THE CUBA REVIEW 



27 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



the C'uhau 'I'aritT cai-rics a st'i't"'":*' '"ite of 

 2b^c acl valorem wliich, with the reci])rocity 

 reduction to the United States, niake.s a net 

 rate of 18.35%, whereas item No. 215B under 

 the same concUtions makes the net rate of 

 7M%) and this decision is o^ importance be- 

 cause, while we understand it is not the first 

 decision, it confirms strong y tie precedent 

 that in the importation of sugar niacninery 

 under the Cuban Tariff, the colono is l)eno- 

 fited to the same extent as the sugar central, 

 W'hich may import sugar machinery directly 

 for its own use, whereas the use of the scale 

 in question by the .colono has to do indirectly 

 with the actual manufactUx-e of sugar. 



country, thus facilitating negotiations, as welt 

 as creating a Ijctter impression and closer con- 

 tact commercial!}'. — Conmd R. M. Barlkmaii,. 



CioiJiieqoK. 



GASOLINE MOTORS 



A verj- fair demand for gasoline motors ex- 

 ists in the Cienfuegos district, but on accoimt 

 of the excessive advance in the price of gaso- 

 line there is a tendency to turn to the crude- 

 oil engine. 



The following quotations have been ob- 

 tained: 1?4 horsepower, $78; 1^4 horsepower, 

 $55; 4K horsepower, $95; 4 horsepower. 

 $180; 6 horsepower, $185, $215, and .$.375; 8 

 horsepower, $285. 



Dealers also offer a complete i)lant for light- 

 ing and industrial purposes (the heating fea- 

 ture being superfluous for this climate), con- 

 sisting of engine, motor, and storage battery, 

 with a capacity for 10 lights, costing at fac- 

 tory $150, placed on market here at $240. 

 Others, of 20-1 ight capacity, with a factory 

 cost of $200, sell here at $320. 

 Service for Both Power and Light. 



In this district pretentious residences, war- 

 ranting the installation of electric lights or 

 farms where the development of power is de- 

 sirable are very limited in number. Every 

 important center of population, including the 

 sugar plantations, has service for both ]>ower 

 and light, although it is probable that much 

 of the current is availaljle only during the 

 "lighting" hours, from sunset to sunrise. In 

 this city, however, it is stated that every- 

 thing is in readiness for daily service except 

 the running of the cable, the delivery of which 

 has been delayed several months. 



The names of individuals and firms who 

 may be interested in this subject are for- 

 warded. It is suggested that corres])ondence 

 be conducted in Spanish, the language of the 



CUBA'S TRADE IN PLAYING CARDS 



Cul)a's imports of playing cards in the 

 fiscal twelvemonth ended Juuq 30, 1916, 

 reached a higher figure than in any of the 

 three preceding years, being 3,734 gioss, as 

 against 2,S49 gross in 1914-15, 2,889 gioss 

 in 1913-14, and 3,352 gross in 1912-13. Of 

 these cards approximately ],000 gross came 

 each year fiom the United States. 



Spain is the largest exporter of cards to 

 Cuba, its exports amounting to 2,500 to 3,000 

 gi'oss per annum. All cards exported from 

 Spain have the Spanish faces and they are in 

 general use all over the island, the American 

 faces being used in clulis wheie poker is the 

 piincipal game. There are three grades of 

 Spanish playing cards imported into Cuba^ 

 known as Sol, Loba, and Heraldo. Foimerly 

 there was a large sale of the first of these, 

 but since the imposition of an internal 

 revenue tax of 5 cents on each pack, importa- 

 tions have fallen off. They are of the very 

 poorest quality, crudely lithographed on a 

 cheap straw'board. At the present time the 

 imports are about evenly divided between the 

 Loba and the Heraldo, but the latter board 

 is glowing in popularity. The prices per 

 gross paid by the Haliana exporters for these 

 cards at the factory in Spain are: Sol, $1.60; 

 Loba, $5.50; Heialdo, $11.56. 



The Spanish cards are sold by traveling 

 representatives of the Spanish factories who 

 visit Cuba every two years. American cauls 

 are sold by representatives who visit Habana 

 annually. Merchants in the interior are 

 supplied by the Habana jobbers. — Special 

 Agent Robert S. Barrett. 



LOVEJOY, MATHERI8C HOUGH 



In view of the increasing business in Cuba^ 

 this concern has decided to open an office in 

 Havana, the temporary address of which will 

 be 21 Obi.spo Street until the new Horter 

 Building, corner of Obispo and Oficios Streets, 

 is completed. Mr. Carlos F. Noyes, Certified 

 Public Accountant, will be in charge of the 

 Cuban office. 



