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The Abbas Mirza

Pieces of the "Great Mogul"--Dr, Beke and the "Koh-i-Nur"--Evidence against his theory, and that of Professor Tennant--Complete identification of the "Abbas Mirza," IN a previous chapter we ventured to express the opinion that Tavernier's "Great Mogul" has ceased to exist as such, and, to escape detection, has been cut up into two or more stones. If this view is correct there can be but little doubt that what we have named the "Abbas Mirza" is one of these pieces. It turned up at the capture of Cucha, in Khorassan, by the Persian general "Abbas Mirza," in 1832, but attracted little attention until the meeting of the British Association in 1851. On that occasion a statement was made by Dr. Beke, of the Chemical Section, "On a Diamond Slab supposed to have been cut from the Koh-i-Nur." The subjoined report of Dr. Beke's views appeared at the time in the Athenaeum, for July 5, 1851:-- "It appears that in 1832, the Persian army of Abbas Mirza, for the subjugation of Khorassan, found at the capture of Cucha, among the jewels of the harem of Reeza Kooli Khan, a large diamond slab, supposed to have been cut from the 'Koh-i-Nur.' It weighed 130 carats, and showed the marks of cutting on the flat or largest side. The only account that could be obtained of it was the statement that it was found in the possession of a poor man, a native of Khorassan, and that it had been employed in his family for the purpose of striking a light against a steel, and in this rough service it had sustained injury by constant use. The diamond was presented by the Prince of Persia to his father Futteh Ali Shah. The Armenian jewellers of Teheran asked the sum of 20,000 tomaums (about pound 10,000 sterling) for cutting it; but the Shah was not disposed to incur the expense. These particulars had been forwarded to Dr. Beke by his brother, Mr. W. G. Beke, late colonel of engineers in the Persian service, and Khorassan campaign."