inherent in the whole nation of
China and that
of which
by no means of
I am aware, will ever eradicate
this vice: they look
upon
it
as a recreation, and by establishing
stringent rules restricting gaming for anything but ready money, limiting the amount, fixing also particular hours
for playing, and
the whole establishment placed under Police Surveillance
much crime would be prevented;
and if this
measure be pursued politically, the Government would obtain a thorough knowledge of the characters of the Gamblers and imperceptibly become
acquainted with their means of
doing
harm or
good, and in the event
of insurrection or invasion, or
any
imminent
emergency
this valuable Knowledge would give
a most powerful aid to the Executive.
I am aware that to our
European
ideas the encouragement of
an
immorality which is iniquitous in its results will appear monstrous, but we must not
judge of the Chinese
as we do of our own educated
people, who from infancy have been taught to abhor and abstain from gambling, whereas with the Chinese 'tis a habit inculcated with his growth; witness the