The National Register.
London, England, 1823-03-30 00:00:00

IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

A very awkward explanation has taken place at a
SUBSCRIPTION House at the west end of the town.
A young gentleman, who was plundered by the
tireeks, in Paris, last autumn, of at least 40,0001.
was, the other evening, the loser, in one hour, of
5,0001. " I will send you a check to-morrow morn-
ing," said he ; '• but in the interim, you must
allow me to put these dice in my pocket." The
tune and manner intimidated his adversary. The
unsuccessful gamester went immediately to the re-
sidence of a noble lord. The dice were broken, but
found not loaded ; but, on a nicer inspection, they
were discovered to be not square, that is, longer one
•way than another, and su contrived as always to
throw sixes—" Don't pay," exclaimed the noble
lord. '• Don't pay" re-echoed another nobleman.
—This advice has been followed. But the conse-
quences resulting arc fatal to all other money trans-
actions in this house. A country banker, and a
young merchant of great eminence, also refuse to
pay the SUMS they have lately lost at this SUBSCRIP.
'TION He BSC The above transaction has thrown
the west end of the town into u state of confitsion,
of which our more sober readers can have no idea.
The determined conduct of the loser, in taking away
and examining the dice, has led to the discovery of
u system by which many individuals of respectability
have been ruined. The dice, we understand, are
exposed to the public at a shop in Boud•street. The
house where this occurrence took place is not far
removed from Pieadilly, and may be recognised from
its commanding view of tbe Grcen.park. It was
formerly known us subscription-house, and
it came into the hands of its preset': possesaur iu
1820. It was taken by a trio of dirlsiotts charac-
ters, who agreed to retain the original subscribers,
and received the privilege of introducing their own
friends. Rouge et Noir was excluded, but a French
hazard-table was set ty, around which was nightly
collected the greater part of the young men of fa-
ehion about town, and immense sums of money lost
to the table. The regular advantage to the bank
at this game, is equal to a small per centage, but
the winnings of the house regularly amounted to a
considerable -dividend of the stakes. Astonishment
was frequently expresaed et the runs of luck, as
they were called, of the bank ; but such is the in-
fatuation of play, that the frequenters still continued
to lose night after night, deluded by the elegance of
the acconmiudation—the apparent respectability of
the concern, and the insinuating name of " Sub-
scription House." A few nobles of the land, some
characters of the turf, who are supposed tube sharp
on all points, as well as the host. of idle young men,
have in turn been sufferers. To give an instance—
, une night last season u certain noble lord lost 8,000.
a gentleman well known at Tuttersalls, 15,0001. and
a commoner, who has lately created a sensation by
an excursion with a lovely brunette, 11,0001.—
This was one nights profit. The concern went on
with equal prosperity fur two seasons, realizing it
is said, over 250,9001. which the three partners
divided. Qne of the partners retired at the cote-
rt.encement of tee season ; and we understand, that
law proceedings arc commenced against the others
for the recovery of large rums since the discovery of
the dice with unequal sides. The principal it is
said, has left town fur the Continent, to avoid the
consequence of an investigation. One of them Mr.
A. was a few years since a waiter and marker of a
billiard table ut the Smyrna Coffee-house, in St.
James-street ; another, Mr. C. was formerly a fish-
monger in a small way. and acquired money by
successful betting on the turf. The principal
and master hand of the concern, Mr. Josiah
T--, was ut one time a partner in a mer-
cantile house in the c ity which became bank-
rupt. He was arrested, cud lived in the rules of
the King's Bench for some time in great distress.—
He contrived to open, five years since, with the
assistance of a friend, a Rouge ei Noir house, on R
small scale, in Pull-mall, whence he removed to
a larger euricern, in the same street, nearer to St.
James's. Here his success was beyond precedent,
and in . very a shurt,time his profits amounted to
70,0001. With that sum he undertook the manage-
ment of the subscription house in Piccadilly, where
profits were realised to a very large extent, and
which might have gone on but fur the discovery of
the unequal dice, which has broken up his trade.

The long disputed question relative to the packet
service, on which the rival interests of Falmouth
and Plymouth have limn so actively employed, is
now finally settled in favour of the former. Thirty
sail of 10-gun brigs, to be commanded by Lieute-
nants of the rt.yal navy, are to be placed under the
orders of Capt. King, late inspector of the preventive
service fur the coasts of Kent, who hoists his pen-
dant on board the Asti az frigate.—Sir T. B. Martin,
Sir George Clerk, and this ()facer, arc at present at
Falmouth, making the necessary arrangements for
tFN new service, which promises to be a most valu-
able one tar the country at large..

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THE NATIONAL REGISTER