Black Tea, During the inevitable flight of Tea buyers in the early part of May, and even when they had assembled in Hankow, less excitement was observable than usual. This, added to the very disastrous results of the past season, was considered an omen of caution and consequently moderate prices, which it was fairly thought might lead to a profitable decline for all common and low medium kinds, while in good medium there was an important advance during August, which has been maintained for desirable parcels; the decline on common to fair grades culminated in November, when the quotations had reached a range not even remembered by our antediluvian friend "the oldest inhabitant."
In the early part of December a slight speculative enquiry for common, assisted by a fair Russian demand, at last laid bare the fact that this particular grade was not in such abundant supply as was generally thought, and prices advanced in two to three weeks fully twenty-five per cent, say from 7d. a 9d. per Ib., a rate at which common Congou has since remained steady; the improvement came too late to benefit the "many," owing
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.