It is well known that several contracts have been made for the shipment of German goods to China, and the acceptance of the Allied demands by Germany now rouses an important question—regarding the fulfilment of these contracts. Will the Germans be able to carry out their obligations by meeting themselves the 25 per cent. expert duly which they have acaccepted? "The question has been gone into locally by business men, and the impression seems to be that the Germans will attempt to wriggle out of their engagements.
It is learned that most German contracts contain a clause to the effect that delivery of goods depends upon tonnage being available for shipment. This is said to provide the necessary loophole, and Chinese who have contracted for German goods prior to the announcement of the export duty may find that ship space will not be available and that accordingly they will not receive their goods.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.