12 THECUBAREVIEW 



It is stated that it is expected that within three months they will reach theii maximum capacity 

 of 3,000 barrels per day. 



Expoits of pineapples and citrus fruit a^e being made in very limited quantities on account 

 of lack of space on steamers. The lines running to New York and New Orleans take only what 

 pineapples they may have space foi afte* loading their contracted quantities of sugar, while 

 the ships of the Mobxle-Havana service of the Munson Steamship Line are loading full cargoes 

 of sugar for the Gulf and have been instructed by the American Food Administratian not to 

 accept pineapple sfiipments for the present. The two ferryboats operating between Havana 

 and Key West are allowed to take shipments of pineapples and citrus fruit in addition to 

 sugai, and, theiefoie, the largest movement is via that route. The Spring has been rather 

 dry, which has had the effect of retaiding the maturing of the crop and tends to cause the 

 pines to be hard and undersized. The heavy pineapple shipping season usually runs through 

 June, but the total movement this crop will of necessity be a great deal less than normal. 



As referred to in former reports, the only regular steamship lines now operating between 

 Europe and Havana are the Spanish lines, and their services have not been very regular for 

 some time past for reasons we have previously shown. The PiniUos Line was sold to another 

 Spanish shipping company and it was stated that their steamers now opeiating to Cuba would 

 be transferred to other trade^. However, this sale has recently been anmuled, according to 

 information leceived by the Line's agent here, which is reported due to representations of the 

 Spanish Government that the trade between Spain and the United States and the West Indies 

 would be greatly prejudiced by such an act. It is also now announced that the Pinillos Line 

 will resume their sailings, and the only other Spanish Line, namely, the Compaiiia Trans- 

 atlantica Espanola, state that their schedule will be placed upon a normal basis again. 



Statistics which we have in connection with the exportation of tobacco show the following 

 movements from Havana during the months of April 1918 and 1917: 



Exports in April, 1918 Quantity Value 



Tobacco in bales 22,882 $1,626,202 



Cigars 10,383,617 839,592 



Cigarettes (packages) 1,682,027 59,009 



Smoking tobacco (kilograms) 49,601 56,741 



Exports in April, 1917 Quantitij Value 



Tobacco in bales 29,141 $1,776,224 



Cigars 8,315,£31 729,062 



Cigarettes (packages) 682,920 21,131 



Smoking tobacco (kilograms) 29,167 19,840 



From the above it will be noted that while there was a considerable increase in the export- 

 ation of cigars this year, there was a much greater increase in cigarettes, in fact considerably 

 over twice as many being exported this year. It is also stated that the prices obtained for each 

 bale of tobacco exported during April of 1918 was $71.05, which is $10.08 more than was ob- 

 tained during the corresponding month last year. 



There are no new developments in shipping circles here, that is, as regards sale of vessels 

 or formation of new companies, and this also holds true as regards the Compania Transat- 

 lantica Cubana and the Cuban Star Line, in connection with both of which we have previously 

 reported to you. 



There is nothing particularly new to report in connection with the oil well industry here, 

 although drilling is still going on by many of the companies and some new wells are being 

 brought in. The only two companies, however, that we know of who are actually producing 

 and having a market for their prcfiuct are the Union Oil Co., which is the original oil company, 

 and the successors to the. Cuban Petroleum Co., now known as the Compania Petrolera y Re- 

 finadora Cubana-Pan- Americana. We have indicated in former communications that the oil 

 well industry has fallen somewhat into disrepute here because shortly after oil was first struck 

 various companies were organized apparently mainly for stock jobbing purposes, and quite a 

 demand for shares resulted until the public saw that actual developments were not taking 

 place. For this reason several of the more promising companies have not indiscriminately 



