100 



THE CENTURY BOOK OP FACTS. 



Matilda of Tuscany bequeathed to the Holy See her 

 ample territories. Rome, however, with the Roman 

 duchy, came practically under the Pope's civil dominion 

 in the days of Gregorio the Great (590-604). In 1860 the 

 whole Pontifical State comprised an area of about 

 16,000 square miles, with a population of 3,125,000 souls ; 

 thenceforth, until 1870, about 5,000 square miles and 

 692,000 souls. 



The Bishop of Rome, or Pope, by Roman Catholics 

 accounted Vicar of Jesus Christ upon earth, and, in that 

 office, Successor of St. Peter, is the absolute and irre- 

 sponsible ruler of the Roman Catholic Church, regarded 

 as the whole Christian Church here below. His ex cathe- 

 drd definitions on matters of faith or morals are held 

 to be infallible, and against his judgments there is no 

 appeal. Every baptized person is held to be spiritually 

 subject to him, and his jurisdiction over such to be im- 

 mediate. The Roman Pontiff has for advisers and coad- 

 jutors the Sacred College of Cardinals consisting, when 

 complete, of seventy members, namely, six cardinal- 

 bishops, fifty cardinal-priests, and fourteen cardinal- 

 deacons, but hardly ever comprising the full number. 

 In January 1899 the Sacred College consisted of six car- 

 dinal-bishops, forty-five cardinal-priests, and five cardi- 

 nal-deacons. 



The central administration of the Roman Catholic 

 Church is carried on by a number of permanent com- 

 mittees called Sacred Congregations, composed of Car- 

 dinals, with Consultors and Officials. There are now 

 twenty sacred Congregations, viz. : Inquisition or Holy 

 Office, Consistorial, Apostolic Visitation, Bishops and 

 Regulars, Council, Residence of Bishops, State of Regu- 

 lars, Ecclesiastical Immunity, Propaganda, Propaganda 

 for Eastern Rite, Index, Sacred Rites, Ceremonial. Reg- 

 ular Discipline, Indulgences and Sacred Relics Exam- 

 ination of Bishops, Fabric of St. Peter's, Lauretana, Ex- 

 traordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, Studies. 



Instruction. The State regulates public instruction, 

 and maintains, either entirely or in conjunction with 

 the communes and provinces, public schools of every 

 grade. Every teacher in a public institution maintained 

 by the State, or by any other public body, must have the 

 qualifications required by law ; and in all public insti- 

 tutions not belonging to the State, the same programme 

 must be followed, and the same rules observed. No 

 private person can keep a school without having ob- 

 tained the authorization of the State. 



Justice. In Italy, justice in penal matters is admin- 

 istered in the first instance by the Pretori, by the penal 

 Tribunals, and by the Courts of Assize ; on appeal, by the 

 penal Tribunals, and by the Courts of Appeal. The 

 highest court is the Court of Cassation, which confines 

 itself to inquiring whether the forms prescribed by law 

 have been observed. 



The Pretori have jurisdiction concerning all delicts 

 (delitti) punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 

 three months, or banishment not exceeding one year, or 

 by fine not exceeding 1,000 lire and all misdemeanors 

 (contravenzioni). The penal Tribunals have jurisdiction 

 mthe first instance in offenses (delitti) (excepting of- 

 fenses for which the Code establishes a minimum of five 

 years) punishable by imprisonment from ten months 

 to ten years, or by fine exceeding 1,000 lire. The Courts of 

 Assize, which in most cases have juries, have jurisdiction 

 inall proceedings concerningseri'ousoffenses(delitti)pun- 

 ishable by imprisonment for life (ergastolo) or by impris- 

 onment from ten to twentv-f our years, or by minimum 

 imprisonment exceeding five years. They have exclu- 

 sive jurisdiction concerning offenses against the inter- 

 nal and external security of the State, and all press of- 

 fenses. Appeal is allowed to the penal Tribunals from 

 the sentences of the Pretori, and to the Courts of Ap- 

 peal from those of the penal Tribunals. The Court of 

 Cassation has power to annul, for illegality, sentences 

 passed by the inferior Courts, and to decide questions 

 of jurisdiction or competency. 



Italy is divided, for the administration of justice, into 

 twenty appeal court districts, each of wliich is sub- 

 divided into tribunal districts, 162 in all, and these 

 again into mandamenti, each with its own magistracy 

 (Pretura), 1,548 in all. 



JAPAN. 



The Japanese claim that their empire was 

 founded by the first Emperor Jimmu 660 B. c., 

 and that the dynasty founded by him still 

 reigns. It was revived in the year 1868, when 



the now ruling (de jure) sovereign overthrew, 

 after a short war, the power of the Shogun 

 (the de facto sovereign), who had held the 

 ruling power in successive families since the 

 twelfth century ; and in 1871 the feudal sys- 

 tem (Hoken Seiji) was entirely suppressed. 

 The sovereign bears the name of Kotei, or 

 Emperor ; but the appellation by which he i 

 generally known in foreign countries is the 

 ancient title of Mikado, or "The Honorable 

 Gate." 



By the Imperial House Law of February 

 11, 1889, the succession to the throne has 

 been definitely fixed upon the male descen- 

 dants. In case of failure of direct descen- 

 dants, the throne devolves upon the nearest 

 Prince and his descendants. 



The system of government of the Japanese 

 Empire was that of an Absolute Monarchy. 

 A Constitution was, however, promulgated on 

 February 11, 1889. 



By this Constitution the Emperor is the 

 head of the Empire, combining in himself the 

 rights of sovereignty, and exercising the whole 

 of the executive powers with the advice and 

 assistance of the Cabinet Ministers, who are 

 responsible to him, and are appointed by him- 

 self. There is also a Privy Council, who de- 

 liberate upon important matters of State when 

 they have been consulted by the Emperor. 

 The Emperor can declare war, make peace, 

 and conclude treaties. The Emperor exer- 

 cises the legislative power with the consent of 

 the Imperial Diet. It is the prerogative of 

 the Emperor to give sanction to laws, to con- 

 voke the Imperial Diet, to open, close, and 

 prorogue it, and to dissolve the House of Rep- 

 resentatives. The Imperial Diet consists of 

 two Houses, a House of Peers and a House of 

 Representatives. Every law requires the con- 

 sent of the Imperial Diet. Both Houses may 

 respectively initiate projects of law, can make 

 representations to the Government as to laws 

 or upon any other subject, and may present 

 addresses to the Emperor. 



The House of Peers is composed of (1) male 

 members of the Imperial family of the age of 

 20 and upwards ; (2) princes and marquises 

 of the age of 25 and upwards (11 princes 

 and 28 marquises) ; (3) counts, viscounts, and 

 barons of the age of 25 and upwards, and who 

 have been elected by the members of their re- 

 spective orders, never to exceed one fifth of 

 each order (80 counts, 355 viscounts, 29 bar- 

 ons) ; (4) persons above the age of 30 years, 

 who have been nominated members by the 

 Emperor for meritorious services to the State 

 or for erudition ; (5) persons who shall have 

 been elected in each Fu and Ken from among 

 and by the 15 male inhabitants thereof, of 



