12 THECUBAREVI E^W 



The lard importations are on the increase, but flour is arriving in very limited lots, and in 

 this city very little bread has been baked since our last advice, with no immediate prospects 

 thatthe amount is to be increased. The importaticns of meats, such as ham and bacon, had fallen 

 to very low figures, due to inability to receive same, but lately there has been a considerable 

 movement of these commodities. Condensed and evaporated milk is now arriving in much 

 larger quantities. Mr. Morgan has also reached an understanding with the National Defense 

 Council, by which, beginning April 1, importers of foodstuffs here, before placing orders in the 

 United States, have to file same with these two offices, and if they are approved they will be 

 forwarded by Mr. Morgan to the War Trade Board at Washington for necessary handling on 

 their part prior to filling same. 



There have been no particular new local restrictions enforced by the Cuban National 

 Defense Council. On the contrarj , as coal is now being imported in considerable quantities 

 the restrictions as to the vii-e of electricity foi illuminating purposes as promulgated by a presi- 

 dential decree have just been abolished by the executive. 



Mention was made in our last report of a cargo of corn arriving by sailing vessel from 

 Venezuela, this being the first shipment of that class. Since then another schooner has arrived 

 with a small lot of corn and lard. 



There are no new developments as regards the oil well industry, no new wells being brought 

 in, although there is a certain amount of boring still going on. 



Building operations, both business and residential, in Havana and its suburbs continue 

 heavj' with no apparent indications at the present time of any let-up in this direction, although 

 the local manufacturers cf brick, which is the principal building commodity, are sti'l somewhat 

 handicapped on account cf lack of sufficient coal for use in their kilns, reference to which was 

 made last month. 



The Cuban Government has recently received two checks of $5,000,000 each, being the 

 second and third instalment of the loan of $15,000,000 made by the United States to Cuba. 

 As a guarantee for this loan, the Cuban Government has delivered to the United States 

 authorit'es Cuban treasury bonds for an equal amount. 



Some new banks have lately been opened in Havana, the principal ones being the Banco 

 Hispano-Americano and the Banco Internacional de Cuba; also the Banco Central de Cuba 

 and the Banco Prestatario de Cuba. The Banco de la Libertad vnW be housed in a new building 

 to be erected adjoining the one now under construction for the Pedro Gomez Mena Bank, 

 mention of which we have previously made. 



The Cuban racing season closed here on March 31st after a very success ul meet of some 

 four months. The attendance which under normal conditions they would have received from 

 the tourists was practically nil, but owing to present prosperous conditions in Cuba the races 

 were heavily patronized by the residents and betting was freely indulged in. Next year the 

 race track people will have "Jai-Alai" to compete with. 



FRENCH SUGAR-BEET CROP 



Consul General A. M. Thackara, Paris; translation of an article in *'l' Information." 



According to the figures recently published by the French Secretary of Agriculture, the 

 sugar-beet crop in 1917 totaled 2,108,500 tons from 178,058 acres planted. In 1916, the acreage 

 comprised 200,673, the production being 1,988,620 tons. In 1915, the acreage was 186,934, 

 from which were produced 1,148,070 tons; while in 1914, 330,625 acres produced 3,751,000 

 tons of sugar beets. 



By a decree of January 15, 1918, the quantity of sugar the refiners are authorized to retain 

 by virtue of the decree of January 2, 1917, has been reduced to 0.10 per cent, of the production 

 of each. 



These estimates explain the last reduction of the individual rations of sugar. In the 

 meantime the Minister of Food Control, replying to a question of M. Mequillet, Deputy for 

 the Department of the Meurthe-et^Moselle, declared that the use of saccharine to replace 

 sugar was tolerated in sparkling wines, desert wines, cider, liqueurs, lemonade, coffee, and tea, 

 but on condition that these products were plainly labeled " Saccharine" or "Artificially 

 sweetened;" only the concerns that exported the said products will benefit by an allowance of 

 100 tons of sugar per month to be distributed through the Wine, Spirits, and Liqueur Syndicate. 



