A few months ago attention was drawn in these columns to the unhappy experience of Group 7 in the monthly' trade statistics placed at the disposal of the public by the American Consul-General. "The Statistics in question show the declared exports from Shanghai (or may be from China) to the United States, and Group 7 has generally distinguished itself by having "nil" placed against it. For the benefit of the uninitiated it should be explained that Group 7 comprises machinery and vehicles, and' it is, of course, hardly to be expected that China should do a roaring export trade with America in these goods. Yet for January things are very much brighter and there has actually been an export of the value of G4901, and even stranger is the category accounting for this sum. It is nothing else than "Fordson tractor parts." Knowing Mr, Ford's passion for mass production one would imagine that such an export as this from China would appeal to him, and doubtless there is a perfectly Rood explanation for the export. Statistics, however, are capable of proving anything, but, having
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.