The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-08

ing OF gems, the most famous Incident
being that of the diamond necklace
which the Queen Marie Antoinette
wore the Hope diamond OF this day,
a beautiful blue stone around which has
been built n whole book of traditions,
was one of the Queens gems. The
money squandered on the Jewels worn
by the French court led eventually to
the hunger which drove the peasants
up out of their stupid. hungry novels,
ana in the French Revolution disap-
peared countless millions in jewels.
In France to-day are worn gems which
were buried when he Royalists were
defeated and fed. or died under the axe,
and which were not recovered till after
the capture of Napoleon. But gems are
not made the everything of French
| lives. as of old. II France were defeated
and II its independence were threatend,
| then the world would he as onlshed to
see what heaps of diamonds, rub!es,
sapphircs. pearls. opals and other pre-
cious gems would he poured out to ram
som the nation. France never has been
called upon to part with her ornaments
s'ncc the constant battles of Napoleon.
! The indemnify cXactcd after the Franco
/ rrusSian war called out only some of
the boarded gold, only a few pee
tacular sacrifices Of gems were made.
There has been ninety years Of ac-
emulation of precious stones in France.
In recent years the accumulation has
amounted to millions of dollars worth
a year $50 10000 worth in some years,
more N others, less in others. The
jewellers of France have haunted the
mars OF the world, picking up choice
gems There is not less than 100000
600 in icwclry in France, besides the
. boarded gold.
ustria-lIungary has n vast store Of
precious stonc,. The display of gems
/ at the great state functions Of the court
| is harbaric in its splcndor. The men and
women are laden with he sparkling
| jewels of all lands and all seas-cs-
peCillly cut gems Pearls do not ap-
peal to the truly savage taste being
| too soft and too cvancsCcnt in lustrc;
in India is found the civilization which
truly appreciates he nicctics Of pre-
cious rubcS and cmeralds of perfect
color. 1t is difficult to estimate the
price of the Austro-IIungarian coll
lections, They have been gathered at
the expense Of homes and food supply
and comforts They represent The net
profit which the nation has accumulated.
and it NUT be that 800 0O0, 600 in vari-
Gus precious jcwclry Is in the Austro-
Hungarian empire, but countless mill
ions of this wealth is buried in the
ground 20 escape the tax collector, the
robber and the questionable bank.
The little nations of Europe, Servia.
ltuman'a, Mont negro, Belgium, Den
mark and similar prncipalltics, are rich
in gems, hut they are most of them hid
den away whore invaders could not find
them. There are millions of dollars in
gems in Belgium and the Netherlands.
King Leopold having been PARTICULARS
fond of garsh displays The quantity
of jewels stored in the minor states of
/ Europe is limited at by the sale of an
"unknown's" collection of jewelry in
Paris in January, 1913. The collection
brought $4,000 and this money went
into one Of the Balkan States.
This sale reminded Europe OF the
| sale of the French crown jewels in 1887.
| when 6,S6i,0O0 francs was realized
| $l,372 500 The discovered jewels of
! Sultan Abdul Hamid brought $3.50. OOO
| francs or S1,396,0O0 1t is well known
! that In the smaller countries and in
/ those where there is jeopardy from
/ revolution or war vast sums are kept
| in jewels, which are light to carry and
easy To dispose of in any country Of
refuge, An American millionaire of
note has made IA collection for his wife
which he carries in a chest less than
! two feet long, eight inches deep and "A
! foot wide, The cost of the collection
! was considerably more than 81 900 600
and the weight all told is hardly fifteen
! pounds. The Same value in gold would
mean weight of more than three tons.
! There are dozens Of little principaltles
I and states" under the protection of
various European Powers in each of
which there are jewels Of vast value
th' Princess Marguerite Of Thurn and
TaNIs, for instance, being rated at up
ward of million dollars in jewels. \
thief stole ON" of her necklaces valued
at $4,000 in 1912,
Captive and dlsmcmhercd Poland's
families of great note have hidden in
! boards of gems most OF their wealth
They have no other way OF Circumvcnt-
ing tax collectors and grating officials
They absorb through the great markets