Rome indicate the possibility of the Italian Government intervening with a claim to ownership of the famous diamond known as the "Florentine," which the ex-Empress Zita is reported to be anxious to dispose of. The "Florentine" is one of the world's famous diamonds, and_ weighs some 139} carats. It is valued to-day at 30,000,000 lire, or be tween £250,000 and £300.000.
The stone has a grimly tragic history. It was at one time in the possession of Charles the Rash, Duke of Burgundy, and it was removed from his dead hand by a peasant who discovered his body half devoured by wolves under the walls of Nancy nearly four and a half centuries ago. The peasant sold for a few silver coins the ring in which the diamond was set, and the jewel passed into the possession of the Borgia family, whence it eventually. by means which have always been regarded as of doubtful' legality, reached the family jewel, chest of the Hapsburgs.
It was claimed by the Italian Government on the downfall of the Austrian Empire, but in some way it was secured by the ex-Emperor Charles, who took- it with him in his flight from Alustrio. Consequently, it is not in-¢luded in the valuable collection of Austrian Crown jewels which were handed over to Italy under the Treaty of Versailles, and are now on view in Rome in the mansion fornierly occupied by the Austrian Embassy. The ex-Emperor, it is stated. pledged the "Florentine" and other jewels with one-of the Swiss banks during his exile in Switzerland prior to his last unfortunate attempt to regain his Throne.
Now that the ex-Empress is seeking to raise money to meet her pressing requirements by selling her equity of redemption in pledged gems, the Italian Government is reported to be about to prevent the proposed sale by enforcing what it regards as its absolute claim to the diamond.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.