579
right of protection over the coolies in Mexico.
The Mexican Government agreed to this but the
proposal eventually fell through.
Within the last few years the pro-
41634/10/6.02. 295746/04
hibition of free emigration to Peru and
7.352/950 8129/9/05.
Mexico has been withdrawn.
The only occasion
on which the principle of prohibition of con-
tract emigration except to British possessions
has been departed from was in April, 1905,
when the late Government informed Sir M.
Nathan, that, provided that the Chinese Govern-
ment agreed to allow contract emigration to
Panama, that emigration might be carried on
from Hong Kong. (The question whether the
Hong Kong terms of the existing law prohibited this
emigration was not raised. No steps appear
to have been taken at the time to give effect
to this decision.)
The question has assumed a new
importance within the last few months. In
March