The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-17
TURKEY HAS RICH
TREASURE HOUSE
Great Collection Of Jewels Kept
In Treasury.
ROOM JEkLOUSLY GUARDED.
Throne and Many Robes of Past Sui
tans Are Incrusted With Thousands
of Gems-Privilese of Seeing Treas
ure Gained Only by Influence.

r. ]. Turner, in an interesting ar
ticle in the Academy headed Turkeys
Treasure House." discusses the marvel
GUS collection Of jewels and curiosities
that are in q corner Of the old Blachern
palace, known as the treasury.
Here, in all conscience" says Mr..
Turner, 'is loot enough alone to justify
a triumphal entry into the ancient city
of Constantine and to make the mouths
water of the Bulgarian or Servian hosts
If they were permitted to cross the
threshold of the treasure chamber.
"In the time of Abdul Hamid access
to this veritable cave of Abdullah was
difficult to obtain. Ambassadorial in.
tercession in the case Of Europeans
was necessary, and not always success.
full. Since the advent of Aahmud and
the Young Turk, viewing privileges
have been extended, but the signature
of the grand vizier is still necessary to
insure the unlocking Of the famous
portals.
"The procedure for private view is
quite an affair. After passing the SEN
tries at the gate of the old palace and
reporting ones arrival in the court
yard, stately procession of befezzed
and frock coated officials, headed by a
venerable Bede, issues from a side
building. The guard comes to atten-
ton. Before the huge key is insert
ed in the lock the seal Of the door is
broken by the venerable one and care
fully borne away. A distinct effort is
required to turn the lock. The door
opens only to reveal another barrier
which is as soemnly unlocked. The
black coated procession flows in and
takes up strategic positions.
"The most striking object that meets
the eye is the famous jeweled throne
of one of the sultan's ancestors. This,
as we'll as a smaller throne in the same
glass case, is thickly incrusted with
pearls, diamonds and rubies. 1t would
be difficult to estimate the number of
stones, some Of which are Of fair size,
but there must be many thousands,
and the effect on the walnut colored
wood is barbaric in the extreme. Its
value is estimated at from one to two
millions sterling Here and there one
sees vacant setting, whence the stone
has disappeared, probably passing into
the possession of some nimble fingered
favorite of the sultan.
Ranged around the room In cases is
a long line of figures Of sultans in their
jeweled robes and turbans. Some of
the vestments are literally stiff with
precious stones, while to fasten the
aigret of the turban stupendous emer-
aid or ruby is invariably utilized. An
idea Of the size of the ordinary run of
the stones may be grasped by looking
at half a small sized hens egg placed
on end
"The scabbard Of each warriors scim-
itar Is elaborately incrusted with sim
liar stones, with a specially large one
on the top of the hilt. The collection
of swords is magnificent, but it is when
one comes to study the daggers that
one realizes the huge fortunes embed
ded in such weapons. In some cases
the entire haft is composed of one
stone-an emerald or a ruby, as the
case may be-that is to say, mass of
color about three inches long and one
and half inches thick. Displayed sep
arately are some huge uncut but polish
ed rubies and emeralds quite as large,
to use homely expression, as an ordi.
nary cake Of toilet soap. Whether such
abnormal gems are of the purest ray
serene one cannot vouch for, but the
whole effect is to recall the jeweled
valley of Sinbad the sailor and his Roc
or the more material properties of the
pantomime. Rumor has it that occa-
sionally when funds were very low
old Abdul would withdraw a choice
specimen or two, which would find
their way to Paris. All credit to the
Young Turks that, amid occasions of
great stress, they have steadfastly de-
clined to take toll of their country's an,
Client treasures.
''Still steadily outfianked by the
black coated brigade another room dis
closes a magnificent collection of coins
from the Romans onward, while other
Eases contain brooches, earrings and or
naments bejeweled beyond the dreams
of avarice.
preceded and followed by the shut
fling band Of brothers, we ascend to a
gallery and more rooms; more relics OF
departed padishas and caliphs, more
emblazoned costumes and bejeweled
swords and daggers and most appall'
ing collection of paintings.
Carefully shepherded downstairs and
outside. we witness the resealing of the
great door, with the guard at the slope
AS an additional courtesy we are shown
Dver some Of the pleasant rooms of the
palace, from the windows Of which one
gets the most magnificent view in Con
stantinople Of the Marmora and Bos
porus. Then, having quafted the ia
nous coffee and partaken OF the lus
cious roseleaf jam, we return the sa
laams Of the remnant of the black
brotherhood. find our ARABIA and make