The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-03
VISITING DIRECTORS
RETURN TO ENGLAND
Mr.. W. H. Butler, of the Univer-
sal, Went With Them; Brief
Tobacco Items.

Messrs. Gum. Player and Clark, the
three visiting directors OF the Imperial
Tobacco Company, whose presence here
excited SO much speculation, have sailed
for home Their departure. like their arr
val and their every action while here, w5A
quietly done and the party is gone be-
fore anybody realized 1t. They are said
TO have left on June 31st.
a fact which may and may not be of
very great significance is that on the
same boat, as a fellow passenger went
Mr.. William H. Butler. president of the
Universal Toha eco Company. OF New
York. Much speculation has been in
dulged in as to the probability that the
Imperial in lighting against the Ameri-
can Tobacco Company, on this side,
would buy out the Universal or at least
make some cooperative arrangement
with it. 1t was even stated at one time
that the visiting directors of the I'M
perial came to this country with the cx-
press purpose of effeCting such an al
lance. Guess followed guess, but Moth
ing provoked me Englishmen into say
ing what they were really here for. Now
they are gone as quietly they come.
and President Butler, of the Universal,
goes with them.
just what this signifies cannot of
course. be said. but despite the state
ments by local tobacconists that in their
opinion the Imperial doesn't want the
Universal. it is a strange coincidence
which throws the two together on the
same boat apparently bound for the
same port.
The departure of the visitors has still
another significance. They We're sent
here as a committee. with full power to
transact such business and form such
alliances as they thought best. They
came straight to Richmond, and after
snort stay here went off on little trips
TO different points. After taking in the
whole situation they have now left and
ii is thought that they take with them
some definite idea of what is needed here
with a view to meeting the American
trust on its own ground. 1t is general
~ thought that their return to England
will he followed by some definite and
important movements.
Great interest is manifested here in
the opening of the tobacco market in
south Carolina to-day. One or two Local
tobacconists may take a trip into the
section shortly.
A letter received by the Southern To-
hacconists from Mr. w. P. Henry, sec
rotary of the Tobacco Trade of Tim
monsville s. c.. states that the first sale
of the season occurred last Saturday at
TimmonSvllc.
Another lettcr received here from Null
Inns makes the gratifying announcement
that III that section there is likely to be
an increase of fully 30 per cent over last
year
M. +. X. Victor, the German consul in
this city. entertained the visiting Ger
man officers at luncheon at the Vest
moreland Club yesterday afternoon.
The gentlemen are of II. NJ S. Nipeta
a Newport News. and are III the city
attending the Gesangverein celebration
They are First Lieutenant Hildebrand
First Lieutenant Hundertmark and Flag
Lieutenant Render
Mr.. I. s. Yulle. of New York, head
of the leaf department of the American
Tobacco Company. was in the city yester-
day 1t is understood that Mr.. Yuille