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principles, since, although they had been modified before this date, they were yet full of variations to suit their sphere of operation, owing to their having previously been entrusted to the efficiency of local Governors.

The legal system of Japan has thus made great progress since the date of the Restoration. At the time of its commencement, in the organization of central Government as in the criminal laws, the influence of the Chinese system was predominant; but the legal methods of Europe have now been taken into consideration in the revision of all systems as required. Amongst all the European legal systems which have been introduced into Japan, our authorities have shown no prejudice in favour of one over the other. In the Judicial Department the jurisprudence of France and Great Britain have hitherto been most freely adopted. The provisions of the Civil Law, with the exception of a few statutory clauses, are based mainly on custom; but, owing to the difficulty of ascertaining local customs in the changed circumstances brought by the Restoration, it has been found necessary in adjudication to take into consideration the legal provisions of France and England. More recently, much of the German system of jurisprudence has been adopted amongst the more popular adaptations from France and England, while in public law the jurisprudence of that country has been pre-eminent in our system since the earliest days of the Restoration.