19 JUNE 1920, Page 2

Those who have been patiently waiting for prices to fall

may take comfort from the silver market. Silver has fallen, at first steadily and then, in the last few days, very rapidly, so that it is now worth, at 44d. an ounce, just half what it was worth four months ago. It is no longer profitable, even if it were lawful, to melt silver coin. The Eastern exchanges have moved in our favour, so that the rupee is now equal to about is. 10d., and the prices of all our Eastern imports, such as tea, jute, grain, hides and oil-seeds, are thus bound to decline. The sudden fall may disorganize trade for the moment, but the British consumer is certain to benefit very soon by the relative cheapness of silver.