MONTE CARLO

Evening Star, Issue 18333, 21 July 1923, Page 14

MONTE CARLO

THE MECCA OF GAMBLERS.

[By Fredfiuck Stubbs, F.R.G.S.]

The small principality of Monaco—the loveliest spot on tho ‘Ligurian coast—is situated on a beautifully wooded and picturesque limestone promontory _ that juts into the blue waters of the Mediterranean. It consists of but eight square miles scooped out of the Sou tip of Franco, and allowed to maintain its independence by the tolerance of the French Government. You have only to walk a few hundred yards to get into French territory. Formerly it included Roquobrune and Mentone, but these were ceded to France in 1861 for 4,000,000 francs. On the east side of Monaco are Mentone and .the Italian frontier; on the west, Nice and Cannes. And yet this little State, no larger than a good sized farm, lias its own Sovereign (tho only absolute ruler left in Europe), its Council of State, its nobility, its bishop, and a national army composed of five othcers and seventy, men. It is a marvellous thing that it droutd have been able to retain its independence through tho centuries that have so greatly changed the map of Europe. During the last four years, Franco and Germany, Austria and Italy, Poland and tho Balkan States, have all changed their frontiers, but this little principality has remained untouched —no doubt mainly because of its political insignificance. The insignificant in this world escape many troubles! It is an historically interesting as well ns beautiful spot. Here Augustus Cnesar embarked on his way to Rome; hero combats took place iietwc.cn rival Roman leaders; bore tho Saracens in the ninth century pillaged and destroyed, until driven off by Grimaldi, a noble knight of Genoa., on whom the district was bestowed as a reward, and here for more than 1,000 years (with brief intervals) the Grimaldis have ruled. It is interesting for us to note that one of those intervals occurred a century or so ago, when the principality was temporarily occupied by a Rrilish ‘ force. Tho late Prince, who died a few’ months ago, was married to a British subject, a daughter of the, Duke of Hamilton, but tho pair did not get on well together, so after eleven years of married life tho Pope was induced to declare the marriage void, and both parties remarried. At the time of tho first Empire, Monaco was incorporated with France, but when tho Napoleonic Empire ' was redivided by (ho Allies the principality of Monaco was given back to the Grimaldis. This conferred no advantage on the inhabitants, however, for the Prince oppressed the people with cruel extortions, confiscated the property of the hospitals and churches, seized the monopoly of trade. Ho fed his subjects with vile bread, and allowed them to purchase no other, in order to increase his profits. Any boat entering the port was compelled to throw the cargo overboard. Everything was taxed by this rapacious monster, even the birth of a lamb. After thirty-three years of this diabolical oppression the people rose, and the territory passed to France. MONACO. Monaco is little known as compared with its showy neighbor, the town of Monte Carlo, yet (he 'ittic capital of the principality is a most attractive spot. It stretches out in front of the palace in ‘four streets built in ■ the Middle Ages. Tho palace itself is ugly, the stone tower being the only redeeming feature, but it is situated on a magnificent terrace overlooking the sea and amply provided with comfortable scats for visitors, whilst a few hundred yards distant is tho splendid Oceanographic Museum, built on the very edge of the clilfs by the late Prince, and filled with the spoils of Ins different cruises. There is also a. fine cathedral upon which vast sums have hen spent from tho gains of gambling, and along tho rocks lay Mie sea delightfully secluded and shaded paths lined with aloes, prickly pear, geraniums, etc., and provided with comfortable scats. To spend a sunny morning at Monaco with book or friend is a never-to-be-forgotten experience. MONTE CARLO. Monte Carlo is the modern suburb of Monaco, built around a little bay on the cast of the promontory, on the extreme point of which is tho famous Casino, with its lovely terraces and gardens. Tho situation is superb —tho blue waters in front; the mountains, their lower slopes covered by beautiful villas and lintels, vineyards and olive groves, immediately • behind; and to right and left the picturesque promontories of Monaco and Eoquebrune. THE CASINO. The Casino is an immense and stately i building, a palace carved in while stone, containing a number of splendid apartments in which gambling goes on from morn till midnight. Hero is the headquarters of the gambling world, the Mecca to which every gambler turns. Tho public entrance is on the landward side facing the palm-shaded gardens, where brilliant flowers bloom all the year round, and beyond which may be seen the gloaming whits or pale cream of palatial hotels and restaurants. Everything that art can suggest is done to make the place attractive. In the gardens are comfortable seats and rare shrubs and flowers. In the Casino itself is situated one of the most beautiful theatres in the world, where plays are, acted and opera and high-class concerts given. Tho theatre is quite small, but richly decorated in preen and gold; the ceiling beautifully painted in oils; the curtains of silk colored in old gold; (he oaken seats upholstered in red and gold velvet; elaborate gilded carvings everywhere, ligtod by magnificent electric-light candelabra. With- the exception of seven boxes, the seats are all situated on one raised, graduated floor, and all of one price—forty francs. The orchestra is amongst the finest in the world. Here, thanks to the hospilality of the administration, I had the pleasure of listening to several operas.

But whilst scats in tho theatre are expensive, admission to oilier parts of the Casino is gratuitous. Only visitors, however arc allowed to enter. It is a “ Cercle des Etrangers.” No resident is permitting to frequent tho gaming tables; only foreigners are fleeced. On the other.hand, residents do not pay for the upkeep of the town. This is done hy the Casino. Army, police, roads, watersupply, gardens, churches, bishop, clergy, prince, and palace—all are maintained out of the profits of tho tables. To maintain the beautiful gardens and buildings 700 people are employed; 400 in the rooms. Nor must one forget the handsome library and reading and writing rooms of the Casino, where tho newspapers of all Europe are gathered for the convenience of visitors and materials for writing provided free. Is there any other institution in the world—any church, any association or society—so generous in providing for the pleasure and convenience of the stranger? It is true that the expenses are met out of tho profits of gambling, but no reader need gamble unless ho pleases, or even enter the gaming rooms* and it is only fair that this should be remembered by critics. HOW THE CASINO WAS STARTED, It was on October 14. 1856, that tho roulctto wheel was first sent spinning. Previous to this tho liUlc State was poor, discontented, heavily taxed, and isolated. Then Prince Charles 111. conceived the idea of making tho foreigner pay for the upkeep of the State, and sold a license for g,ambling, tho place then being know as tho “ Elysco Alberto,” afterwards changed to Monte Carlo. At first business was dull, a.nd the Casino did not become a financial success until it was taken oyer by M. Blanc, whoso tables at Hamburg had been closed by Mie_ German Government on account of their do moralising influence. Ho gave the Prince 1,700,000 francs for tho concession, and on April 1 (All Fools’ Day), 1863, _ formed a company with a capital of 15,000,000 francs, ono of the first subscribers, strange to say. being tho distinguished cardinal who afterwards became Pope Loo XIII So profitable did tho tables provo that the 500 shares rose to 4,770 francs, an investment, I suppose, almost unparalleled. Since then, I believe, they have risen still

higher. In tho last year for which I wa-s able to obtain figures, Hie tables made a profit of £1,620,CM, ancMu a single day have been known to reach £35,000. Be foro tho war some £80,000,000 was said to have bean stiked annually, and over £IIO,OOO was paid to tin; Prince. In proportion to its size, Monaco produces a richer royal revenue than any other country in the world. On a picture port card (not admitted into Monaco) tho Prince is represented ns milking a cow—a good, fat co.v! I have no doubt that tho present profits laro considerably less, though still very large. It is significant that M. Blanc, tho originator, left a fortune of £2,490,000. I saw his eon—a handsome, white haired man—only tho other day,.