Speculation as to Effect of Railway Sale eon Ovn OWN Comnesronoent Harbin, Sept. 30.
Notwithstanding the general feeling of depression caused by the news that the Chinese Eastern Railway is fas good as gold, there wax a crowded house last night on the occasion of the re-opening of the Hotel Moderne after having been envana'"(o tirely renovated and a new parquet dancing floor installed. Tt is three years since the Moderne management gave up a band of music in the, evenings, but for this winter season they have once more engaged lorcheatra and dancing will be carried on every night. There are at present many more foreigners the city th usual, while on October 10 a large party of American journalists will arrive to stay here three days, and on October 13 the British Industrial Mission will arrive. Whether the visits of these American and British delegates will have any effect on the position of the Empire of Manchou-Kuo reinaing to be seen, but they wilt be able to see for themselves the state of affairs as they actually fare in this country and will be able to give reports on the possibilities of trade, ete.
The further fall in the yen which has occurred during the past few days is making Japanese goods very cheap and at the same time making it more difficult for foreign manufacturers to compete with the Far Eastern makes. British woollen textiles will, however, hold their own in any part of the world and there is always a demand for the best qualities in this market, but in cotton goods there Little or no chance of British manufacturers selling any here.
'There is a general opinion that with inquiry to the Ministry, the [the sale of the railway, English will fake' the place of Russian, and at the present moment taught than there used to be. Most of the Japanese who are arriving here know only one foreign Ianguoge, and that English, and, therefore, in the Russian shops, the staff has now to know English." If all the Soviet 1 way servants leave Harbin for home, there will be an influx of Japanese railway servants who have no knowledge of the Russian language and who will use English only in the European shops. The whole of the population is anxiously waiting to hear what will be the result of the ow railway conference, as on this!
future of Harbin very much depends. 'The departure of so many' Europeans must considerably alter the character of the of which should become more like Mukden or Dairen.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.