THE CUBA REVIEW 



21 



total of $500,000.00. It therefore appears that our internal debt is made up of the 

 following items: 



Annuities of the Army of Liberation 50% $10,568,500.00 



1917 Issue, Series "A" 6% 5,000,000.00 



Cash received from U. S. Bonds, Series "B", circulation 6% 6,863,400.00 



Loans agreed upon 1,800,000.00 



Issue of $7,000,000.00, the $500,000.00 amortized being deducted 6,500,000.00 



Total $30,731,900.00 



Adding both debts, the foreign and internal, they amount to $83,606,400.00 which 

 is a moderate amount compared with the national wealth and much less than half of 

 the colonial debt. 



Data submitted by E. I. MONTOULIEU, 



Havana. 



Nov. 26, 1918. 



GUADELOUPE SUGAR CROP 



Although statistics for the sugar harv- 

 est of this colony, which began last Jan- 

 uary and ended in June, are not yet 

 available, it is known that the crop has 

 been less than the normal yield of about 

 40,000 tons. Weather conditions through- 

 out the growing season were quite favor- 

 able for the growth of the plants, but the 

 estates are beginning to feel the effects 

 of the long-continued planting of cane, 

 and the planters are finding it more 

 necessary to use fertilizers. However, 

 the high prices for sugar and rum have 

 more than made up for the short crop and 

 all concerned are content, the planters 

 having received better prices for their 

 cane and the laborers higher wages . 



The 13 centrals of the colony having 

 ceased grinding earlier than usual, the 

 bulk of the sugar has already been 

 shipped to France. The shortage of ship- 

 ping and the high freight rates have de- 

 layed the exports of rum. 



The prosperous condition of the plant- 

 ers is shown by the falling off during the 

 year ended June 30, 1917, of the loans on 

 crops by the Banque de la Guadeloupe. 

 While 3,717,000 francs were loaned on 

 growing crops during 1915-16, only 

 2,251,855 francs were required for this 

 purpose during 1916-18, and of this latter 

 amount all but 900 francs have been paid. 

 — Consul Henry T. Wilcox, Guadeloupe, 

 French West Indies. 



SUGAR AS A MEAT PRESERVATIVE 



A note in the "Queensland Agricultural 

 Journal," draws attention to the employ- 

 ment of sugar instead of salt, as a pre- 

 servative for meat. It is stated that 

 hams may be placed in a "pickle," if it is 

 possible so to call it, of sugar and molas- 

 ses. The fresh hams are first well rubbed 

 with powdered sugar, and are then placed 

 in the saccharine solution, and left undis- 

 turbed for some weeks. When cooked, 

 the meat does not present the red appear- 

 ance of the brine-cured article, but looks 

 more like fresh pork. The taste, how- 

 ever, is said to be like that of ham, only 

 a little sweeter. It is stated in the same 

 journal that experiments have been made 

 under the direction of the French Min- 

 ister of Agriculture which demonstrate 

 that sugar possesses some advantages 

 over salt as an agent for preserving 

 meat. It is pointed out that salt absorbs 

 a portion of the nutritive substances and 

 of the flavor of the meat, and the more 

 deeply it enters the tissues so much the 

 more readily does it deprive meat of some 

 nutritive substances of genuine impor- 

 tance. Powdered sugar, on the contrary, 

 forms round the meat a sort of solid 

 crust, which removes very little juice 

 from the meat, and does not alter its 

 taste. It is sufficient to immerse the 

 meat in water before cooking. It is true, 

 however, that preserving meat by sugar 

 costs a little more than its preservation 

 by salt. 



