THE SMALLEST KINGDOM IN THE WORLD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIIL, Issue 198, 19 September 1878, Page 4

THE SMALLEST KINGDOM IN THE WORLD.

(Prom a correspondent of the New York Observer.} This gambling establishment at Monaeo is about the last that is left. I believe one is still licensed in an obscure cantoa in Switzerland. And if you ask why it flourishes here, in the midst of civilisation and Christianity, I will tell you. Monaco is a kingdom, the smallest and most contemptible in the world. It is one of the oldest, and perhaps the very oldest, in Europe. It dates from the tenth century. On the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, at the foot of the Maritime Alps, three or four fishing and trading villages managed, with infinite and foolish sacrifices, to make themselves into a separate state, over which the Grimaldi family has held precaiious sway for a thousand years. In the chances and changes that" have modified the map of Europe (in which Nice has been at one time in Prance and then in Italy, and now in Prance' again), the insignificance of Monaco has been its shield. Two of the towns that once belonged to ifc have managed to get out, and Monaco now stands alone in its glory, the least and meanest of kingdoms. Its entire population is less -than 10,000. It consists of a BraftU town, on a remarkable promon-

tor?, inaccessible from the seaside, but making a snug harbor which separates the town from Monte Carlo. On this hill a splendid hotel is built, and beantiful villas are springing up. The prince of this pretty domain has a royal palace with splendid gardens around ifc ; he has his castle, and guns, and soldiers, and is equal in position with any of the crowned heads of Europe. To keep up this style and state he must have money ; the taxes that his subjects had to pay were so heavy as to lead to the revolt and succession of Mentone and Rucca Brun. There was every reason to fear the Monacans would follow the lead of their neighbors, and tbat some fine morning they might pitch the Prince into the sea so invitingly near. In this crisis the famous man" Blanc, who was harvesting the gold of all the fools at Homburg and Baden, obtained a license to set up hia tables afc Monaco for the accomodation of the silly sheep that would come to Nice, Mentone, and Monaco to be fleeced in winter. Mr Blanc and hia partners agreed, in consideration of their license, to pay tbe Prince an anuual sum of $73,000, and also to keep his city lighted "with gas, streets in order, drainage perfect, and to make the place more and more attractive for the fashionable world. The climate is delightful, the king lives in Paris most of the time, and a reign of peace and plenty is enjoyed under the general auspices of a nest of gamblers, who make vast sums of money out of their contract with the king. I am told that their expenditures in city improvements and taxes amonnt to a thousand dollars a day, and this will help you to some idea of of the money that must be lost by the visitors. There are five or six large tables, with as many games of various kinds, at which an indefinite number of people may play, and these games go on steadily day and night, and the stream flowing, almost without a turn, into the bank or bag the of the company. Women and men, young and old, English and American, French, Italians, Germany and Russians, Orientals swarth and passionless in their looks, all play, all lose, all play again, for it is the nature of this vice (of all vices) that indulgence stimulates the passion, blunts the edge of reason, and like the horse-leeeh, cries, "More, more," and never says it is enough.