化赌癖为利源:港督麦当奴应对贸易萧条局面的策略

Transformation of Gambling Addiction into Bonus:R.G.MacDonnell's Countermeasures toward the Sophisticated Situation Caused by the Trade Depression

麦当奴出任香港总督期间(1866~1872),为了应对由贸易萧条引发的复杂局面,推出了赌博庄制度,以图达到'一石击四鸟'的目的:首先要解决地下赌场的危害,其次要扭转警察队伍的腐败趋势,再次要筹集到足够的资金应对财政匮乏局面,最后还要满足底层华人借(小额)赌博娱乐的需求。赌博庄制度实施后基本收到了预期的成效,同时也遭到社会各界的非议。尽管港府对各类反对意见逐一进行了驳斥,但赌博庄制度最终仍在宗主国大臣的掣肘下以'失败'收场。赌博庄制度只运行了短短四年时间,但其间充满波折,也留给后人诸多启迪。

In order to deal with the sophisticated situation caused by the trade depression,the Hong Kong Governor Richard Graves MacDonnell devised the Gambling Houses System.Gambling Houses System aimed to solve the following four issues:eliminating the illegal gambling dens,changing the corruption trends of the police,accumulating a large sum of money and providing some amusement places for the poor Chinese.Gambling Houses System realized the original objects;however,it also met harsh criticism from all circles.Though Hong Kong government refuted the above criticism one by one,Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies insisted on limiting the autonomous power of the Hong Kong local officials,which led to the termination of Gambling Houses System.The Gambling Houses System had lasted for only four fluctuating years,while its illuminations deserved reflection.