578 clauses were embodied without alteration in substance in the consolidating Ordinance of 1889, which comprises the existing law. Subject to these modifications of detail the general policy of 1869 has hitherto been followed; i.e. contract emigration has not been allowed except to British possessions; free emigration has been prohibited when there was good reason to suppose that the emigrants were not properly treated on arrival (e.g. in the case of certain South American States) when there was ground for believing that the emigration was only nominally free, that the coolies were under verbal contract or when either the Chinese Government or the Government of the country to which the emigrants wished to go raised objections. In one instance in 1884-85 the British Government refused to permit free emigration to Mexico unless the Mexican Government would allow them to exercise the