THE CUBA REVIEW 11 



Dae to the shutting off of suk ir shipments ta Mexio ) in staamers, the Mexican Govern- 

 ment has felt compelleci to send over ships flying that flag to take back cargoes of this com- 

 modity. One such steamer, the "Alexic:)," formerly belonging to the Compania Mejicana de 

 Navegaci6n, but now operated by a company called the Compania Sureste de Mexico, has 

 arrived here, and it is stated that saveral other steamers of the same line will also arrive here 

 to load similar cargoes. 



Shortly after the great war broke out tlie British steamship line bringing jerked beef from 

 South America to Havana discontinued their service and these shipments, which amf)unt to 

 large quantities, have been transhipped to New York. Last month a Swedish sailing vessel 

 arrived here direct from Montevideo, the cargo being made up mainly of jerked beef, and it 

 was reported that there were two more Swedish sailing vessels then en route for Havana with 

 similar cargoes. 



We have previously reported the arrival here of Japanese steamers with cargoes of rice 

 from the Orient, also that ships of this nationality were bringing down coal from the United 

 States, the Japanese flag being heretofore practically unknown in shipping circles here. It 

 is now reported that one of these Japanese steamship lines will shortly establish a monthly 

 call at Havana in connection with their service to Xew York. 



The steamship service between Cuba and S{>ain, already greatly restricted, has been made 

 even worse by the announcement that the Pinillos Line, the only Spanish line operating besides 

 the Cia. Trasatlantica Espanola, have sold their ships to another Spanish company and that 

 their vessels would be transferred to other trades. There seems to be no doubt as to the .sale 

 of these ships, but it is hoped that arrangements will be made to continue this service to Cuba 

 or at least have some of the.se ships make this run. 



The papers report that the Cia. Trasatlantica Espanola announce the sailing of two extra 

 steamers from Spain to Cuba to take care of the great amount of cargo which has accumulated 

 in Spain, due to the reduction of the sailings between that country- and the United States and 

 West Indies. 



There have been a number of rumors lately of the sale of various Cuban steamers belonging 

 to the Empresa Naviera de Cuba, to French and American interests, but the best information 

 we can obtain is that there have been no definite closures in this respect. These two companies 

 had secured option on several boats belonging to this Cuban line, but the American Govern- 

 ment indicated its desire to hire these ships to load sugar to American ports and the Empresa 

 Naviera de Cuba has agreed to charter four of their largest freight steamers for this purpose. 

 The only actual tran-sfer of shipping we have been able to locate is that of the Cuban steam 

 trawler "Venus," which was sold to the same French company that we have previously reported 

 as ha\ang purchased small craft of different classes here. 



Several months ago it was reported that a Cuban company, called the Cuban Star Line, 

 would build ships at the port of Cabanas, some 40 miles west of Havana. As the facilities at 

 this port are entirely undeveloped, and it is without railroad connections, etc., it was not 

 understood how this enterprise could be succes.sfull\ carried out, and not much has been heard 

 of late regarding same. However, last month a commis.sion from Cuba comprising capitalists 

 interested in this enterprise, which commission, it was stated, had received the sanction of the 

 Cuban Government, went to Washington to confer with officials there in connection with 

 securing permits to ship the necessary construction material to Cuba, it being stated that in 

 return for this concession they would turn their vessels, when completed, over to the .American 

 Government to use. This commission has not yet returned to Cuba, and, therefore, the final 

 results of their efforts have not been made public. 



The exports of tobacco and its products continue to decrease, figures given out by the 

 Custom House showing that during the second half of March, this yeai, there were 5, 6^8,918 

 cigars exported via Havana as against 9,186,697 the same time last year. Also there is a large 

 decrease in the exports of cigarettes, smoking tobacco and leaf tobacco in bales during the 

 same period. 



The campaign to secure .subscriptions to the thiid Liberty Loan has just clcsed. For the 

 second Liberty Loan the local committee for Cuba announced they would tr\ to secure 

 $1,000,000 and succeeded in making the figure over .$1,. 500,000, therefore, emboldened by their 

 success, they asked this time that Cuba's quota be made $3,000,000, which was done, the result 



