Mr. Stanley H. Dodwell, in reply, said that in spite of all the adverse circumstances the Shanghai Customs returns on the old 6 per cent. basis showed for the eight months ending August 31, 1929, an inereasa of 3,500,000 Haikwan Taels, or over 11 per cent. as compared with the same period last year, which was a "record" year. Imports showed an increase of over 19 per cent. and exports an increase of nearly 13 pee cent.
There could be no doubt that the China market, was an expanding one and that it offered increasing opportunities. During the past 19 years China's total import of most the commodities in which the United Kingdom was chiefly interested had increased greatly. Iron and steel had doubled, woollen goolls, and tobacco had increased five-fold. Piece-goods, it was true, showed falling off, but on the other hand China's demand for other types of Western goods was becoming more and more diversified. On the whdle there was good reason for taking a hopeful view of the United Kingdom's commercial prospects la China, but a very great deal, of course, depended on price. We were being beaten in some directors, by Japan and America, as well as by the Continent. In his opinion cut distributing organizations 1a Ghind were suerer to Ut of any Chine Western' sation, and from coterie he. knew that the, tox? skilful and alluring salesmanship could not prevail to-day against etter pill can rely upon MART price.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.