The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-12

of England, France and Russia They
had the most to lose. Russia has long
been FESTIVE, and there is a powerful
church society in England, with branches
all over the Continent, which constantly
agitates for the abolition of the games.
The power lies with France. The Prince
of Monaco. though independent in the
main, is feudal tributary of France, and
if France insisted at any moment, that
moment the Casino should go.
But France is not squeamish. There is
a party, too. which favors Monte Carlo.
People will play, they argue, and it is
better they should do il where it is fair
and square and open than where it is
crooked and all the more demoralizing
because conducted in constant dread OF
the police.
Besides, it is argued, that for one who is
materially injured, thousand find inno-
cent pleasure in the place. You would be
astonished at the strength this view of the
case commands. You see almost every man
of note in Europe has thus amused himself
at one time or another. The Prince of
Wales has varied the monotony of bacca-
rat with an occasional flyer on the black
or red. Queen Natalie's recreant spouse is
frequent patron, and the widow of poor
Rudolph OF Austria, who is shocking the
Riviera by her demi-mondaine recklessness
plays far too much. The Duke of Beau
fort is an old habitue; James Gordon Ben
nett, when in the south of France, is
daily visitor. The late Lawrence Jerome.
of New York. was a friend of Blanc, and
so was his brother Leonard, whose son-in-
law. Lord Randolph Churchill, by the
way, has played many coup.
Churchills brother, Marlborough,
dropped good deal of the
ancestral wealth at the tables Wal
ton, the American ''plunger's" feats
are still spoken of, and poor Jubilee
lhSSpS in
In short, every yotary of amusement in
Europe has had his fun at Monte Carlo,
and most of them have used their intiu-
ence to protect 1t, and so it has gone
along for years.
1t is said, however, that even France is
tired of the scandal, and if Prince Albert
were willing TO renew the concession, the
government of N. Carnot would forbid his
doing so. Francois Blanc knew how to
manage France. He dazzled her. When
5000 GOO francs were lacking to complete
the Paris Grand opera house he sat down
one evening and wrote his check for the
amount What could a gallant French
man do with such man? He was noted
boulerGrdier in his day. and the most lib
eral patron of religion and charity that
you can imagine.
But Francois Blanc is dead He died in
1873. He left sixty millions of francs. His
widow attempted to carry on the Casino
y
was formed, the principal members o
which were her son, Edmund Blanc;
Prince BadZiwell, the husband of her eld-
est daughter, Louise: and later, Prince
Roland Bonaparte, who married Mile.
Marie Blanc the second daughter, and
thus incurred family ostracism. Prince
Roland. who is now q widower. recently
visited the United States. These three,
finding their position i'll Monaco no
longer tenable, have for some time been
searching for place 10 transfer their
Casino 10. No great state would tolerate
its presence for an ms tant. the German
government would not hear of its return
10 one of the petty states of the en-
the concessions could not be obtained.
Tunis and TangieTs were thought of but
life and property are not much respected
by the beys of these barbarlc states and
besides they are tritie inaccessible. King
Humbert forbade q settlement in the mini
AZURE republic OF San Marine. in Italy.
At last Andorre only remained, and
though II is al present one of the most in
accessible places in Europe, necessity
finally determined the selection in its
favor. The three magnates formed a new
incorporation, under the title of the Cercle
des strangers d'Andorre strangers Club
of Andorrel They have capitalized il at
so 900 francs and il is said that all they
offered for general subscription, 20.0o0,0 600
francs. was gobhled up at premium IN a
few days by Partisan resfdgHoueres and
fast spectators on the ec"-se.
The plans contemplate ne erection Of a
Casino with theater 81 al other build
ings as at Monte Carrie. za& in addition q
mammoth hotel. They ane 20 be located
ST Ercaldes, hot sulrhgx bath in the An