_Germany._--The German law and practice are broadly similar to the French, but the several states vary somewhat in detail. Under the imperial law of 1879 inns or hotels and retail trade in spirits for on or off consumption may not be carried on without a permit or licence from the local authority which, however, can only be refused on the ground of character or of unsuitability of premises. This is the general law of the empire; but the state governments are empowered to make the granting of a licence for retailing spirits dependent on proof that it is locally required, and also to impose the same condition on inn-keeping and the retailing of other drinks in places with less than 15,000 inhabitants and in larger ones which obtain a local statute to that effect. Before a licence is granted the opinion of the police and other executive officers is to be taken. The licensing authority is the mayor in towns and the chairman of the district council in rural areas. The provisions with regard to the dependence of a licence on local requirements have been adopted by Prussia and other states, but apparently little or no use is made of them. Permits are very freely granted, and the number of licensed houses, though not so great as in France, is very high in proportion to population. Three classes of establishment are recognized--(1) _Gast-wirthschaft_, (2) _Schank-wirthschaft_, (3) _Klein-handel_. _Gast-wirthschaft_ is inn-keeping, or the lodging of strangers in an open house for profit, and includes "pensions" of a public character; the imperial law provides that a licence may be limited to this function and need not include the retailing of liquor. _Schank-wirthschaft_ is the retailing for profit of all sorts of drinks, including coffee and mineral waters; it corresponds to café in France and refreshment house in England; but the mere serving of food does not come under the law with which we are here concerned. _Klein-handel_ is retail sale either for on or off consumption, and the liquor for which a licence is required in this connexion is described as _branntwein_ or _spiritus_, and is defined as distilled alcoholic liquor, whether by itself or in combination. A licence for _Schank-wirthschaft_ includes _Klein-handel_, but not vice-versa; none is required for the retail sale of wine which is the seller's own produce. Licences may be withdrawn for offences against the law. Licensed houses are under the supervision of the police, who fix the hours of closing; it is usually 10 P.M., but is commonly extended to 11 P.M. or midnight in the larger towns and still later in the case of particular establishments. Some cafés in Berlin do not close till 3 A.M. and some never close at all. Persons remaining on the premises in forbidden hours after being ordered to leave by the landlord are liable to punishment. Serving drunkards and persons of school age is forbidden.