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156 The Ruby.
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however,
if the London market would ever have seen these truly royal gems but
for the necessities of the late Burmese Government. In Burma the sale
of these two Rubies caused intense excitement, a military guard being
considered necessary to escort the persons conveying the package to
the vessel. Two such Rubies are not to be found in any European regalia.
There
are, however, some very celebrated and historical Rubies still on
record. For example one of the size of a pigeon's egg in the Russian
Regalia was presented to the Empress Catherine by Gustavus III. of
Sweden, when on a visit to St. Petersburg, in 1777. Chardin speaks with
admiration of a Ruby cut en cabochon, of great beauty, and of the size and form of half an egg, having the name of " Thelk Lephy " engraved on the end.
It
is known that the great historical gem in the Imperial State Crown in
the Tower of London, known as " The Black Prince Ruby," is not a Ruby,
but a magnificent Spinel. It is cut en cabochon, and has a
hole drilled through it, now filled up by a plug of similar stone. This
gem was presented to the Black Prince by Don Pedro, the cruel King of
Castile, and was worn in the helmet of King Henry V. at the battle of
Agincourt.
The
finds of really remarkable Rubies in Burma have not been numerous in
the past few years, either by the Company, or by native licensees. The
Company have of course, found many valuable and fine stones, but only
one of truly surpassing excellence ; this was a Ruby found in the
Tagoungnandaing mine in January, 1895, and weighed in the rough 16-7/16
carats; the few Burmans to whom it was shown said it was the finest
stone they had ever seen, and the experts in London were equally
delighted with it.
In the summer of 1895, a Ruby weighing 973 carats was found by a Burman miner in the Ingouk valley close
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