14 



THE CUBA REVIE W 



COMMERCIAL MATTERS. 



American Manufactures in Cuba. 



A visitor's interesting observations on 

 American manufactures in Cuba, com- 

 prising in the main articles in the mte- 

 rior of the island, shows that the use of 

 labor-saving devices is increasing, and 

 this will be bound to develop a larger 

 demand. He says: ■ , ■ r- u t 



"Five days after our arrival m Cuba, i 

 was engaged in the erection of an Am- 

 erican windmill, in combination with the 

 pumps of a well-known eastern maker; 

 these two examples of superiority in 

 our products enjoy wide popularity in 

 Cuba, assuring a rapidly growing demand 

 in the future. Once properly erected, 

 very little attention is needed to keep 

 them in good working condition for 

 years. The absence of frost is of great 

 assistance in securing this excellent serv- 

 ice and the labor-saving features ap- 

 peal to the dweller in the tropics. The 

 growing popularity of corn meal for table 

 use, and the prevalence of destructive in- 

 sects that compel the storage of corn in 

 the husk, on the cob, make the family corn 

 mill and the family coffee mill two prom- 

 ising lines of light manufacturing. In 

 Cuba the coffee mill is the first sound de- 

 noting the approach of morning. 



Our host at Manicaragu^ has a small 

 coffee mill that has been in use for many 

 years The burrs had become worn. L 

 wrote the manufacturer giving the princi- 

 pal features and the markings, and for less 

 than one dollar secured by m^il a pair ot 

 new burrs that were substituted m a few 

 minutes, fitted perfectly, and incidentally 

 won for that far-seeing manufactur-^r aii 

 enthusiastic admirer in an influential resi- 

 dent Simplicity and durability are two in- 

 dispensable requisites in every line of 

 products that would win and retain 

 favor in the keen competition met m 

 manufacturing for e^-^o^t — Raymer i. 

 Hanford. in the Dryden (N. Y.) Herald. 



High Priced Cars in Cuba. 



There is a big sale for high-priced for- 

 eign automobiles in Cuba, savs the New 

 York Times, stransre as this mav seem, the 

 explanation being that a low tariff puts the 

 foreign makes on an even selling level 

 with cars of American manufacture and 

 this probably accounts for the willing- 

 ness of foreign houses to enter cars m 

 the Cuban races. 



Custom. House of Havana. 



The Custom House collections of this 

 port for November were ^1.446,351 89. 



For the same month of 1907 the collec- 

 tions were $1,739,743.11. a decrease of 

 $293,391.12 for 1908. 



The Cuban Reciprocity Treaty. 



The live years' limit prescribed in the 

 Cuban reciprocity treaty, at the end of 

 which the treaty might be terminated, 

 will expire December 27. It was said at 

 the war and state departments recently 

 that the treaty would continue effective 

 for an indefinite period until either the 

 United States or Cuba serve notice of its 

 termination. Although the treaty pro- 

 vides that it shall remain in effect for five 

 years from December 27, 1903, it also 

 provides that it shall be continued in 

 force from year to year thereafter until 

 one of the parties to the treaty shall noti- 

 fv the other that the treaty will no long- 

 er be regarded as valid and binding. 

 This notice, it is provided, must be giv- 

 en a year in advance of the date on which 

 it is desired that the treaty shall ter- 

 minate. No such notice has been re- 

 ceived or given by either Cuba or the 

 United States as yet, and none is ex- 

 pected. 



The Cuban treaty has been a bone of 

 contention throughout the whole of our 

 recent tariff difficulty and will, undoubt- 

 edly, continue to be so. Particular acute- 

 ness is given to the situation by the fact 

 that during the month the date will be 

 reached when by giving a year's notice 

 we can at any time terminate the treaty. 

 The agreement was entered upon before 

 the Germans had begun their campaign 

 for better trade relations with the United 

 States and of course they could not con- 

 sistently urge the violation of treaty 

 rights during the life of the document. 

 A different problem is presented when 

 the end of the regime thus established 

 is arrived at. — New York Journal of 

 Commerce. 



New York Mahogany and Cedar Prices. 



Mahogany. — There were five ports 

 represented in the month's arrivals. All 

 of this wood came forward on order, 

 and consequently has passed into second 

 hands. The stock that was on hand a 

 month ago remains unchanged. The 

 marlcet is not active, although shipments 

 < f wood of good size can be recom- 

 mended. 



Cedar. — The receipts of this grade of 

 wood were somewhat smaller than the 

 previous month, and have all passed into 

 second hands, together with part of the 

 stock that was on hand a month ago, 

 which shows an improvement in the 

 trade. Large wood in good condition 

 Ai ill undoubtedly be well received. — Geo. 

 F. Herriman, December 1, 1908. 



