Apr. 29.
Although the opposing military politicians have spent still another we in preparing to take their coats off and actual fighting seems to be as remote as ever, business confidence has not returned and the conference which followed upon the Hangchow picnic of the piece goods dealers did not result in the giving of such guarantees as would have justified a resumption of the auctions. Consequently nothing has been done beyond the filling of a few private orders, There is to be another conference to see if it will be possible to reopen the auction rooms next week, but, frankly, this is nob regarded as probable. The river ports and Ningpo dealers are anxious to discuss business, but the North is completely out of the market. The suggestion has again been swire that one bale of each chop should be ofered, but the foreign hongs are standing out for some guarantee that there will be genuine business. From their point of view it would be worthless to offer even a little if they are net to receive reasonable prices and they would just as soon prefer to wait until there is real business in sight.
Tt is said that, although stocks are naturally accumulating, there jis no fear for a long time of the market becoming overstocked, whilst the interior is so bare, consequent upon the hand-to mouth business which has been the order
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.