that came handy. The soldiers were finally obliged to fire on the mob,
and in consequence many persons were injured.

The riots continuing, Prague was put under martial law, and regiments
were drafted from Vienna to assist in quelling them. Twelve thousand in
all have been massed in the city of Prague. It is evident that the
Government considers the situation grave, as the men have been sent out
armed as for war, and furnished with the various necessaries as for a
regular campaign.

When martial law is proclaimed in a district, it means that all persons
within a certain limit are to be subject to the rules and regulations in
use in times of war.

These rules are very strict. Persons who resist are arrested, tried, and
severely punished. Sometimes if they cannot give a good account of
themselves they are hanged as spies.

The law that has been proclaimed in Prague is known as the Standrecht,
and is not exactly martial law. Instead of the military officers sitting
in judgment on suspected persons, the civil judges of the law courts are
given military powers. They try and sentence people with military haste,
and their sentences are put into effect within a few hours after they
have been passed.

There is no appeal from the judgments of the Standrecht; and so quickly
are they carried out, that if a person is ordered to be hanged, and the
regular executioner is busy, the judge can call on the soldiers to carry
out the sentence.