gia, U.S.A. and the towns
look as though they would be as hot as Aden at its best or rather worst.

After leaving the Gold Coast, our course is shaped across the Bight of
Benin straight for the Congo. There is plenty of time therefore, to
study the system of justice in the Congo. This, like everything else in
the country, is essentially simple and practical. There is a Court of
Premiere Instance at Boma and others called Territorial Courts at
Matadi, Stanley Pool, East Kwango, The Equator, Bangalas, Aruwimi,
Stanley Falls and Kassai[1]. In each Court is a Judge, an Officer of the
Public Ministry and a Registrar, but in the Territorial Courts, the
judge may assume the functions of all. These courts hear all civil
cases, whether European or native, but the Court at Boma is alone
competent to hear trials for capital offences, whether committed by
soldiers or civilians. The Court of Appeal consists of the President,
two Judges, an Officer of the Public Ministry and a Registrar, and hears
all appeals from the judgments of the other Courts, and also from those
given by Courts Martial against civilians who are not natives in those
regions subjected to special rule. Natives who commit offences against
other natives, are left to be dealt with by the local Chief[2]. The
Public Minister can however interfere if he thinks the crime will not
be punished if left to the Chief.

The Public Ministry consists of a Procureur d'Etat appointed by the
Sovereign, who acts in the Court of Appeal and of substitutes appointed
by the Governor General, who act in the other Courts. Their duty is to
discover all infractions of the law in the whole territory of the State
and to see that all decrees, arrests, ordinances and penal regulations
are carried out. They are especially instructed to arrange that any
native who has been injured receives full compensation before any fine
is taken to the profit of the State.

Any region can be placed under military law by a decree of the Governor
General. Civilians however, are only subject to the ordinary penal laws,
and those who are not natives, can appeal against any decision of a
Court Martial. In practice these simple methods work admirably and it is
difficult to understand why they should not be equally successful in old
civilised countries and a good substitute for the complicated and
cumbrous machinery of to-day.

[Illustration: THE NATIVE HOSPITAL AT BOMA.]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] This list is taken fr