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grounds； roads have been made in all directions through the
surrounding woods； the visitors are numbered by tens of
thousands； there are above twenty hotels and many hundred
excellent lodging…houses。'＇77＇
＇77＇ Correspondent of _Daily News。_
‘Let those who are disposed to risk their money inquire what is
the character of the managers； and be on their guard。 The
expenses of such an enormous and splendid establishment amount to
L10；000； and the shares have for some years paid a handsome
dividendthe whole of which must be paid out of the pockets of
travellers and visitors。'＇78＇
＇78＇ Murray； _ubi supra_。
Mr Sala in his interesting work； already quoted； furnishes the
completest account of Hombourg； its Kursaal； and gambling；
which I have condensed as follows：
‘In Hombourg the Kursaal is everything； and the town nothing。
The extortionate hotel…keepers； the 〃snub…nosed rogues of
counter and till；〃 who overcharge you in the shops； make their
egregious profits from the Kursaal。 The major part of the
Landgrave's revenue is derived from the Kursaal； he draws
L5000 a year from it。 He and his house are sold to the
Kursaal； and the Board of Directors of the Kursaal are the real
sovereigns and land…graves of Hesse Hombourg。 They have
metamorphosed a miserable mid…German townlet into a city of
palaces。 Their stuccoed and frescoed palace is five hundred
times handsomer than the mouldy old Schloss； built by William
with the silver leg。 They have planted the gardens； they have
imported the orange…trees； they have laid out the park； and
enclosed the hunting…grounds； they board； lodge； wash； and tax
the inhabitants； and I may say； without the slightest attempt at
punning； that the citizens are all _Kursed_。
‘In the Kursaal is the ball or concert…room； at either end of
which is a gallery； supported by pillars of composition marble。
The floors are inlaid； and immense mirrors in sumptuous
frames hang on the walls。 Vice can see her own image all over
the establishment。 The ceiling is superbly decorated with bas…
reliefs in _carton…pierre_； like those in Mr Barry's new
Covent Garden Theatre； and fresco paintings； executed by Viotti；
of Milan； and Conti； of Munich； whilst the whole is lighted up by
enormous and gorgeous chandeliers。 The apartment to the right is
called the _Salle Japanese_； and is used as a dining…room for a
monster _table d'hote_； held twice a day； and served by the
famous Chevet of Paris。
‘There is a huge Cafe Olympique； for smoking and imbibing
purposes； private cabinets for parties； the monster saloon； and
two smaller ones； where _FROM ELEVEN IN THE FORENOON TO ELEVEN
AT NIGHT； SUNDAYS NOT EXCEPTED； ALL THE YEAR ROUND_； and year
after year（the 〃administration〃 have yet a 〃_jouissance_〃
of eighty…five years to run out； guaranteed by the incoming
dynasty of Hesse Darmstadt）； knaves and fools； from almost every
corner of the world； gamble at the ingenious and amusing games of
_Roulette_； and _Rouge et Noir_； otherwise _Trente et Quarante_。
‘There is one table covered with green baize； tightly
stretched as on a billiard…field。 In the midst of the table
there is a circular pit； coved inwards； but not bottomless； and
containing the Roulette wheel； a revolving disc； turning with an
accurate momentum on a brass pillar； and divided at its outer
edge into thirty…seven narrow and shallow pigeon…hole
compartments； coloured alternately red and black； and numbered
not consecutivelyup to thirty…six。 The last is a blank； and
stands for _Zero_； number _Nothing_。 Round the upper edge； too；
run a series of little brass hoops； or bridges； to cause the ball
to hop and skip； and not at once into the nearest compartment。
This is the regimen of Roulette。 The banker sits before the
wheel；a croupier； or payer…out of winnings to and raker in of
losses from the players； on either side。 Crying in a voice
calmly sonorous； 〃_Faites le Jeu； Messieurs_；〃〃Make your
game； gentlemen！〃 the banker gives the wheel a dexterous twirl；
and ere it has made one revolution； casts into its Maelstrom of
black and red an ivory ball。 The interval between this and the
ball finding a home is one of breathless anxiety。 Stakes are
eagerly laid； but at a certain period of the revolution the
banker calls out〃_Le Jeu est fait。 Rien ne va plus_；〃
and after that intimation it is useless to lay down money。
Then the banker； in the same calm and impassable voice； declares
the result。 It may run thus：〃_Vingt…neuf； Noir； Impair； et
Passe；〃 〃Twenty…nine； Black； Odd； and Pass the Rubicon_〃 （No。
18）； or； 〃_Huit； Rouge； Pair； et Manque_；〃 〃Eight； Red； Even；
and _NOT_ Pass the Rubicon。〃
‘Now； on either side of the wheel； and extending to the extremity
of the table； run； in duplicate； the schedule of _mises_ or
stakes。 The green baize first offers just thirty…six square
compartments； marked out by yellow threads woven in the fabric
itself； and bearing thirty…six consecutive numbers。 If you place
a florin （one and eight…pence）and no lower stake is permitted
or ten florins； or a Napoleon； or an English five…pound note； or
any sum of money not exceeding the maximum； whose multiple is the
highest stake which the bank； if it loses； can be made to pay； in
the midst of compartment 29； and if the banker； in that calm
voice of his； has declared that 29 has become the resting place
of the ball； the croupier will push towards you with his rake
exactly thirty…three times the amount of your stake； whatever it
might have been。 You must bear in mind； however； that the bank's
loss on a single stake is limited to eight thousand francs。
Moreover； if you have placed another sum of money in the
compartment inscribed； in legible yellow colours； 〃_Impair_；〃
or Odd； you will receive the equivalent to your staketwenty…
nine being an odd number。 If you have placed a coin on _Passe_；
you will also receive this additional equivalent to your stake；
twenty…nine being 〃Past the Rubicon；〃 or middle of the table of
numbers18。 Again； if you have ventured your money in a
compartment bearing for device a lozenge in outline； which
represents black； and twenty…nine being a black number； you will
again pocket a double stake； that is； one in addition to your
original venture。 More； and more still；if you have risked
money on the columnsthat is； betted on the number turning up
corresponding with some number in one of the columns of the
tabular schedule； and have selected the right columnyou have
your own stake and two others；if you have betted on either of
these three eventualities； _douze premier； douze milieu_； or
_douze dernier_； otherwise 〃first dozen；〃 〃middle dozen；〃 or
〃last dozen；〃 as one to twelve； thirteen to twenty…four；
twenty…five to thirty…six； all inclusive； and have chanced to
select _douze dernier_； the division in which No。 29 occurs；
you also obtain a treble stake； namely； your own and two more
which the bank pa