SULTAN'S GOLDEN THRONE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17066, 20 August 1917, Page 3

SULTAN'S GOLDEN THRONE.

WHERE MILLIONS ARE HIDDEN

IN VAULTS

In the Green Vaults of the Porte lies hidden away what is perhaps the greatest treasure in the world, collected for centuries by Turkey's greedy rulers and horded away from the gaze of any inquisitive mortal. No one has ever been able to estimate the value of the Sultan's jewels, for the treasures are guarded night and day. There are rt least twelve sets of heavily-barred doors to pass before the actual entrance ;s reached to this Aladdin's cave. For every Idck there are two keys entrusted to as many custodians, each, having twenty-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. Approaohed through a court called Dar-es-Sa'adet—the Court of Felicity-—it .s seen to be a low-domed edifice with an interesting dooiv.ray, enriched with marbles and tiles.

WORTH £600,000,000?

The. jewels appear to consist mainly of set and unset precious stones. All information regarding them, however, is kept secret, because of the impoverished condition of the country, and if the exact amount of the Sultan's wealth was discovered certain unscrupulous leaders, such, as Enver Pasha and his Young Turks, might be tempted vo " break in and steal." The gossipers of Constantinople say, however, that if a person offered £60 r,OOO for the Green Vaults and secured their contents he [ would make a great bargain. Perhaps the throne of beaten gold, adorned with millions of rubies, pearls, diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds set in mosaic, is the most dazzling object in the treasury of the " Shadow of God on Earth." How Sellm 1. ever brought it from Persia away bach in the fifteenth century, wnen travelling was so difficult, is beyond human comprehension.

EMERALDS WEIGHING 41b

Nowhere in the world are there precious stones to compare with the two great emeralds which adorn the top ot the Sultan's throne. One of them weighs 41b., and is as big as a man's hand, the other being a trifle smaller. On a tableof ebony and sandal-wood, within reach of the throne, stands . a marvellous golden tankard encrusted with 4,000 diamonds. By its side, lies a platter wrought of the purest gold and literally veneemi with diamonds. On the ground surrounding this dazzling sight are scattered thousands of rubies, pearls, turquoises, and emeralds, mingled with exquisitely-carved diamond Buttons. The magnitude of the whole thing makes one gasp with amazement.

There are effiges of the Sultans clad in robes of state from 1451. to 1839, with jewels on the feathers of their turbans, daggers, and swords which are priceless, ns are the wonderful rubies and emeralds' in the clasps of Ibrahaim and Solyman 11.

No museum in the world can boast a richer collection of armour, scimitars, shields, pistolsy saddles, sandals, canes, and. th© like, all^ bejewelled or wrought. btgoldL' ~ ..;■. . ■ ■;■ \

BANQUETING EXTRAORDINARY.

When the Sultana gives a banquet in her harem the treasury is generally raided for the occasion. At one of these revels bouquets of diamond flowers , stretching from shoulder to shoulder were worn by the Sultan's favourites. The Sultana herself was adorned with ropes of pearls of unparalleled size, and in her ears were, birds the size of butterflies holding n their beaks sparkling gems. The Sultan's grand-daughter, a mere child of eleven, used to be tortured by having her hair done up in a knot on the top of her head inside a diamond crown, th? front of her dress covered with diamond orders, while her hands werj encased with golden mittens studded with precious stones.

Few are aware that the Sultan is in receipt of the largest income paid to any Sovereign . —, something like -1,000,000 a year—and has the right to ask for more should his privy purse run short. The treasury ol useless wealth hoarded away in the Green Vaults, :i converted into cash and used for national purposes, would transform the miserable Ottoman empire into one of the richest Powers oc the world.