MONTE CARLO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1707, 26 March 1913, Page 4

MONTE CARLO.

THE MECCA OF GABBLERS. ' , (By Kev. Frederick Stldds.)

Tho-r small principality , of. Monaco is Situated on a beaiitnfulljrWOQded.and picturesquo promontory jutting into tlio blue Mediterranean. It consists of but/ eight 6fl'unr6 miles scooped out 'of tho/Sfltith <ofFrance. .and allowed .to . maintain its independence ,by' tho jtoieration. of tho' French Government/- .Yo'u liavo only to wali; a.'iow huMredj yards to get, : into •ifrenqhlwritory; v\Ori the east side j are, Mentone - and - th& Italian border; on the -vvesi;, Nice and -Cannes.- And yet - this littlo State, no. larger than a good-sized farm,' has its..own!sovoreign, its' Council. ■of ■'State, its nobility, its Bishop, and a national/'army': of 70 nle'n!.lt is ,a iuar-,.-vellous sthing .that it,, should have, '-.beejiJ oTalo .Ho i '-., : niainUiih ■ ;.its " independence; . tjirougli;,'the centuries..that, have ot great-.; lj\. chaiigkt,.tlio map ,-of Europe. Tor Jnoro tlian 1001) years it has been' .ruled.; ,1)}-' tlio Gr.imaldis, ..the .first ~of whom,. it JiS said, entered it'in .th'p garb of'a monk; w;ith ii sword concealed'beneath his cas-; Kick.,-: A, hundred' years ago it was tchi--Itorarily. l occupied' by an'.English force.; ililoiito Carlo is the iupdern suburb . of, ' Monaco, built around tho little : bay on. v t)io -east of J.tho promontory, .on . tlio . ex-; ti'tnio' .point'-■ of - which l - is tho- famous ; Ensilt6 with 'its l.K'autiful terraces'. anil, . {aniens. The situation --.is iiiagnincent— i L ilio blue wall's iu front, tlio .-mountains,! - covered, ohfthdir: lower Slopes by* hcriut i|,ul j : Mllrus ' and juitels,' :.viiieyai'ds, • and'- .;qliyo' groves, 'imincdiately behind. -.

