14 JANUARY 1899, Page 2

It is hardly possible to understand the feeling of Conti-

nental Courts about personal insult. A Social Democratic paper in Magdeburg recently published a story about a Prince of Baghdad and his tutor, which was supposed to conceal an insult to the German Emperor's second son. The Court of Berlin accordingly prosecuted the editor, and the jury finding him guilty, he was sentenced to four years and one month's imprisonment. We dare say the editor, being a Socialist, made himself very disagreeable ; but it is hardly conceivable that such a sentence could be other than unjustly vindictive. We have always admitted that Kings must be specially protected against libel, but a King's son is only his father's subject, and not entitled to any protection, except such as the ordinary laws afford. A sentence of that kind can only destroy that confidence in Courts of Justice which is one of the foundations of society.