THE SHAH'S THRONE ROOM.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 146, 9 October 1876, Page 3

THE SHAH'S THRONE ROOM.

(Contemporary Urmw.) In the Shah** palace »? Teheran the Jttndesi; and; most notable apartment is ''•at la which he receives* o>n the occasion "f&siiiaan* or levee, the diplomatic t>odiy "ul other persona at df atinctii»tt> an "itone-rwjm in which he sita «pon rare in motitr&Juss majesty, exposed |> tlio homage of the people. One mounts f* the Imperial presence fey six painfol Ni steps, andi then enters the hall by an p«f* doorway, afcse to the west end,, and beneath a very large picture, which JSteWbare about the centre contains a fall Bppjtastrait ef the Emperor of Aasrtria. pneatn thb hang a landscape ami a sealalle, evidentiy porchaaed Irosa some patch gallery; the •mall tin-plate Iwsarh the exhibition number of each still Fauaiua in the comer. It i» «t the oppo-

site cud of the room that the " Shadow of God " aits on his heels, or stands to receive the envoys of Eorope. There, in the centre, may he seen one of the characteristic feats—probably the greatest artwork—of his Majesty's long reign. It is a two-feet globe, covered \ruh jewels from the north pole to the extremities of the tripod in which the gemmed sphere is placed. The story goes that his Majesty bought—more probably accepted, at all events was in possession of—a heap of jewels for which he could find no immediate purpose. Nothing could add to the lustre of his crown of diamonds, which is surmounted by the largest ruby we have ever seen, including those of her Majesty's and the Emperors of Germany and Russia. He had " the Sea of Light," a diamond in size but little inferior to the British " Mountain of Light." He had coats embroidered with diamonds, with emeralds, with rubies, with pearls, and with garnets; he had jewelled swerds and daggers without number—so, possibly because he had his royal mind turned towards travel, he ordered this gkfte to be constructed, covered with gems, the overspreading seas to be of emeralds, and the kingdoms of the world distinguished by jewels of different color. The Englishman notes with pride that England Hashes in diamonds ; and a Frenchman may share the feeling, for France glitters illustrious as the British Isles, being set out with the same imperial gems. The dominion of the Shah's great neighbor, the brand new Empress of India, is marked with amethysts ; while Africa blazes against the literally emerald sea, a whole continent of rubies. Near the globe, side by side with a French couch worth perhaps a hundred francs, stands the Shah's throne, which of course is arranged for sittings after the manner of the country. It occupies a space almost as large as Mr. Spurgeon's or Mr. Ward Beecher's pulpit, for the occupants of this throne have occasionally had a kttleim or hookah of wonderful dimensions with them upon the splendid carpet, which is fringed with tens of thousands of pearls. Tlie bolster, upon which the Shah rests his back or arm, is embroidered with pearls. Behind his head is a " awn" all glittering with jewels, supported at the two corners by birds in plumage of the same most costly material. Oa the other side of the room, grimy with dust, and horribly incongruous, there is a table, the top inlaid with the beautiful work of Florence, and a model of the Arch of Titus, both gifts from his Holiness the infallible Pope. Near these presents, in a recess, and in a very common wooden frame, a portrait of Havelock, and, not far off, a timepiece with "running water" and a uodtting [Kacock, a gift from the East India Company. The only means of preventing ram or snow from entering this at.d t.e other halls of his Majesty's palace is the hanging of large cotton s:uets, covering the sides, whicu are open to the weather.—Afrrtttrts AfcKOLD.