FOREIGN NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 12

FOREIGN NEWS.

♦ — / SULTAN AND PAWNSHOP. Paris, Decomber 17. ' Tho rumour that the Mont do Pieto—the State ■ paA'nbroking establishment — lias granted a loan to Sultan Abd-el-Aziz, on the guarantee of the Moorish'-Crown jewels, is now confirmed. The loan is for £60,000, and is entirely a personal transaction, not to be confused with tho loan that" the Moorish Government are anxious to raise. The story of tho attempt to secure a loan qn the Crown jpwejs is only less amusing than - tho half success of .the venture. Mohammed Tazzi came to Paris in October with the jewels in his keeping. In spite of the amusing excuse which hp gave to 'the corespondent of "The Standard''''- that he was travelling for the sake of his health—it was well known that ho camp to Europe in order to persuado different financiers, nqt only in l'aris, but'in London and in Berlin, to lend 'him motley, treating tho jewels as securities. The sum which hp asked for, £400,000, was palpably too great. The jewels wero not worth half this sum, which, .it seems, was what thenative Sultan paid for them; but Mohammed Taz'zi )vas so ppimonji.ted that ho refused jjaj'.ser sums. ' However, when jt. was clearly understood that tho £400,000 cou)il not be obtained, thy Sultan's f.eprespntatiyo consented to liegel- - for loan, 1 A financifi) house pntpred into negotiations but 'jwvcrnl tlijys fLgO tho director" of tJjo Mojat do Pieta stepped ij) aprt 'claiincd tjle''right to organise tjie Mont do Piote alone in Irauce having t)ip_ rijjht to Ipnd inojiey on sfciirities'. The jewels were examined by expeits ; sovpraj were .taken 'from their settings, for closer' examination; and at last a oarefiil. valuation ivas established; and it is 0)1 t])e basis' of'this valuation tjiat tlie-loap ha's'beiiii granted. The jewels' inchido eight'diamonds cut in the old-fashioned way, and. Sibout \'ns largo"ns_ hazel 'ntit-s, several large emeralda and rubies, a fow pearl necklaces, a quantity of topazes, and a tmra in gold, and platijiuni, set with rubies and sapplfires. :