THE CUBA R E V I I : W 



CUSTOM HOUSE RECEIPTS: As a result of very heavy imports of late the 

 Custom House receipts here have reached larger figures than ever. The total amount 

 for the month of January was $3,077,138.35, the largest amount heretofore being that 

 of November, 1917, with $3,074,201.17, whereas for the month of January, 1918, the 

 figures were $2,852,879.06. These very heavy receipts for January may, however, be 

 partly accounted for by the fact that clue to the recent strikes of harbor workmen a 

 vast amount of imports accumulated on the wharves and in the warehouses which the 

 merchants were slow in taking away and the Custom House has been actively working 

 to relieve this congestion by despatching shipments as promptly as possible and in 

 fact insisting that merchants clear and take away their goods, instead of holding 

 them as is sometimes done. 



Robberies of merchandise awaiting Custom House clearance still continue to be a 

 subject of considerable concern both to the Custom House authorities here and the 

 importers, although energetic steps are being taken by the former to keep a closer 

 watch upon goods while on the wharves and in the warehouses with a view to re- 

 ducing complaints on this score. It is announced that these receipts for the month of 

 February, which although a short month, reached the figure of $2,887,592.55 as against 

 $2,201,877.53 for the corresponding month of last year. 



SHIPBUILDING: We have made mention during the past year of the construc- 

 tion here of sizeable sailing vessels for domestic and foreign traffic. These ships 

 continue to be built here, but nothing has been done in the way of turning out steel 

 vessels, although it was reported plants would be equipped for this purpose. 



SUGAR PRODUCTION: The Secretary of Agriculture advises that up to March 

 17th there had arrived at different Cuban ports, for shipment therefrom, 1,373,778 

 long tons of sugar of the present crop, and that notwithstanding some of the mills, 

 had to stop grinding for a time on account of lack of space to store their product be- 

 cause of inability to ship it out due to the recent railroad strike, it is certain that 

 this latter sugar together with what has already reached the ports, will amount to 

 more than 2,000,000 tons produced during the present crop up to the date mentioned. 



REPORTED NEW HOTELS: Last month several high officials connected with 

 the Florida railroad and steamship line visited here and the newspapers reported that 

 they had under consideration the construction of hotels at Havana and one or two 

 other points on the Island to link up with the chain of hotels now in operation along 

 the east coast of Florida, but no definite statements in this respect have as yet been 

 made public. 



CUBAN ARTILLERY: The Cuban Government had in course of training at 

 Fort Barrancas near Pensacola, Fla., a number of artillery officers. The epidemic of 

 influenza there caused the death of several of these officers and sickness of others, 

 with the result that it was deemed expedient to bring the entire number back to Cuba 

 and for this purpose the cruisers "Cuba" and "Patria" were sent the latter part of 

 January to Pensacola and returned with the bodies of the deceased officers and the 

 balance of the men. 



WINTER TOURISTS: This movement has so far not materialized to much 

 extent and it is almost too late to expect much in this direction as the American 

 Government is still rigid in the granting of passports for travel from the United 

 States to Cuba. The hotels, however, may be described as full for there has been a 

 considerable influx to Havana of interior residents of the better classes who come to 

 Havana as the metropolis of Cuba to spend all or part of the winter season. The 

 racetrack followers seem to be here as strong as ever and the races themselves are 

 very well patronized, even without the customary tourist element. 



CUBAN OIL INDUSTRY: There has been no particular development in the 

 production of crude oil here, although work continues to proceed. Last month a 

 party composed of the heads of the Sinclair oil interests made an inspection trip of 

 their holdings near here, but the result was not made public. 



