THE CUBA REVIEW 17 



CUBA 



liu Consul General James L. Ro'lgerx, llahuni. 



The commercial and industrial condition in Cuba during 191G was marked by the pros- 

 perity brought about by the great sugar output, which sold at the highest average price in the 

 history o" the Kepublic. 'J he imports showed large gains, as did also the exports with the 

 exception of fruits and vegetables. These decreased somewhat through the tendency to plant 

 and market sugar cane rather than anything else, and also because of an unusutiUy dry winter. 



Liijwrts of machinery and apparatus, nearly all of which are used in the sugar industry, 

 almost doubled in value. There was also a great increase in the value of imported foodstutTs, 

 as a natural result of the plenitude of money. Crains are shown, in greater or less degree, in all 

 items of imports, and again it was demonstrated how thoroughly committed Cuba is to buying 

 its necessities instead of trying to produce them. 



Percentages oj Trade with Various Countries. 

 The following table shows the percentage of the United States and other principal coun- 

 tries in the import and export trade of Cuba during the years 1914, 1915, and 1916. The 

 diminution of the United States' share in the exports of the last two years is accounted for 

 entirely by the fact that England and France got large quantities of sugar from Cuba: 



Imports from Exports to 



Countries: 1914 1915 1916 1914 1915 191G 



% % % % % % 



United States 58.23 67.35 72.00 83.14 82.65 75.40 



Germany 4.22 .55 .01 1.35 .01 



Spain.." 8.37 6.95 7.00 .93 .04 .09 



France 4.00 3.32 3.00 1.36 .05 4.04 



Great Britain 10.40 9.93 9.50 9.12 14.00 16.45 



Other countries 14.79 11.90 8.49 3.40 3.25 4.02 



Princi'pal Imports and Countries oj Origin. 

 The following table shows the total imports into Cuba for 1915 and 191G, giving the 

 amounts from the United States, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom in 1916: 



1916 



Total United United Other 



Articles. 1915 Total. States. Spain. France. Kingdom. Countriea. 



Stone, earth and ceramics: 



Earth and stone $1,347,291 $2,134,525 ?1,862,520 $15,196 $48,150 $10,4.56 $198,071 



Bitumens 1,636,984 2,804,310 2,794,491 9,749 70 



Glass and crystal 1,345,708 1,836,830 1,346,818 264,803 97,698 46,.569 80,411 



Pottery and porcelain 843,514 1,127,046 435,312 188,592 67,152 324,486 110,979 



Metals and manufactures of: 



Gold, silver and platinum. . . 311,126 480,007 296,965 87,612 61, .557 29,474 4,399 



Iron and steel 6,081,320 13,036,638 12,418,991 48,512 66,452 476,315 24,273 



Copper 809,429 1,.309,944 1,192,963 45,497 24,092 38,764 8,604 



Other metals 283,224 417,806 338,828 18,186 11,148 48,408 1,236 



Chemicals, drugs, etc.: 



Drugs 557,500 655,943 .384,323 133,099 2,239 10,725 125,557 



ColorsVdves, etc 896.736 1,260,379 1,056,252 29,736 7,817 163,840 2,734 



Chemical" products 5,831,185 8,248,171 6,760,211 109,462 726,894 428,863 210,756 



Oils, fats, greases 2,820,219 3,887,186 2,581,896 386,151 697,565 175,662 45,890 



Textiles and manufactures of: 



Cotton and manufactures of 11.185,948 16.162,979 7.207.478 2,927,194 617,012 4,311,898 1,097,018 



Vegetable fibers 6,383,520 9,242,562 1,996,899 437,698 116,667 2,986,314 3,704.984 



Wool bristles, hair 955,656 2,216,037 1,266,645 213,061 116,182 565.787 54,353 



Silk and manufactures of.... 689,337 990,496 559,347 27.364 144,533 69,226 190,024 



Paper and paper goods: _ „. 



Paper and cardboard 1,979,846 3,542,5,30 3,0W,.360 .344,616 44,071 31,940 117,.335 



Books and printed matter.. 300,744 327,940 114,277 107,419 17,065 70,262 18.917 



Wood and manufactures of: 



Wood, and products of 3.424,084 5,9.34,425 5.298.580 303.842 89,457 113,176 129,313 



Other vegetable matter 256,.399 496,635 112,317 43,363 34,295 265,354 41,306 



Animals, and products of: ^ _„„„., 



Animals 269,472 544,378 464,651 560 7,400 71,767 



Hide's ami Vkins " ... 923,820 1,232,866 1,097,;«0 100,631 10,362 7,519 17,024 



Manufactured products 6,168,095 8,373,336 7,062,908 1,180,263 23,955 15,.580 90,630 



Machinery, instruments, etc.: 



Instruments • . . 297,387 373,970 302,702 30,4Oi 19,763 425 20,.509 



Machinery ' 14,325,397 26,740,650 25,900,197 60,738 93,737 493,308 189,.335 



Apparatus.'.' ! ' 4,251,-399 10,.399,873 10,050,077 17,.381 124,251 19,649 188,515 



Foodstuffs: 



Meats 11,749,262 18,427,137 13,578,977 241,131 25,122 4,483 4,577,424 



Fish ^ 2,772,213 3,245,807 1,220,039 490,995 12,774 63,243 1,458,756 



Cereals 19,173,881 26,151,554 14,828,432 247,200 4..332 7.346,-326 3,725,264 



