March 21st, 1873. Cloudy.

At three o'clock in the afternoon we went by carriage to visit the [Moabit] prison, located a thousand yards or so north-west of the Brandenburg Gate. This prison has long had a good reputation for its extensive facilities. At present there are 490 convicts and a total of 49 officials including the guards; the prison for female offenders is in a separate part of the city. It costs $93 a year to keep a single criminal in custody, half of which is funded by the government and the other half is recovered in profits from the sale of goods produced by the prisoners, for they are forced to engage in regular work during the time they are held, just as in other countries.

Each prisoner has his own cell, in which he is free to keep personal possessions. The cell doors were opened so we could see the living conditions, and in every one there was a mattress and some utensils. Daylight was shining in through a glass window, and gas-lamps were provided for use at night. Many of the men also find diversion by keeping caged birds as pets. One prisoner who had been here for eleven years was serving a twelve-year sentence for setting fire to someone's house. In general there is a great disparity between the East and the West in the laws concerning arson.