THE CUBA REVIEW. 



19 



Henequen and Rope Making. 



Although there are some 2,100 acres plant- 

 ed to henequen in Cuba (hemp) from 

 which ropes are manufactured, there is not 

 enough produced to supply the market, and 

 in a single year over 1,000 tons were im- 

 ported. To supply the market and keep the 

 rope factories running, Cuba should pro- 

 duce 3,000,000 or 4,000,000 pounds. There 

 are several henequen mills in Cuba and a 

 rope manufactory at Havana capable of 

 using all the henequen raised; the estab- 

 lishment has all kinds of machinery and 

 manufactures from the finest thread to the 

 heaviest and strongest cables for ships. 

 There is also made in Cuba a bark rope 

 which is sold very cheap. — Clinton (Mass.) 

 Courant. 



Sponge Fishing. 



Sponges are classified, male and female. 

 The minimum size of sponges allowed by 

 law is 46 centimeters, excepting specimens 

 for scientific studies. The production one 

 year amounted in value to $501,575.42, and 

 the United States took about 35 per cent, 

 of the output. 



The yield of sponges in Cuba for eighteen 

 months from July 1, 1906, to September 30, 

 1907, inclusive, was as follows. The table 

 gives the quantity secured at the places 

 named and their value. 



Dozen. Value.* 



Cardenas 7,082 $3,094.30 



Caibarien 231,728 50,234.88 



Nuevitas 71,089 9,528.34 



Batabano 421,659 338,269,41 



Total 731,558 $401,126.93 



From the report of the Secretary of the 

 Cuban Department of Agriculture, Industry 

 and Commerce. 



*United States currency. 



Cannery and Starch Mill Proposed. 



The committee of the Herradura Vegeta- 

 ble Growers' Association, Herradura, Prov- 

 ince of Pinar del Rio, have returned a favor- 

 able report on the proposition of establish- 

 ing a cannery and starch mill in that town. 



E. W. Halstead, the secretary, would like 

 to enter into correspondence with manufac- 

 turers of the necessary machinery which will 

 be required. Arrangements, it is said, are 

 now under way for planting a large acreage 

 of yucca for starch. 



English Cottons in Cuba. 



In the three months ended March 31 Eng- 

 land exported cotton goods to Cuba as fol- 

 lows : 



CottonGoods— Bleached. 1909. 1908. 



Yards 8,169,300 8,105,600 



Value £84,512 £69,081 



Cotton Piece Goods — Printed. 



1909. 1908. 



Yards 5,289,300 3,467,500 



Value £50,719 £28,175 



Cotton Piece Goods — All Kinds. 



1909. 1908. 



Yards 19,787,800 17,192,000 



Value £200,568 £ 150,871 



Blind to Cuba's Possibilities. 



"America seems to be absolutely blind to 

 Cuba's possibilities," said Sir William C. 

 Van Home to a Herald representative in 

 London on May 5. "Cuba," he continued, 

 "offers one of the finest fields for American 

 investment that could be had, and the to- 

 bacco and sugar growing interests have 

 vast possibilities, little dreamed of by 

 American business men. But the best 

 opportunities," he insisted, "lay in the 

 raising of citrous fruits and cattle. Re- 

 cently a good deal of American capital 

 has been invested in these two industries, 

 but nothing like as much as the condi- 

 tions would warrant." 



Sir William also' pointed out that Cuba 

 is in itself a rich country. Its people are 

 law abiding and industrious, and the gov- 

 ernment is perfectly safe. Personally he be- 

 lieves there are great possibilities, and he 

 has proved his faith by investments amount- 

 ing to several millions of dollars. The mile- 

 age of his railways in Cuba is now being 

 increased by about two hundred, tapping 

 some of the rich sugar and tobacco districts 

 in the west of the island. 



Cuban Imports of Watches. 



Consul R. E. Holaday, in reply to an inquiry from a New York watch agency, 

 furnishes the following statement showing the number and value of watches imported 

 into Santiago de Cuba in 1907 and 1908: 



—1907— - — 1908- 



Whence imported Number. Value. Number. Value. 



United States ' 962 $338 596 $433 



Switzerland 786 1,064 1,911 1,971 



Germany 382 1,323 132 144 



France 180 418 104 95 



Other countries • • • • • • 2 8 



Total 2,310 $3,143 2,745 $2,651 



