A prophet in China does not have an easy time, but he who asserts that there is great promise in the coming year is at least in good company, for one finds scarcely any one in the market who does }not hold with such a view. A strong point is that, as the result of various -happenings, upcountry stocks sre absolutely denuded and must shortly be replaced. Hitherto there have been two principal reasons for the holding up of trade, the chief being the politico] sit-a-become most. promisingly quiet, tion. That, however, seems to have
which is what dealers ask for. Nowadays they absolutely refuse to handle large stocks when they cannot be were from day to day when ther they will pass from their pow-session. to that of soldiers or brigands, without payment, or ba lost in the burning of a city.
The other difficulty, which has become so eccentrated of late, is. the drought. If crepy fail, tha country people cannot purchase any" thing else and they are rapidly becoming faced with that possibility. However, there is still time, if rain falls in sufficient quantity, to redeem. the situation. Thus it was that, while most people in the city shivered and grumbled at the mixed rain and snow yesterday, traders were hoping for more and more of it. The position really is very serious end those who do not ride or walk in the country can scairce~ ly understand how terribly dry it is. So, considering all things, and hoping for the best, traders are looking forward to a good year. The demand is there if voice cam be given to it and this will be done if there are immediate and plentiful rains, and if the political situation remains even only as quiet as it is at the moment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.