now
attracted to it, the salaries are comparatively small and the work is
not over-congenial for people whose ideas are such as those of the
Japanese.

I may mention, as an interesting feature in this connection, that the
Government have established a police and prison college in Tokio,
where both police and prison officials are effectively trained for the
discharge of their duties. This college was established when
extra-territoriality was abolished, with the view of ensuring a higher
training in view of the additional responsibilities that would devolve
upon the police and prison officials.

From police I naturally come to some consideration of prisons. There
are a large number of people in this country who have the idea in
their mind that prisons are a weak point in all foreign countries, and
that it is only in England that these regrettable institutions are
properly managed. In fact the idea now seems to be prevalent here that
we have gone too far in the direction of making prisons comfortable,
and that excellent alliteration "Coddled Criminals" has more than once
done duty in print in this connection. I consider that the present
prison system in Japan is regulated and administered on sounder
principles than those that obtain in this country. There are in all
about 140 prisons in Japan. All the old prisons in the country were
constructed of wood and arranged on the associate system. A separate
cell system is, however, specially provided for foreign criminals, who
are given clothes, bedding, and other articles to which they are used.
The Government, a few years ago, commenced the construction of a
number of new prisons, for the most part built of brick, in which a
mixed system of separation and association, according to the offences
of the prisoners, will be employed. The windows of these prisons were
directed to be made especially large, so that the prisoners might have
plenty of light and air. This is a matter in which some foreign
Governments, that of this country included, might well take a lesson
from Japan.

It is pleasing to be able to state that since 1899 the inmates of the
prisons have been decreasing in number. There is nothing quite
analogous to the ticket-of-leave system in this country. Parole is
suggested by a prison governor to the Minister of Justice in reference
to any prisoner whom he may deem worthy of the privilege, provided
that prisoner has completed three-fourths of the sentence imposed