The morning call., 1891-03-22
Chinese GambIing-Fan-T and "The



Tiger"
The police authorities of New York an
nounce that they have closed all the Cfan-
tan" establishments in the part of the city
occupied by the Chinese, so that the favor
tie game of the Oriental residents of Man.
haitian will be played no more. Among the
many games of chance played by the Chi
nese ''Ian-tan" is one OF the most popular
and the best known. The players sit around
a table, and the keeper of the game has in
front of him bowl or tray, containing two
or three quarts of cash." small coins made
of bronze and worth about one-fifteenth of
q cent each. Each coin has square hole in
the center for convenience in CARRYING it on
a wire or string. The dealer takes a large
handful of the coins from the bowl, gener-
ally double handful, and places it on the
center of the table. The players guess at
the pile. the guessing being based upon the
number that will remain after the coins
have been removed, four at time, uatil
three, two. one or none are left. The re-
moval is made with pointed rod, like
long lead pencil, it being forbidden to the
dealer TO touch the pile WITH his fingers IN
any way. The players show wonderful skill
in estimating the number In the pile, but,
like most games of this sort, the profits gem
orally go TO the keepers OF the establish
ments. The "fan-tan" table is often scene
OF great excitement, and occasionally there
is bioodshed, but, happily, not often.
The Chinese are great gamblers, and when
fortune goes against them they have been
known. after losing their money, to gamble
away everything, even to their clothing and
their wives and children. l have known
two laborers in n Chinese city to draw lots,
by means of long and short straws, to de-
termine which one should have the dinners
of both. The loser wen: hungry, while the
winner calmly ate the two meals without
any conjunction of conscience or stomach.
The Chinese have several gods, who are
supposed TO look after the interests of gam
blers. The most noted of these gods Is Tu
Chieng Kui, and he received great deal OF
worship from those addicted to the gambling
vice. some OF them having images OF this
divinity in their houses. Another god of
gamblers is the tiger, and gambllDg-houses
are sometimes indicated BY pictures OF this
animal over or on their doors. Perhaps the
Chinese custom may have been the origin
of the fighting the tiger" the slang
euphemism for gambling in this part Of the
world.
Prospects of a Great War in Europe.
Events seem to be drifting in the direction
of great war, in which Germany, Italy and
Austria will be arrayed against Russia and
France There is good ground for believing
in the existence of secret alliance between
lHG LHIt6 pUWtlo lldiuCO, dHu
basis for belief in a similar alliance between
Russia and France. Germany is dlsliked by
Russia, and. as all the world knows, earn
estly hated by France. The Gar and the
German Emperor have never taken kindly
to each other, and long before Alexander
LII was raised to the Russian throne he was
known to be nater of everything German.
The French rulers were not SLOW TO observe
this trait in his character, and If they
have not taken advantage of 1t. they
have been lacking in one OF the first
principles of diplomacy. Realizing that she
could not possibly cope with France and Rus
STA at once Germany naturally looked about
for allies, and found them in Italy ami Aus
tria. 1t will be remembered that Italy was
the ally OF Germany (nr rather of PruSsia) in
1866, in the six weeks war with Austria in
that year, and the friendly feeling between
the two countries has continued ever since
through their mutual dislike of France.
Austria defeat in that war brought about
the coronation of the Emperor of Austria as
King OF Hungary, and the formation Of the
Austro- Hungarian monarchy. The ques-
tons that formerly separated Prussia and
Austria have been settled, and in the extern
sion of her power to the eastward Austria
has come in contact with Russia in way
that makes war quite within the bounds
of possibility at no distant day. France is
burning for revenge, for the results of the
Franco-German war of twenty years ago,
and altogether the situation is such that o
very slight incident may bring on a war, in
which many thousands of lives will be lost
in few weeks, or months, at farthest.