THECUBAREVIEW 17 



information is not necessary, Init it is a help to theCustom House broker in making the Cus'om 

 House Entry, as fabrics pay Custom House duty in Cul)a according to the number of thre;:ds 

 in a square of millimiters or one fourth of an inch. Cross web fabrics pay a little more than 

 plain web. It would also be advisable if possible, to state if fabrics contain dyed threads as 

 in this case there is a Custom House surtax of 30% on the goods. If any other articles or goods 

 other than fabrics are contained in theshijjments the net weight and price of these other goods 

 must be given plainly and separately. In sending fabrics to Cuba, samples should always l)e 

 sent apart from the goods, as in the Custom House in Cuba samples are always taken and send- 

 ing the samples separately prevents goods from being mutilated. 



Mixed Fabrics. — Mixed fabncs, cotton mixed with silk, wool, or any other mixture, should 

 be so stated in the invoice. The principal material should also be stated and proportion of the 

 principal material. If proportion of principal is silk or wool then goods pay duty ad valorem 

 and not In* threads as cotton goods. Also if goods contain one-fifth or more of silk, wool, or 

 other material, goods pay duty ad valorem as silk or wool. 



Ready-Madc Clothing. — -Give material, cotton, wool, silk, etc., if composed of mixed ma- 

 terial, and proportation of each. Do not state in invoice u^ool or silk, unless material is act- 

 ually ivool or silk, as those goods pay more duty than cotton and other material. Ready made 

 clothing imported into Cuba is generally made of cotton. If possible and convenient, give 

 number of threads in a square of 6 millimiters or one-fourth of an inch, the same as for fabrics. 

 Ready-made clothing cotton, in Cuba pays Custom House duty according to the fabric and 

 an additional surtax of lOO^c on the making. Care should be taken to have net weights 

 correct. Ready-made clothing is imported into Cuba in very large quantities. 



Package and Packing. — Do not invoice goods as placed in certain box or package and then 

 place in some other box or package. Pack goods in package as per invoice. 



Weights. — The weights both gross and net, should be given in kilos. 



Storage Charges. — Five days only are allowed after vessel arrives in Cuba in which to 

 present the Custom House papers including Consular Invoi e and Bill of Lading, and if not so 

 presented heavy storage charges are placed on the goods. In some ports only three days are 

 allowed. Send all papers immediately, including Consular Invoice and Bill of Lading. 



Matches. — Matches pay an internal revenue tax of two cents for every 200 matches. 

 Advisable to give number of boxes and number of matches per box. 



Tobacco. — Tobacco pays an internal revenue tax. Care should be taken to give correct 

 weights both net and gross. 



Exaggerated Values. — Do not give exaggerated values, as many articles of goods pay Cus- 

 tom House duty ad valorem. 



Porcelain. — In the Ignited States the word ''porcelain," is applied rather indiscriminat- 

 ingly to goods which are not actually porcelain, crockery, vitrified clay, etc. Some confusion 

 has been caused in foreign Custom Houses on account of this. The real porcelain is this and 

 transparent. Do not invoice as porcelain unless goods are actually porcelain. The foregoing 

 applies particularly to insulators of vitrified clay which are often invoiced as porcelain. 



Iron Bed*. — Iron beds are imported into Cuba in very large quantities, coming almost 

 entirely from the United States. Advisable to state in invoice if beds have adornments of 

 brass or any other material, as when this is the case the goods pay duty under another para- 

 graph of the Custom House Tariff. 



Machinery. — ^In shipping machinery' to Cuba the class of machme, number of machine, 

 and year of construction should be given in the invoice. If the factory is located at an interior 

 point a record should be kept at port of shipment of pieces or boxes short shipped. Failure 

 to do this has resulted in a vast amount of confusion in foreign Custom Houses. 



Breaking the Official Tare. — WTien it may be desired to break the official taie on any box 

 or package, this may be accomplished by placing in the box any other small article such as a 

 package of tooth picks, nails, etc. The value and net weight of these other small articles should 

 be given in the invoice. In sending to Cuba such goods as rain coats, iron beds, brass beds, 

 saddles, leather gloves, harnesses and cartridges, the official tare should always be broken. 