Tlio Casino. - 'f'i C'usino 'is an i'miiiwise; mHK:stalcl,v A .-- tniilditig,: a iraltt'ob' caH;rd inwhite' stoniy and-containing, u number of splendid -, apartiiieitts In which gambling /goes oil. ■ frqiir'.hidriiiiig. .to iiiglit.. " Herb -is tho. , of the gambling world, : The -. public' entrance is on\the landward side liicihft' the. pa|iit-sinukd gardens,-where IxmU of. brilliant llower's blifom'' all/the yeiiij round, aiidlbcyoiid . \rhidlv " be tbe gleamiiig 'w r liife : 6.r creiuir of /pahitial ' hotels i liitil'" reUiiurnVifs;'-Tlver.v- -----,' thing; that -Art can'>ysug'ge.st : 'is done to jitfttoJj.thc.place!attractive.-v; In the garseats far visitors, and .-when' the ; -.'weatJier,-permits -a", ' band jjlays out of. .'dooi's; when the weather is chilly,.;it Atriujn- o.f . tlie tJasiliy/'l.'here' is-'iilso situated ;iu,/ni,e/Onsiiio' : one of 'tlie • jniist' I'.jaulii'ul oi' theatres, 'where • ploys arfl"-«cted aiid 'r'coiicei'tA given. - Tlio [Vfi:iieslra is ono "of 'the iinest in the woi-ftl/ A, charge: of'.fivo-'or tdn francs: is . " usually .niade' to the 'theatre, butva'dmis6ibnvto itll - other ipnrts of ,-tho. Casino js gratititous'; .Only; visitors,, however, a.ro allowed :fo enter. "It is- n"CVrclo ' des '' BtWitigers.".., No resident is.permi.tird : to ■ /freciuent the ;,'iunii!;;.tables; only faroign- .' ers .Irtre. fleeced. ,Oil 1 the 1 other .liahd/ the. ' .residdnts do no't.jiay a penny:towards the' .iipkeej) of tho. {own... There' fire;no .taxes; .' army; l -police, i'oads; 'waicr sujiply, ;gar- > deflj. are' maintained out of the', profits of ,the "tables. . '' Iti'.was bli October 14, 1856, that' tho. ;■'Toutette wheel was- -first.' sent spinning. - -Pi-eyipus to. this,the-little poor, ' diicoiitented, heavily taxed, ' and -almost, ' : citt-tiff from the rest of tiio World. .'Then' tlio 51'riilCe,-; Qlia rles lII,' conceived tho ■Mdwt'ipf making, tilt).foreigner pay for. the . upkeep . <'f Hi®.' Stiitef and .'sold a '-license - ' for 'gatnblihjf. > At -iii-st/tthowoycr, busijir&|'.rdtUl;. and: tho \ Casino' ' did - ltot* , bectfitto. a -fiiuuioial .succcSs ; uiitil;- it .was ; taken over iu''lßGil by-. M. Hlaiic," Wliosi'. ■ tables at 'Hpmbitrg 'liad 'ibeen. closed on', ; aceoii9t.' : o{:'!their';'ileindrdi^iij^'infltteti<!e ' -by tho German'-jGovcrhiirenti/lle ginvo.' tlio Prince '1,700,000 • francs l'or - the'- '--un-- ~ cession,/arid iarm-ad.'sU 'company, one of ;thc.;first 'purchasers of shares being the distinguished Cardinal,- who afterwards bueanio Popo Lto XIII. fco • .profitable . did- tke Hables' provo that the 500-fraiic J BhaTes rose, .to 477() francs,.an' investment I 1 suppose ;alindst : ;i '.unparalleled. Since then, I arii ; told;'. they liavo . risen still higher. . In- the- last, year for (which -I have. r -been able to obtain figures (they . were'-, refused ; nit) by the' directoi-S) tlio • tables .-made'."-a - profit of U11,G20,000, and; . in one. .siiiglo day tho Iprofits have I>een = ''known,'to rcach(lOOJ'-.-'Some d£80,000,000 ;. are toijil 16'.bij; stakfed/annually, and over JGIOO.OOO; paid.. tlie Prince. ■ ■" Entering J-iii 5 . ".nitno ono has first of all .' to visit tiio' : •//:•. oiiow one's curd, and ' and?qbtain iu. .i.::.ii:ssion ticket for the / day,".ami tliif ~'eiviu'oiiy repeat-'■ ■V cd each day . •;< .cur d«ys,"wlioii, .if the otilcials are fatutied With yoiir behaviour, a. monthly ticket is; graiite(l.As!-rule,, there is no difficulty; but any jierson- un- . -,der or with shabby clothes.or dirty . : boots '_'is politely. rojected.'V'The Atriuin,' ,■' or large : inner hall, where the orchestra . playtS,,::,is generally throhged: with people. ' jpi-onienading up aiid ;down.--' It' reminds one of,-the lobby "of tho -House; of Com- : t it is l much, larger, and the • .oompaity very different. ' Most of tho pro- , .meanders, are fashionably; flTCsse<l,. some : /of tho . women, , with." magna fitciit; gowns' and jewels, and, of con-se, tliero are many ■ , coeottes . and . donli-immdaues. ./ Monte ; Carol-has a powe-rfuf aftTaction for what / inayibo described iis;tlie dirprnved ele- . meiit-Jn 'the. moneyed classes, tlidhdi not ■■'.■■■tor, these albnei I'a-sing llux-ngh the 1 At- . riiimi, one-enti4s the' gumbl/ig saloons— 'immense auil beaiitiful apa'i-tmeiits filled / with; long tallies fcr ■roiilette-«i--trento et : fiunraitk'. The saloons aro -brilliantly -.'.'•.lighted, with thousand} "of el/.'otric lights, but '.noticed that <ivt i y tin/tabks there wero' also sliadid oil lumps to serve- in , caSL> tho (.-let-Irk light should be tampered : witlii.-ITlio -llooi's aro luxuriously carpetfid, a/id-at Ihe -sides; are comfortably, up- ■ holstewd stats, and >paciotis liilrrors, . .., whilst .the-wi'lls and ceilings are decorat"'«d wtiii superb-oil ixiintiiigs. Indeed, all - the decorations of 'these njoms'aro-'iiiagm-;.ficent./Tlio' tables,' of : which'..there arfl about^O, 1 liaVe » single row seats'round . "each,., <ihva,ts ; filled, behind ivhicli stand ' one oV two otl .er row.s of' players, Besides- numerous crqupisrs, tlier.i .aro liveried' fttvants everywhere, .keeping-watch v on the visitors, aioit to sei/.e upo/i any- . ' thiut' "suspicious or '^regular./ There are also officials in oL-dn elating' walking about/- "Ai tin:- roi-jstte tables, .as,.small a suiiv'ns five frauds tiiay'bo s(iik"od/but .; at the-others only ;;<>!([ or n.otts. Por 10 ' -. days I-visited the 4t''3)les and watched.tlio players. (No! 1/re:listed the temptation ;■ . to stake anything misel.f.)'- It was a fascinating sludy.- 'Here ; were . beautiful . voung'.girls And lmi ulsonio youths visit- . log the tallies iirin vtbSy; for the .first time,"and -it'-'sceMedV-.n':.j>ity.. that they - Eltould be drawn .so eariy 'lilo this sordid busiiies.-. Their there.'were not a few <il ,tfo otherextreme of life; old- man and white-haired women; wrih-one foot in tin ?rave,' yet '-with strainips;. -eyi's keeiily following the.spin of the b-jjlj'tlie fall <if tin oard. tlnit. liieuut losj -to and, perh'jps, rniif Riid,silver are'continuilTl^iiVnngiiig;--hands / lii'the.'e' rooms gold"T>!iii'irft' l -ordinary .value.' iurty *ir litty pbuiids, oi :. more,.'.will .sometimes be,.staked by oik persoir;' there, is a dick of the ball, a fill • •of a card, aiid hundrods of pounds wil

