The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-08-17
HIDDEN WEALTH
OF TIL: SUI. TAN
IN GREEN VAULT
Jewels Consist OF Set And
Unset Precious
Stones
IMAGINE A TANKARD
OF 1900 DIAMONDS
Treasury Is 'Raided When
SuItana Gives Banquet
In Her Harem

I In the green vaults of the porte lies
hidden away what is perhaps the great
est treasure in the world, collected for
centuries by Turkeys greedy rulers
and boarded away from the gaze of
any inquisitive mortal No one has
ever been able to estimate the value of
the su!tan's jewels, for the treasures
are guarded by day and night. There
are at least twelve sets Of heavily bar
red doors to pass before the actual en-.
trance is reached to this Aladdin
cave For every lock there are two
keys, intrusted to as many custodians,
each having twcnty-four guards. These
are supposed to spy on each other, as
well as protect the guardians of the
keys.
The green vaults of Constatio, as the
treasure caves are called, are within
the grounds of the porte. Approached
through court called Dar-es-SO' adet-
the court of feliclty-it Is seen to be a
low domed edilice with an Interesting
doorway, enriched with marbles and
tiles.
The jewels appear to consist mainly
of set and unset precious stones. All
information regarding them, however,
is kept secret because of the impover-
.shed condition of the country, and II
the exact amount OF the sultans wealth
We're discovered certain INSCRIPTIONS
leaders might be tempted to "breaL in
and steal" The gossipers of Constan-
tlnople say. however, that II II person
offered fG0O,00O,OOO for the green vaults
and secured their contents he would
make n great bargain.
Perhaps the throne of beaten gold,
adorned with millions of rubies, pearls,
diamonds, sapphires and emcrnlds set
In mosaic, Is the most dazzling object
In the treasury 0f the shadow Dff God
on Earth" How Selim l. eyer brought
it from Persia away back in thes tif-
teenth century, when travelling was so
difficult, is quite beyond human com
prehenslon
Nowhere in the world are there pre-
cious stones to compare with the two
great emerads which adOrn the top OF
theb sultan's throne. One of them
weighs four pounds and is rs big as Il
mans hand, the other being n trife
smaller.
on table of ebony and sandalwood
within reach of the throne, stands @
marvellous golden tanknrd incrusted
with 1000 diamonds. BY its side lies
platter wrought of the purest golC
and literally vcneered with diamonds
On the ground surrounding this daz
zlhg site are scattered thousands ol
rubcS, pearls, turxloises and cmerald'
! mingled with eXquisitely carved dia
a mond buttons. The magnitude of thu
. whole thing makes one gasp with
IA amaZement. ..
y There are clligies of the sultans clat
q in robes of state from 1851 to 1S38
l. with jewels on the feathers of thei
!. turbans dnggers and swords which nr,
i priceless, as are the wonderful rubie
Is and Solymnn IL.
No museum In the world can boast
richer collection of armor, scimitars
D. shields, pistols saddles, sandals, cane
Il aud the like, all bejeweled or wrough
o. of gold.
"a When the sultana gives II banquet il
r. her harcm the treasury IL general
rnided for the occasion. At one o
le these revcls bouquets Of diamond flow
le ers stretching from shoulder To shou
n der were worn by the sultnn's favor
s. ties. The sultnma herself was adornc
X with ropes of pearls of unparallcle
~ size, ana IN her ears We're birds III
20 size of Lutterfies holding In their beak
Al sparkling gems. The sultan's gran,
It daughter, II mere infant of eleven, use
X 20 be tortured by having her hair don
le up IN n knot IN top Of her head msid
% II diamond crown, the front of he
ID dress covered with diamond orders
II while her hands were incused wit
T. golden mittens studded with preciou
D. stones.
Few are aware that the sultan Is 1
le receipt of the largest income paid
II any earthly sovereign something liG
10 fl,O00000 n ycar-and has the right
~ ask for more should his privy purs
m run short The treasury Of uSeles
le wealth boarded away In the gree
vault. II converted into cash and use
~ for national purposes, would transforl
IF the miserable Ottoman empire into Oh
" of the richest powers OF the world
Is Exchange,
s. History aepeats Itself