ood time in such seclusion, a stroll around the
building a few times, avoiding the barbed wire; or a few nights' sleep
disturbed by the frequent challenge of the sentry and the barking of
the watch-dogs would disillusion them, and make them realise what it
means to feel the strong fetters of captivity.

In England we treat German officers very liberally; and if we ever
allow this to arouse our indignation, we should pause to remember that
this generous treatment has induced the German authorities to grant
favours to British officers.

Our officers, for instance, on signing a parole, are allowed once or
twice each week to go for a long country walk in company with only one
German officer; and this privilege is at any rate worth an equal
amount of consideration being shown towards the German officers in
England.

A medical officer is present each morning, and if it is necessary to
attend hospital, or the dentist, or if you have permission to go down
for any other purpose, you are allowed the privilege of hiring a
conveyance for what the cabby probably flatters himself is a moderate
charge; but if you do not wish to pay for this privilege, you can
walk--in the gutter.

The dentist was not a popular man to visit, although a prisoner is
often tempted to sacrifice a tooth in order to enjoy the privilege of
a ride down-town. But he was apt to use his professional skill as an
instrument to his patriotic ardour, and appeared to aspire to the
removal of the jaw instead of the tooth.

During the time I was at Osnabruck, there was a good commandant in
charge. He was a gentleman, fair-minded, and considerate,
notwithstanding the fact that he was a professional soldier of the old
school.

When I speak of the old school, it leads me to express an opinion that
the brutalities perpetrated upon our soldiers who fell into their
hands in the early part of the war were due to professional military
hatred more than to popular intention. At the commencement of the war,
the professional German soldier seemed to be imbued with the sole
idea, which was no doubt fostered by the system of training, to get to
England, and satisfy his hunger by murder and pillage; and the first
prisoners who saved the people of this country by their heroic
self-sacrifice received the first experience of their intentions.

My contention is borne out by the fact that these brutalities are not
practised to-day in anything like the same degree, for the old army