24 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



GENERAL LICENSE 



A new general license has been issued by 

 the Bureau of Imports of the War Trade 

 Board in a new ruling (W. T. B. R. 205) per- 

 mitting the importation of fresh fruits and 

 fresh vegetables from Cuba, for shipments 

 made on or before December 31, 1918. 



Formerly fresh fruits and fresh vegetables 

 were allowed to be imported from Cuba with- 

 out an individual import license, if shipped by 

 rail and car-ferry from Havana, or if shipped 

 on certain vessels approved by the War Trade 

 Board. This new general license will now 

 permit the importation of fresh fruits and 

 fresh vegetables from Cuba when transported 

 by any means whatsoever, and this general 

 license will remain in effect until December 

 31, 1918. 



JUTE INDUSTRY 



La Prensa of August 26 announces the 

 formation of a powerful corporation for the 

 cultivation of fibrous plants and the manu- 

 facture of jute sacks for use in the Cuban 

 sugar industry. A well-known syndicate of 

 Habana bankers is to take care of the financial 

 end of the undertaking. 



The newly formed corporation proposes 

 to engage in agriculture on a large scale, 

 planting not only jute and other fibious 

 plants, but castor beans, peanuts, etc. It is 

 said that arrangements are now being com- 

 pleted whereby huge quantities of jute seed 

 will be purchased in India and shipped to 

 Cuba for planting. It is hoped that 10,000,- 

 000 pounds of jute will be grown in Cuba 

 within the coming year; and with modern 

 decorticating machinery already on hand for 

 the extraction of the fiber, existing textile 

 mills should be able to start work on the 

 sacks without delay. — Consular Assista7it 

 George A. Makinson, Card?7ias. 



ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES 



Beginning about September 1, 1918, elec- 

 tric current, which heretofore was only fur- 

 nished diu-ing the night hours, will be sup- 

 plied in Cienfuegos continuously during 

 the twenty-four hours of the day. This 

 measure will, no doubt, greatly stimulate 

 the sale in this vicinity of electrical supplies 

 and equipment, such as electric fans, electric 



irons, electric cookers, electric percolators, 

 bells, etc., the use of which has heretofore 

 been more or less impracticable. 



(A list of possible agents for electrical sup- 

 plies in Cienfuegos can be obtained from the 

 Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 

 or its district or cooperative offices by referring 

 to file No. 105,4Q9). —Vicc-Consul Albert F. 

 Ni/fer, Cienfuegos. 



ISLE OF PINES 



Incorporation was registered September 2d 

 of the Isle of Pines Electric, Industrial and 

 Commercial Company, a stock company 

 organized with a capital of $100,000 for the 

 purpose of supplying the cities of Nueva 

 Gerona and Santa Fe with electric light and 

 power, as well as installing a modern ice 

 plant. 



SHOW-WINDOW EQUIPMENT 



The rigid enforcement, since August 1, 

 1918, of the law providing for the closing of 

 all stores at 6 p.m., has had the singular 

 effect of improving the market for show- 

 window equipment in the Cienfuegos district,, 

 and in the entire island of Cuba, as well. 



The stores in this district are, as a rule^ 

 not provided with glass show windows, only a 

 few of the more progressive shops boasting, 

 such a luxury. Until August 1, 1918, the 

 absence of show windows was not seriously 

 felt, inasmuch as it was customary to leave- 

 open the very ample doors of the various 

 establishments after the official hour for 

 closing, thus affording the public a view of 

 the goods displayed within. Since that 

 date, however, the closing of all stores has 

 been enforced literally. Not only may there 

 be no sales after 6 o'clock, but the doors of 

 the estabhshments must remain closed. 

 Thus the shops possessing no show windows 

 are placed at a marked disadvantage as 

 compared with their more fortunate com- 

 petitois, inasmuch as there is no opportunity 

 for them to display their waies, which 

 amounts to the same as advertising them, 

 after 6 p.m. As a result, the market for 

 show-window equipment has noticeablyjim- 

 proved. — Vice Consul Albert F. Nufer, Cien- 

 iuegos. 



