We are glad to seo that the Silver Question has secured the attention of one Shanghai merchant, Ever since the fall in the value of the metal took place much Las been written on the subject by supporters of Lhe single and the double standard, and by currency hobbyista of all kinds, But the writ. ings of these gontlemou attracted only a limited and passing notice, and the general public wore long ago sick of their discussions. Yet, with the exooption of a few gentlemen who attached themselves to the hi-metallic league which was ushered into the world with some noise a fow yours ago, and has ince disappeared, few mercantile mon have given their views to the world. Oar Correspondent 'Kin' asks the question to-day" Has Silver fallen—aud proceeds to argue by various iustances that the metal has not declined in value in the East. The position of the money markets of the world is now pretty much the same as before the last great discoveries of gold, The values of almost all articles that are dealt in commercially have fallen, But it does not appear to us to have been clearly proved as yot that this general fall is chiefly or altogether duo toa rise in the value of gold. It ecems to have been caused by overproduction, the cheapening of the modes of transport, and to some extent by buyers and sellers coming closer together, and therefore dispensing with many charges of ove kind and another which formerly increased the cost of all produce and manufactures, Thoro are not nearly 80 many middlemen now getting their incomes from the merchaute, who have to bear the risk of their ventures, as there were formerly, Then, again, trans~ actions even between distant countries are more nearly on a cash basis than they were tea years ago, Freights, insurance, and money, are cheaper, and the chief articles of import into Europe can therefore besoldcheaper than before. It is the same generally in the Hast. We publish to-day the chief part of an article on values in India, and we expect that an examination into the internal trade of China during the ame period would show about the same results, The ryot in India and the countryman or townsman in China now get aa much value for the produce they bring to market, by the cheapening of what they buy, as they did when exchange was twenty por cout. Lighor hau uyw. And it is very
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.