When the use of electricity for executions began to be talked of as a practical possibility, I naturally took much interest in the subject. As the result of all the enquiries I was enabled to make, I concluded that although electrocution--as the Americans call it--is theoretically perfect, it presents many practical difficulties. The experience of the authorities in the case of the wretched man, Kremmler, who was executed by electricity in New York, fully proves that as yet we do not know enough about the conditions under which electricity will cause painless and sudden death. When particulars of the method that was to be adopted for executions in New York were first published, I was with a small committee of gentlemen in Manchester who were investigating the subject. They made all arrangements for experiments to test the reliability of the method. Two animals were obtained that had to be killed in any case, namely, a calf and an old dog of a large breed. In the case of the calf the connections were made in the manner prescribed, and the current was turned on. This was repeated twice, but the only result was to cause the calf to drop on its knees and bellow with fear and pain, and the butcher at once killed it in the ordinary way with his poleaxe. When the shock was applied to the dog he fell down and seemed to be paralysed, but it was some time before life was extinct. The latest reports of American executions say that the deaths were instantaneous and painless, but the value of such statements is lessened by the fact of reporters being excluded. The total exclusion of the press at any rate seemed like an admission of the authorities that they had no confidence in the certainty of the method they were using. Altogether, after a careful consideration of all the principal modes of execution, I am convinced that our English method as at present in use is the best yet known, because it is absolutely certain, instantaneous and painless. It may be interesting to close this chapter with a list of the principal methods of execution in use in foreign countries. Austria Hanging, public. Bavaria Guillotine, private. Belgium Guillotine, public. Brunswick Axe, private. China Sword or bow-string, public. Denmark Guillotine, public. France Guillotine, nominally public; but really so surrounded by cordons of gens d'armes, &c., as to be virtually private. Germany Sword or hanging, private. Hanover Guillotine, private. Italy No capital punishment. Netherlands Hanging, public. Portugal Hanging, public. Prussia Sword, private. Russia Rifle shot, hanging or sword, public; but capital punishment is practically abolished except for political offences.