El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-24

WASHINGTON. D. c. Feb. "a
M 1t is wholly on the cards that
the present war may bring
about the disposal Of the most won
derful collection of gems and jewels
IN the world, now the property of
Ahmed Mira. Shah OF Persia. HIS
dominions are being fought over by
Russians and Turks: and. If the Cen
trail Powers win, the Moslems may loot
the royal palace at Teheran, and carry
off this precious spoil
Has Throne of Pure Gold.
One item OF the treasure is a throne
OF pure gold. so large that man could
sleep in it comfortably. It is a marvel
Of the jewelers. art, every part OF it
being incrusted with diamonds and
other precious stones.
Another Is geogra phical globe
three feet in diameter and valued at
$5,OOO.00O, its entire surface being COM
posed of gems The seas are made OF
emeralds; Persia is done in turqUoises-
England and France in diamonds. and
Africa in Rubies- In all, the globe
contains 513,666 precious stones, to-
gether with IS pounds Of gold.
Largest known Pearl
Set in the Shah's swOrdhilt is the
largest existing pearl which was sold
$50 years ago to the then ruler of
Persia for 100000, by Tavernier. the
famous traveller and m-collector- \
pair OF bracelets worn by him on state
occasions are adorned with two Of the
most magnificent diamonds in the
world, known respectively as the
Mountain of Light and the Sea of
Light"
The treasures of this Oriental mon
arch are OF great historical interest,
most OF them having been derived from
the loot Of Delhi (in India). when the
capital OF the Mogul emperOrs was
sacked by the Persians under Nadir
Shah, in 1873. The two great dia-
monds above mentioned were part Of
the booty carried away. which. valued
At $500. 000, 0o0, furnished a load fo- SOC
elephants
Conspicuous among the plumber of
the Great MOguls palace was the cele-
brated Peacock Throne which (as
described by TaVernier. who reckoned
its value at s40.000.000) was of solid
gold, inlaid with rubies emeralds. and
diamonds. IT was six feet long and
four feet wide, and on each side was
an umbrella. emblem of Oriental
royalty, Of crimson velvet embroidered
and frinEed with pearls, the handles
OF gold incrusted with gems. Surmount-
ing the back Of this wonderful chair OF
state was A Gfe-size parrot carved
from a single emerald
Two life-size peacocks stood by the
expanded. the latter. like the bodies
and wings Of the birds. being inlaid
with precious stones OF appropriate
colors. The chair stood on a block Of
white marble, preserved in its original
place TO this day. and on which is still
10 be deciphered the boast OF the Mogul
rulers Of HinGustan II there be-
Paradise on earth, Z Is even this. even
this, even this
Broken Up By COnquerOr.
Unfortunately, the Peacock throne,
being too heavy and bulky to be car
ried away entire. was broken up by the
conqueror's orders. nothing OF il re-
mains today that is recognizable On
the other hand. quite a number OF the
very large diamonds that made part Of
the loot are well known and Individual
y identifiable at the present time,
some of them having passed into the
hands OF various royal families Of Eu-
rope.
For instance there Is the great dia-
monds known as the shah" which is
now the property Of the Russian crown.
Nadir Shah. who stole II from Delhi,
was ASA ssinated eight years later by
four Of his palace officers. who hastily
appropriated such Of his jewels as they