'; 1)0 raked in by the .cnoiipior as tliougli it; ■ 1 ivore'.'xlirt. 1 myself: wiw'.oiio man, ,a 1 Spanish' Prince, losing' 100,060 francs, and a.'few' .days lakr/nn . :Kii|jlishnuui; los-ifc .£32,000. Ono often thought us one. watched money being poured-- out like water in luxury, and vice that ;it is no wonder that the working classes are discontented with their lot. The feu- have. such a' superabundance: the many such an insnfficir, . ency. of'means.. Tlio on». class simply revels in: extravagant and useless luxury! tho other ever lives .on" the Ixnderland of want. No, ono does not .'wonder that such scenes as ore to'be witnessed in their perfection (or imperfection) here, and more or .less in.every great city, breed discontent.

Systems and Superstitions; Most of the gamblers play on a "system," and it is almost pathetic to Eee •them sitting or walking' with their'pencils and bits of paper anxiously. Working out somo scheme by which they may beat the bank, and adding long lines of caro to thoir faces in' tlio process. But tho 'ehaiioeg are''always against them; no system can nullify tho. law of avornges. There is -do'.room; for skill. Not infrequently the morost tyros aro most successful. If only a 1 player continues to * play he must lose. ; Tho ones tlio bank most foars nro,those-who,/after winning forty or fifty : pounds, desist But the great • majority, of those who aro successful return, and eventually lose all tliey

have'.won." Tho on.ly sure way of making money by gambling is by , compiling « system .and selling it. The shop windows aro fall of tlies'e systems, which, I behove, are really worthless, but find ready ptu'" chasers.. The true gambler will' catch at any straw. . He- is not usually a religious man, but is extremely ,superstitious, constantly oil, the '.watch for some indication of a lucky number, as tho following llltistiation will >how:—

Amusing Story. "Ail' English gentleman went one Sunday morning to .tho English Church, but, as l's not uncommon, slipped out us the hymn before sermon was being given out. It was No. 32, A. ami 31. He sauntered up to th&'Casino, 'and as lit entered the gaming room's, heard No. 32 rod called by the croupier. "Bless liiy soul, that is tho, number M the hymn," exclaimed he, "fcchanged if I won't stake on it." He went.from,'tablo to table, staked always on 32, and won ,£SOO, and to the perplexity of the chaplain,' 'liext Sunday half tlio congregation left during the-hymn ' Lcioro sermon and rushe'd oil' to the ■Casino. After this (so tho story goes) it became a rule never to give out a number under.' 37 before the eermoil.

j" Some, frequenters of tlio tables carry .charms .and mascots; somo even hold pious images in their hands. '/Whether tho Croupiers can iiiflucnc-a tlio spin ot tlio ball or not, 1 do not know. One writer declares they can, and do. It is certain that Ssome of the visitors are rogues, snatching from the table tho winnings •of .the inexpcl'iciiccd. One man' confessed to mo: 1 that ho had done -go, and was quite unashamed. Occasionally, too, though not often, tlio'eroupiei's- ufulio a'mistake, and rako iii where they ought to pay out. ,Tt inust not .be thought that gamblers are demonstrative at the tables. Now'and again one mav see the colour cuino or go, bilt':as'a'rulti little outside sign is given. ■It.seems to be ah unwritten law that all .feeling of joy or - chagrin shall bo sup- ; pressed. There is naturally an expression -> of auxictv, but it is bad form to exlfibifan'v sign of ounoyiuice or elation. At- the wol-st-mio gets up wearily after a ,'niu of j bad luck, and walks sadly out ot. the room. In sonic cases, of course, defeat means ruin. Not a. few eome hero as n forlot'iihupp,. witli a view to retrieving. their fortunes. A man has been nil-, fortunate in business speculations, or has over-run . the ciidStablo in other 1 .ways, and so gathers what mean-) lie has left and stakes'it at the tables in the liopo that by-some' fortunate coup his fortunes may be restored. Hat, as "a rule, it is tho f,tii'er ' waV: tlio' law of averages is too 'slt-biig;. and then despair,- and even suicide, may. ensue/

