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German piece-goods firms in recent years have been
545
practically unknown, although they are known to have
suffered severely as a result of the extended credit
system.
Mr. Bruce of the Calico Printers' Association
has also made investigations in Hongkong, and his
conclusions are similar to those of Mr.Girardet. In
conversations with me kr. Bruce has always been very
critical of British official methods and of the inadequacy
of the support afforded to him by British Consular officera
as compared with that afforded to him by German officials.
(It will be remembered that German houses handle large
quantities of the C.P.A. goode and that the C.P.A. were
on the point of appointing German agents here just before
the outbreak of war.) He attributes their official activity.
and their civility to him, to a determination to push
German trade into every channel, even though it be
concerned for the present with the distribution of
British manufactures, This policy is believed to be
directed