For the Yangtze service and for the return voyage on the Shanghai and Tsingtao run, the freight rates are based on the Chinese dollar, while the basis of computation for the return trip from India and South Sea pots is the Indian rupee. It is the companies on these runs who are reaping the harvest, because the coin of India and China has practically doubled since pre-war days. Before the war the Chinese dollar was worth about 90 sen, to-day it is worth about 2 yen. Before the war the Indian rupee was worth 65 sen, to-day it is worth about 1 yen.
With this standard of valuation for currency shipping companies, doing the same business they did before the war and keeping the freight rates at the same level, are actually clearing twice as much money as previously. The fact is, however, that they have raised the freight rate several times since pre-war days and the Indian and Chinese runs are veritable mints for the Japanese shipping concerns doing business on them.
A Belfast report states that the sum of £1,000,000 had been allocated from an unnamed source for Ulster's disabled soldiers and sailors.
Tus steady advance in the price of rice leads the "Kokumin'' to predict that "an extraordinary incident" may occur at any moment. There is, it is said, an undercurrent against the present administration, and signs are.not wanting that a serious disturbance may occur towards the end of this month or early in April.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.