Suicides. I. have tried to discover the number of silicidcs'at Monte (,'arlo, but it is an impossible / task. ' Thol-o must be a,considerable :number,' h'Owivor. Two liavo taken jilape''whilst I.have beori here'. If a ,case occurs ;bn the'-promises every trace uisuppoarK'.in a'fou* iniiiutw. The body .is whisked awn bj : tho pol ice, preserved until it is' ascertained that lie one is interested-; -then,. at the. end of the season, 1; am Informed, is'pliiaul ill a case, weighted,..uiid' taken o'ut to ;sua. -Most of those who . commit' suicide, however, owing to irretrievable losses; do .so after they have returiwd homo. It is, of course,-not in tho interests of. the Casino that any suici'do should take flawrthere, and careful watch i:i kept-against any attempt. , Apropos oi; this/amusing story has recently. goni, the rounds of ft certain American gentleman who was playing at tho, Casino;' Ho resolved to stake only a certain amount, and if lie lost that to play no more; - He lost all but a few .francs, ami as,lie "was playing these observed to a lady on his right, "Thesi.- are my last ; I shall playr iio niore." When he had finished, ho took from his pocket a small box, .and, faking from it a wliito tabloid, placed it in- his mouth. His. recollection of, what followed was'soniewliat hazy, but lie appears to : have been* seized by four stalwai't';:attendunts and taken ■ into ■ an anteroom, where, a powerful emctio was forcwl'down his throat. 'Por the next ten minutes,he. wasnot'in a condition to talk much;'laiti afterwards managed to explain that,h(!;was simply- taking a dose of quinine! '/'/ - , My .visits to .the gamine'tables at Monte Carlo ami various .ouierCasinos have only served to confirm the conviction that gambling is uiiquostionablya'social" evil, and leads to moro'misery than happiness. At 'the'same time; it-i's only fair" to add there is.something to bo said on the other, side. No one is "asked to play. Ono can go day after "day. listening to the music, vsing tho splendid .readiiig : roonijS, etc., without' tlio payment of a penny, and without any sort, of: solicitation whatever. How -many instiimtions are there in 'the world, ...whether religious or secular, equally generous? I wat, much impressed, too, with . the. courtesy of 'tho - officials; everywhere ■ ono was treated with tlio greatest politeness. In all my .traveils, I : cannot, recall a siaglo institution where ono will rccoivo so' many advantages and so much civiltiy without paymeht us at

this wicked Casino. "I wish it were otherwise,' biit tho truth must bo told, and it is possible that a hint may bo accepted by institutions of a different kind. It must not. be too, how large a portion of tho profits is spent upon objects -of public utility, such as those mentioned above.- Where a player-has lost all his money, also, if he can show that it was a considerable sum, .tho'-'directors, will "purchase a ticket and send' him: 'to his homo; with enough money to pay for food,,etd.,'<en route., It is said that cn one occasion.a. German ironclad anchored at .Villefranclie, and tho captain, gambling at Monto Carlo, lost not. only his own money but that with .which ho was is • pay: his - crew. ' Thereupon he demanded' of the directors that they should give it back; if not,: he would bring his ship round,' bombard tho Casino, and then blow.out his brains. As an officer and a gentleman -lie could not-.survive tlio exposure, but to save others lie would blow the Casino up first. They returned it! There aro other things at. Monte Carlo

besides gambling—a magnificent museum, beautiful gardens, music, charming scencrey. Olio cannot includo the - pigeon shooting amongst the attractions of the place, for it must be disgusting to any ..trite sportsman. It simply consists of letting', birds' out of a trap, whilst tho "sportsmen" -stand a few paces off and shuot them,; strewing tlio ground ' with

blood and feathers. It is a mean, cruel business. - Hut/these are not tlio only •pigeons at Monte Carlo. 'There are human pigeons—bord to bo plucked—and thero arc;.plenty, of adepts at tho business of jiluckilig-T-cheats/pickpockets, thieves. It li'hot a .place.for,the morally wsak'or inexperienced,- especially if they carry jnoney., -It takes'a strong man to resist its fascinations and perils, and tho averago'man will-lose littlo if he iakes his holiday at, soiiie equally beautiful but less exciting place/-,... N •• > '