There was a quieter tone all] round, trade inquiries having slackened off and also clearances. Brokers all told the same story—that the upcountry people are getting vid of what they have chased and until these supplies exhausted they will not buy any more. Fair quantities are: known to have gone into consum tien during September, so the lull may not be for long. A somewhat better demand from the South has been offset by the north calling off altogether. Indeed, the slackness of Tientsin is said to be the reason of the slump. It is rather into esting to compare the conditions now with those of this time last year, Then, with native interest standing at 7 mace, money was eweedingly tight. Matters were also in very bad shape at Peking and so there was some justification for the market falling as 1 it did. Native interest now, however, is 8 candareens, which "is about the normal, and the political situation is much quieter, so the reason for slack\trade isi somewhat. obscure. Possibly it is in part due td the fact that this is the time when merchants are all busy 1¢-arranging their credits for next year's trading, whilst the country people, taking full advantage of the fine weather to get in their crops, have no time to think of anything else. Manchester is reported firmer.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.