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THE PLAGUE IN EGYPT 41
the instance of Mr. Bernaki, an estimable
Minister with a full knowledge of Egypt and
its affairs. The Bill now, of course, an Act
prohibits any girl from leaving her country
without a permit from the Mayor of the
municipality in which her parents live.
Application for such permit must be made
by the girl's parents or lawful guardians, who
are required to supply full particulars as to
the girl's name, age, and reason for desiring
to leave the country. If any one is accompanying
her the name of the person must be
supplied. In the event of a certificate being
granted, it has to be produced on the girl's
arrival at Port Said or Alexandria. Without
such a certificate she is not permitted to
remain in Egypt, but is immediately repa-
triated. This useful piece of legislation
does much to minimise the traffic in young
girls, but without the co-operation of the
Egyptian Government it is almost futile to
hope to kill the atrocious trade.
The unspeakable creatures in this traffic
will, it is hoped, says the Westminster Gazette,
have reason to remember the recent visit to
Egypt of Mr. W. A. Coote, inasmuch as the
interest of Lord Kitchener has been aroused.
In a timely article on the subject, in its issue
of April llth this year, the journal quoted
said that Mr. Coote went to Egypt at the
request of the International Bureau, of which
the Bishop of Westminster is president and
the Dean of Westminster is chairman; and
he also took with him a mandate from the