Note 15 — HOME STUDIES IN CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS.

“Kohinoor,” kohˌ-i-noorˈ (mountain of light). This famous stone is now in possession of Queen Victoria. It was obtained before the Christian era in one of the mines of Golconda, and passed to successive sovereigns of India until it was borne away by a Persian conqueror in the early part of the eighteenth century. In 1813 it was bought back by the ruler of Punjaub. When Punjaub was annexed to the East India Company’s territory it was surrendered to the Queen of England. It is said to have weighed about 900 carats originally, but by cutting to have been reduced to a weight of nearly 279 carats. By recutting it was again reduced so as to weigh 186 carats, and at this time was shown (1851) at the Great Exhibition. Since that time it has been again recut, for the third time, and now weighs 123 carats, and is estimated at $600,000. For the other “Paragons” see “Chemistry,” page 204. It is questioned whether the “Grand Mogul” is a pure diamond. The largest undoubted diamond is the “Orloff,” in the scepter of the Emperor of Russia. It weighs 194¾ carats. The “Regent” or “Pitt” is thought to be the purest and most perfect brilliant in Europe. It weighs now 136¾ carats, but its original weight was 410 carats, and the fragments split off when it was cut were valued at some thousand pounds. It was placed in the hilt of the sword of state by Napoleon I. The “Grand Duke” belongs to the Emperor of Austria, and weighs 134 carats. The “Star of the South,” found in Brazil, weighs 124 carats. The “Sancy” weighs only 53½ carats. It belongs to the Emperor of Russia.