The scavenging, sanitation, watering, paving, and all the other works which fall within the sphere of the municipality or local authority are defective and neglected.  The one bright point, both in Oporto and Lisbon, is the care, skill, and attention with which the public gardens and squares are tended.  The palms, tree-ferns, cacti, and other semi-tropical and sub-tropical plants are beautiful in themselves, and are arranged and intermingled with other trees and shrubs in a most artistic manner.  The grass (upon which no one, of course, may walk) is kept green by constant watering, and affords a delightful contrast to the generally dry and dusty aspect of the city.  Another organisation which is generally efficient and well conducted is that of the fire brigades.  The municipal firemen—­the bombeiros—­are often stimulated by a healthy rivalry with the volunteer brigades, which are numerous, well found, and, as a rule, well managed.  The latter are often centres of good charitable work outside their actual fire service, and they are valuable as offering a fair and worthy opportunity for the display of sound public spirit and good feeling.

Though Portuguese laws are, as a rule, admirable in themselves, the administration thereof is bad in the extreme, and the judiciary have a reputation for turpitude remarkable even amongst the recognised corruption of all officials.  In Portugal proper there are two judicial districts—­that of Lisbon and that of Oporto.  Each has a high court known as a Relacao, and there are inferior courts of various styles and titles.  Above all is the Supreme Tribunal of Justice at Lisbon, which is the final court of appeal, and the reputation of which is somewhat better than that of any other tribunal.  The administration of criminal justice is naturally amongst the worst.  According to common repute, the only consideration with the judges is how they are to get the costs paid—­whether they are more likely to obtain them through an acquittal, which throws them on the prosecutor, or by a conviction.  Also, it is generally said that the police themselves are recruited from amongst the very lowest classes.

The prisons are described as being something awful, only to be equalled in Morocco and savage countries.  In the market-place of beautiful Cintra stands the prison, against the barred windows of which crowd the prisoners, begging for money, cigarettes, and food, which are supplied to them through the prison bars by their friends and sympathisers, and by soft-hearted people.  Those who are incarcerated in the upper story have baskets, which they lower by means of strings, so that they may be supplied in the same manner.  This seems to have amused Miss Leck (Iberian Sketches, Chap.  VI.), but it assumes a much more serious aspect when one considers that in those filthy dens all the prisoners are huddled together—­old men and boys, the murderer and the petty thief, habitual criminals and unfortunate persons taken into custody