, the British crown jewels
would surpass them all. And this, for the
sake Of one stone. the Kohinoor.
Compare with either OF the Stars Of
Africa, as the Culllnan diamonds are now
,alled, the Rohinoor is but a splendid
pebble. Its history is what appeals TO the
indian mind Long years ago It was the
chief jewel OF the Mogul emperors and
remains to this day the symbol of inn
peIlai authority IN lndla.
The history OF the kohinoor is fairly
well known, but there are periods around
which halo Of mystery stll hangs. II
was brought to England after the Sikh
wars, and at once met with a strange
IL somewhat unromantic adventure. The
official who brought it over sent IT to
the wash in his waistcoat pocket Al
that time its weight was 1856 carats. which
wa auhu
reoutting ordered by the prince consort.
When II belonged to the great Moguls
the Kohinoor was a far greater stone
The French jeweler Travernier, who saw
It in the seventeenth century, described
It as 7s7h carats in weight, uncut, OF
merely "flatted" on one side. He com.
pared IL to an egg cut in half Hortensic
Borgio. dishonest or unskilfui Italian
diamond cutter was then called in anc
reduced It to 26s carats He nearly los
his head when the emporer saw what had
been done to his favorite gem,
symbols of Imperial Authority.
Many experts consider that the Orlofi
diamond of the Russian regalia. 1893 carats
In weight and also a large fragment OF
1872 carats, may have both been cut from
the remains OF the Mogul diamond But
sometimes to wear in the socket of his
blind eye, continued to represent the orr
ginal gem. and when II is seen in the
crown Of George at Delhi next Decem
Der. for every native present 1t will b.
the symbol of imperial authority.
Historically the return of the Kohinool
TO India will in native eyes set the fina
seal upon the great ceremony at Delhi.
But some of the other gems in the British
regalia viii certainly produce their effec
upon people so accustomed to symbolism
There is the great Agncourt ruby, won II
the battle. from which II takes its nam,
before the Moguls introduced splendor o.
life, into the, imperial places they built 50
lavishfyt II will certainly be watched will
keen interest by Rajput eyes as 1t glowi
from the central cross of the Engiisl
crown.
Then there Is the pale sapphire in tn,
topnlost cross az owe the orb. That viii
surely make its appeal. for 1t came from
the confessor's tomb in Westminster Able!
and has a 0OO-year-old record behind II