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56 coin, it was found that there were some 2000 tons of copper still in stock, which had forthwith to be disposed of at a loss.

It remains to add that the Viceroy is an ardent admirer of Japan. In the arsenal a staff of seventeen Japanese foremen have taken the place of the Germans who were formerly employed; a Japanese colonel, with staff of twenty Japanese military instructors, left Hankow while I was there to accompany the Viceroy's troops to the autumn manœuvres in Honan; while a river fleet of six gunboats and four destroyers are under construction in the shipyards of that country. Japanese were to be seen instructing and supervising in the textile factories, and the British consul-general reports that "the position of other nations is adversely affected by the anomalous favour felt for Japan, which renders that country's vigorous competition a very serious obstacle to any attempt to push our business relations with China.... Japanese hawkers have appeared in the streets of Wuchang, and the Japanese