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ARTHUR, CHESTER A. Letter Signed, “C.A. Arthur,” as Collector of the Port of
NY, to Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Charles James Faulkner, rec-
ommending that the lesser of two wildly differing appraisals of a gift from the Khedive of
Egypt to General Sherman’s daughter be kept confidential [to avoid embarrassment]. 2
pages, 4to, “Custom House” stationery, written on a single folded sheet; remnants of prior
mounting on terminal page along center fold, faint staining along left margin, horizontal
folds. (TFC)
NewYork, 6 May 1876
[400/600]
“
. . . [I]n relation to the present of certain jewels from the Khedive of Egypt to Mrs. Fitch, the daugh-
ter of General Sherman, . . . the U.S. Appraiser . . . reports the total number of the diamonds to be
666; and that, an Examiner . . . has valued the jewels at the sum of $15,720.00 . . . .
“
I have also had the diamonds examined in my presence by Mr. Charles L.Tiffany and Charles J.
Cook . . . who report that the diamonds are . . . of such a quality that there can hardly be said to be a
market price for them here. . . . [T]he estimate formed by the public . . . is an exaggerated one. . . .
[P]erhaps it would be acceptable to the parties in interest to have the informal appraisement treated as
confidential. . . .”
PRESIDENTS
LOTS 89-225