i 383, which they are intended to repress, but they are the maximum which, under the existing system, can be applied to foreigners.)

6. The Ministry of the Interior has power to extend the regulations to other industries, should such a course appear necessary.

Last year I pointed out that the co-operation of the factory owners in putting an end to the abuses connected with the employment of young children, would be far more efficacious than any infliction of minor penalties. It is, therefore, very satisfactory that the inspectors charged with supervising the execution of the new regulations during the last ginning season, report that the managers have everywhere done their utmost to conform to them. There were 115 factories in work during the season, and the number of contraventions up to the end of the year was only 38. Considerable difficulties were at first anticipated in arranging the shorter hours of the children in com))inatiou with those of older Avorkers. This problem has, however, been .solved in the majority of factories in the most satisfactory way possible, namely, by the practical cessation of the employment of children under thirteen years of age. A further consequence of the change is that, inasmuch as younger children are no longer engaged, wages lor gin hands have risen from to 3 piastres a day; the increase in the expense of ginning due to this cause is stated to be a negligible quantity as compared Avith the total cost of produciion.

31. White Slave Traffic.

The Alexandria police, in co-operation with the Society for the llepression of the White Slave Traffic, continue to do what they can, within the limits allowed them under the Capitulations, to repress this evil, and much credit is due to them for their efforts in this direction. During the past year 1,200 girls of minor age were stopped on disembarking at Alexandria and handed over to various authorities who accepted responsibility for their welfare, and 40 persons, mostly foreign subjects, engaged in this traffic were expelled from the country.

At a conference held in Vienna last October in connection with this subject, a motion was adopted, at the instance of the British and Trench delegates, to the eftect that the Mixed Courts should be empowered to try persons of all nationalities who are found carrying on the trade in Egypt, and that the question should be further examined at the meeting of the oflScial congress in Madrid in May of this year. It may be useful to take this opportunity of putting on record the point of view of the Egyptian authorities in regard to this matter, which is an instance of the practical difficulties placed in the way of an eminently desirable reform by the privileges arising out of the Capitulations.

Under existing arrangements the Egyptian Government are responsible for the punishment of Egyptians who engage in the traffic and the provisions of the native penal code on the subject are now being examined in order to see whethe]’ they require elucidating or strengthening. The trade is not, however, carried on to any considerable extent by Egyptians, nor is it the case that Egyptian women and girls are specially in need of protection in this respect. The evil with which the Vienna conference Avas concerned is the exploitation of European AAomen by other Europeans, and for this no responsibility Avhatever can rest Avith the Egyptian Government. The Powers could, Avere they so minded, deal as effectively Avith such offences Avhen committed in Egypt as Avhen committed Avithin their oAvn territorial limits.

That being so, it is noAV suggested that the Egyptian GoAernment should assume a ueAv and onerous responsibility in the hope that the general interest of morality may be thereby furthered. This they Avould nob hesitate to do, wore there any reas'mable probability that the object aimed at Avould be attained; but before any measures are taken Avhich shift this responsibility from the PoAvers to the Egyptian Government, it AA'ould be necessary from the outset to arm the latter Avith adequate powers. Now all experience goes to show that, though something might be accorded, Egypt could never hope to obtain anything like adequate poAA’’ers. The procedure of the Mixed Tribunals, even in misdemeanour cases, is not that Avhich the Egyptian Government, Avere it a free agent, would recommend, and from the point of v'ieAv of this country it seems hardly fair that she be advised to make herself responsible for the trial of these very difficult cases, unless she is to have a reasonably free hand in prescribing the procedure to be followed. Of this there appears no chance and it is evident that any detailed revision of the procedure by an international commission here Avould raise at least as many difficulties as AAICI be involved in the giving of adequate poAvers to the various Consular Courts.

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