EN ROUTE FOR SIBERIA 51 



search of " copy " who visited the place without 

 knowing a single word of the language and without 

 a solitary introduction to any one who could have 

 furnished him with information. It is not at lall 

 wonderful, under the circumstances, that the mental 

 picture which the average Briton possesses of Siberia 

 should be so exceedingly unprepossessing. Any 

 falsehood is apparently good enough for the British 

 public, and the more grotesque and sensational it 

 is the more readily it is swallowed. 



The influence of the railway, which is raipidly con- 

 verting insignificant villages into prosperous towns, 

 and the constant flow of imffiigrants, has done away 

 with the terror of the exile system. At one time, 

 exile to Siberia involved genuine hardship. The 

 journey to Eastern Siberia, which now occupies a 

 few months, then meant a weary, painful tramp which 

 lasted nearly as many years. The Siberians re- 

 peatedly petitioned the Central Executive against the 

 system, which they rightly regarded as a menace to 

 their safety and well-being, and, in 1898, a Com- 

 Hiission was appointed to inquire into the matter, 

 a tour of inspection was organised, and all the prisons 

 and exile colonies visited, even to the remote island 

 of Sakhalin. As a result of the labours of the Com- 

 mission, a law was promulgated, which came into 

 force in 1900, abolishing banishment for criminal 

 oflfences. Henceforth transportation to Siberia will 

 be confined to political and religious offenders, and 

 to vagrants whose identity the police is unable to 

 establish. The average annual number of prisoners 

 transported under these three heads is about 400. 

 Criminals of other categories will be imprisoned 

 instead of being transported. The cost of this reform" 

 to the Government will amount to about £85,000 per 

 annum. 



