May 23.
With the approach of the Dragon Boat Festival which falls on May 30, when merchants will be in urgent need of cash, and also the approach of hot days, sind with the reduction of freight charges, prices of coal are beginning to fall, It is-learned that hoarders of coa are doing their best to, sell. with, the result that their prices have been reduced by $40 oF $50 per ton. Further decreases will be registered In the next few days, Chinese reports predict.
The price of coal balls has iso Gropped a little, with many shops selling them at $1450 or $15 pen picul os compared with the record price of $16 which was quoted some lime ago. The increase of ships for (ransporling coal is reported to be one of the chief reasons for the reduction of prices. The ready stock has been Increased to such an extent hu) hoarders are trying to sell as much coal as they can.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.