385
GAMBLING Continuation
1
and fan-tan, teaching a new generation the very worst forms of vice. And it is notorious, too notorious, alas - that the wretched agglomeration of Chinese hovels known as Kowloon City is the favourite rendezvous of a considerable number of the British and foreign community, persons occupying prominent positions in the Colony. The laws of China expressly prohibit gambling of every description, and so severe are the penalties against keepers of fan-tan and poo-chi rookeries that even in the huge city of Canton, where official bribery is the most prominent feature in mandarinic government, these popular games have to be played strictly under the rose. As a matter of fact, the recognised centre and only legalised home of fan-tan in South China is in the Holy City of Macao, licensed under the seal of His Most Christian Majesty, the king of Portugal and Algarves. At Sam-sui-Po and Kowloon the gambling is carried on without interference from the authorities, simply because the petty mandarins in charge of these places are bribed by the keepers of the gaming houses to ignore what daily goes on. Steam-launches run frequently from here to Kow-loon and Sam-sui-po; not only during the day but also late at night, and a considerable portion of the passengers are bound on the same mission "to buck the tiger" as fan-tan has been suggestively named. The Hongkong police do not hesitate to say that a large proportion of the Chinese visitors are shroff office "boys," and domestic servants in European employ in this Colony. Is it any wonder, therefore, that petty pilfering is rather the rule than the exception in almost every office and every house in Hongkong? The European worshippers at the shrines of St. Fantan are of many nations and of various positions in social life, and it is indeed a matter of great surprise that persons of position, education, and refinement can so lower themselves as to become regular habitués of such unclean dens of infamy and vice, the associates of evil-smelling coolies, the patrons of the least interesting and most degrading form of gambling known on the face of the globe.
In 1891, those who had raised their hands in holy horror about the gambling evils of Sam-sui-po, raised them in a mighty cheer when fire swept through the "dens" on the night of February 8. In that one night, the gambling houses over the border were razed to the ground. The Customs quarters and over a hundred dwellings were also destroyed. Damage amounting to approximately $30,000 was caused.
But this was only a temporary setback, for on Aug 26, there appears in the Hongkong Telegraph, a letter to the editor, signed by "A Clergyman" anent the revival of gambling.
Part of this stormy epistle, which cries out for action, reads:
Only last week it was currently reported that owing to the friendly pressure which the local Government brought to bear on the Viceroy of Canton, these dens of infamy had been finally doomed to extinction, but unfortunately the rumour was without foundation. Into whose pockets do the profits of the hell-peopling establishments go? Is it, as is openly stated, into those of the Mandarin in command there, or do the throat scoundrels who run them absorb the whole? It would be alike interesting and useful to have this point finally decided, as the necessary measures for their suppression could...
Page 55
Page 56
385
GAMBLING Continuation
1
and fan-tan, teaching a new generation the very worst forms of vice. And it is notorious too notorious, alas - that the wretched agglomeration of Chinese hovels known as Kowloon City is the favourite rendezvous of a considerable number of the British and foreign community, persons occupying prominent positions in the Colony. The laws of China expressly prohibit gambling of every description, and s0 severe are the penalties against keepers of fan-tan and poo-chi rookeries that even in the huge city of Canton, where official bribery is the most prominent feature in nandarinic government, these popular games have to be played strictly under the rose. As a matter of fact, the recognised centre and only legalised home of fan-tan in South China is in the Holy City of Macao, licensed under the seal of His Most Christian Majesty, the king of Portugal and Algarves. At Sam-sui-Po and howloon the gambling is carried on without interference from the authorities, simply because the petty mandarins in charge of these places are bribed by the keepers of the gaming houses to ignore what daily goes on. Steam-launches run frequently from here to Kow- loon and Sam-sui-po; not only during the day but also late at night, and a considerable portion of the passengers are bound on the same mission "to buck the tiger" as fan-tan has been suggestively named. The Hongkong police do not hesitate to say that a large proportion of the Chinese visitors are shroff office "boys," and domestic servants in European employ in this Colony. Is it any wonder therefore, that petty pilfering is rather the rule than the exception in almost every office and every house in Hongkong? The European worshippers at the shrines of St. Fantan are of many nations and of various positions in social life, and it is indeed a matter of great surprise that persons of position, eduction, and refinement can so lower themselves as to become regular habitues of such unclean dens of infamy and vice, the associates of evil- smelling coolies, the patrons of the least interesting and most degrading form of gambling known on the face of the globe.
In 1891, those who had raised their hands in holy horror about the gambling evils of Sam-sui-po, raised them in a mighty cheer when fire swept through the "dens" on the night of February 8. In that one night, the gambling houses over the border were razed to the ground. The Customs quarters and over a hundred dwellings were also destroyed. Damage amounting to approximately $30,000 was caused.
But this was only a temporary setback, for on Ast 26, there appears in the Hongkong Telegraph, a letter to the editor, signed by "A Clergyman" anent the revival of gambling.
Part of this stormy epistle, which cries out for action,
reads:
Only last week it was currently reported that og to the friendly pressure which the local Government broug to bear on the Viceroy of Canton, these dens of infamy had bee finally doomed to extinction, but unfortunately the rumour was without foundation. Into' whose pockets do the profits of the hell- peopling establishments go? Is it, as is openly stated. into those of the Mandarin în command there, or do th throat scoundrels who run them absorb the whole? It would be alike interesting and useful to have this point finally decided, as the necessary measures for their suppression could.
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