The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-19
GAMBLING IN CHINA.
Not Only the Men and Women,
But Boys and Girls Play.
CORRUPTION ON EVERY HAND.
description of Various Games-There Is
No Cheating, and the Bank Takes q
Small Percentage of Winnings.

HoNGKoNG, June 30.-[Special Core
spondence. The favorite recreation of
Chinese is gambling. They are pas
sionately fond of games of chance
of every description, and the most
trifing thing is frequently made
the occasion of bet. This passion is so
deeply rooted that not only men and
women of all ages and classes, but young
boys and girls are inveterate gamblers.
Everywhere are to be found gambling
houses, and they are filled with players
from early morning until late at night.
Even the fruit stands are used for gam
bling, end you seldom pass one without
seeing children playing some trivial game
of chance, in which the stakes consist of
fruit.
AS in other countries, the laws of China
forbid gambling. But corruptible officials
permit it everywhere, and supposedly
share in the profits of gambling establish
ments. 1T would seem, therefore, that
China is not altogether behind the times
in some respects. Many high officer in
this Flowery Kingdom is corrupt enough
to allow part of his official residence,
usually house of many rooms, to be
turned into a gambling hell. For
the most part, however, such places
are found in the back streets
and alleys, because merchants will
not permit them to locate in the neighbor-
hood of their own shops and stores. Just
because the merchants condemn gambling,
oh no, indeed but because they do not
wish prospective purchasers stripped of
their money before they reach the shops,
and also because they fear that the poor
wretches. who are turned penniess into
the streets at night, might be the more
tempted to break into the unguarded
shops, if they found them right at hand.
Some years ago all of the shop
keepers in one of the chief streets in Can
ton closed their doors and kept them
closed until the governor general COM
PEELED the local governor, who permitted
the gambling houses to flourish openly, to
shut up all such establishments in the
neighborhood. In Eng-Chon-fu the citi-
zens petitioned the project to suppress the
gambling houses; the petitioners were so
numerous and influential that the request
could not be denied Yet the gamblers
were allowed to establish themselves in
boats on the river, where they continued
to do a thriving business.
There are various kinds of gambling
houses. The so-called "tankoon" consists
of two rooms. In the first ching TAM is
played, game similar to the "fan-tan" of
the Chinese in America. 1t is played on
a high table, in the center of which lies a
square board the sides of which are num-
bered from one to four. One acts as
roupier; the second weighs and counts
the stakes; the third simply watches
the course of the play and pays
the winner. The players arranle them
selves about the table and the croupier
lays handful of copper coin before him
and instantly covers the little heap with a
tin bowl, so that the players cannot count
them. Now each gamester bets on how
many pieces will be left after dividing the
total number of coins in the pile by four.
He places his money on one side
or another of the square board, &C
cording to his estimate of the re-
mainder. After the bets are made the
croupier removes the cover, takes a little
ivory wand and counts the heap four
pieces at time. Take player who had
put his money on No. /; if one coin re-
mains he wins the amount of his stakes
If two or three are left he retains his mon
ey; if none are left over he loses his stake.
In this game the bank has apparently no
advantage when the same amount is bet
on each number.
Another game played on the same table
is called min" A player at min"
stands TO win double his money, but has
only one chance of getting back his stake
and two of losing it. The game is played
in similar manner to "Ching-tan. II
two cash" remain over after dividing the
total number by four. those who played
No. receive double the amount of their
stakes. A sian" as played here 1.-THE
same, l believe as ''fan-tan'D a player
wins triple stake if he guesses the cor
rect number, and loses on all other num-
bers than his own. At "lok," another
game of the same class, the player pnts his
money between two numbers, and wins If
either corresponds to the number of coins