Turkish prisoners sitting in a cell with a barred window; two of them are racing cockroaches. Process print by Meisenbach after H. Lanos after W.T. Maud.

"A friend and I have just visited a Turkish prison …. There are two principal prisons in Constantinople-one for simple detention at the Police Department, with a capacity of about two thousand; the other, the Central Prison, made up of many buildings, and capable, it is said, of accommodating over ten thousand. The enormous number of recent arrests have caused a large overflow from the prison for detention into this Central Prison. Each building ccmprises a large central room, where are left the ordinary prisoners, some in chains. Leading off from this "Salon" are the cells, while further back, and also underground, are the dungeons. In the wall on one side of the salon is a fountain, and water is plentiful. No one here has any excuse for reta iinirg dirty. All of these prisons are so old that the ground floor is far below the street, and they are lighted through high gratings. During the day the prisoner sits squatted against the wall, and at might he stretches himself out in the same place. Many have lived like this for years without a trial ; many without knowing even the charges on which they were arrested. Once a day the food pedlar makes his round and takes the order for bread and cheese, which are brought in towards night. Those who have no money are allowed a loaf of heavy black bread each day. With all their misery, however, the prisoners do what thev can to while asway their time. One of the favourite amusements is to race cockroaches, or water-bugs, as shown in the illustration. Each one guides and encourages his favourite racer with a bit of straw. The man with the champion cockroach wins a day's ration of bread. Formerly prisoners of a more respectable class were put in separate and more comfortable apartments. Now all are herded together indiscriminately. For some time also there has been no forced labour, even the prison work at the arsenal being given up. …"—The graphic, loc. cit.