HIGH PLAY.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3697, 30 October 1880, Page 4

HIGH PLAY.

Play has ran ao high of late at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club that the most august personages in Russia have felt themselves called upon to check the gambling -propensities of the - reckless - Boyarg, whose recent inordinate gains •ad losses have been brought' under their cognisance., The particular episode whicb prompted the rmp'eriarintervention Wat the changing of hands, within a week, of no less thai* £600,000 in the play rooms 3 of the Club. More than half of thaf enormous amount was lost by Prince Demidoff, ot San Donato,^to.his cousin 7 Colonel Count SchouvalofF —not the deplomatist, but an aide-decamp to the Czar. This stupendous gambling transaction , came to the" ears of Count Lor isMelikoffj who deemed it.his duty. to report the matter to the Emperor, craving His MajestyVpe^mfesion t'd fdissolve the Club. This "crowning disaster to the jeuttsste doree pithe Russian 1 was averted through the interposition of the Grand Duke Tladlimir; but the Czar tent for Count Sehouvaloff, and laid his eovmands upon that gentleman to return ■even-eights 6i his winnings to Prince Donato, observing that "he might be yery well aatisfied with having gained s £10,000 at a game of cards." It is need; less to say that His Majesty's orders were carried out to the letter. —London Telegraph.