T II E C IJ B A r 1: V I E w 



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1 S] S 01 I I. IMA I.N r.\i N is i \ < i i:a 



Cuba's color imports from Spain and Franc.' consist Largely of red and yellow 

 ocher, to be used as cold-water paint tor plaster or cement surfaces. Like mosl 

 Latin-American countries, Cuba has comparatively Eew frame buildings such as pre- 

 dominate in the United States outside of Large cities. A Large pari of Cuba's im- 

 ports from the United Kingdom is white zinc paste, which is ground with colors In 

 linseed oil and used for the walls of buildings. For general finish work in tuba 

 il bas been found that the best paint is a combination of white zinc, while lend, and 

 linseed oil. For coating iron and st rucl ural-steel work, paints with a graphite base 

 are more satisfactory, and the price of these paints leads to their general use. Red- 

 oxide paints are also employed for the preservation of metal. Red lead was ex- 

 ported to Cuba from the United States to the amount of 103,800 pounds, valued at 

 $19,859, in L918, the first year for which separate statistics were kept of this class 

 of paints. The exports of paint to Cuba are chiefly in bulk, the ready-mixed paints 

 being in barrels of 48 to 55 gallons, while small quantities are sent in tins Of one- 

 half pint to 5 gallons. 



Cuba's proximity to the United States offers the prospect of continued growth in 

 this trade. Improvements on sugar plantations call for paint of all kinds. The 

 American consul at Santiago reports that the increasing popularity of American 

 paint is dua to its excellent quality, as well as to the low freights and preferential 

 duties that favor it. Cuba gives a tariff reduction of 30 per cent, on paint and 

 20 per cent, on varnish when imported from the United States. 



NEW STEAMSHIP SERVICE 

 Jamaica-Cuba: A recent report from 

 Consul Charles L. Latham, Kingston, 

 Jamaica, states that a steamer passenger 

 service has been inaugurated between 

 Kingston, Jamaica, and Santiago de Cuba. 

 For the past year small schooners have 

 afforded practically the only means of 

 passenger travel between Jamaica and 

 Cuba. This service is an important link 

 in the route between Jamaica and the 

 Tinted States via Key West and Cuba, 

 which is being used extensively on account 

 of the temporary lack of commodious pas- 

 senger steamers between New York and 

 Kingston. 



The yacht Lucinda, of 130 gross tons, 

 which has been purchased by Jamaican 

 interests for this trade, is of American 

 registry. If lias a length of 124 feet and 

 beam of 18 feet. Lloyds' surveyor in 

 Jamaica has measured the vessel and has 

 given permit for carrying 8 cabin pas- 

 sengers and 01 steerage "deckers." The 

 passage takes approximately 10 hours. 

 The British steam yacht Nemesis, of 385 

 gross tons, is also announced to make 

 occasional trips in the Kingston-Santiago 

 service, with accommodation for 12 cabin 

 passengers and 100 "deckers." 



Havana— Europe : Of a fleet of 15 

 wooden steamships of the war-built mer- 

 chant marine, sold on April 17th to the 

 Nacirema Steamship Co. of New York 

 for $050,000 per vessel, live will ply be- 

 tween Havana and European ports, ac- 

 cording to a recent report from Washing- 

 ton. The report also states that the ves- 

 sels will be operated by the Brooks Steam- 

 ship Co. of New York, and it is expected 

 that delivery will be made within a short 

 time. It is understood that the purchas- 

 ers have opened negotiations for the pur- 

 chase of fifteen more vessels of the same 

 type for immediate delivery and propose 

 to take over a third fleet of the same size 

 in the near future. 



TRADE WITH CANADA 

 In the year 1918 Canada's imports from 

 Cuba amounted to $2,034,654, as compared 

 with $1,047,062 in 1917: and Canadian ex- 

 ports to Cuba were valued at $4,879,779 

 in 191S, as compared with .$3,040,781 in 

 1017. 



