12 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Fish imports have been handled in the usual way by a few commission 

 firms that are also largely interested in sugar and coffee. The following 

 firms have been in business here for several years : Fritz Lundt & Co., 

 Morales Gonzales & Co., Sabater & Co., Bravo & Co., J. Tornabells & 

 Co., and Playa Brothers. 



Imported fish are distributed by sales through the interior with 

 occasional transfers of cargoes to other ports in which supplies are 

 needed. 



In the past long-time credits have been given, the receivers discount- 

 ing the amount of the sales at the rate of 1 per cent a mouth and 

 remitting as soon as sales were closed. With a change in government 

 and a somewhat disturbed state of trade, the present tendency is to 

 make sales as much as i^ossible for cash. This has to some extent 

 reduced sales during the past few months. Merchants complain that 

 the former long-credit system was unsatisfactory, the selling party 

 having largely to trust to the honor of his debtor for payment. If the 

 latter was disposed to evade obligations, a recourse to law was so 

 unsatisfactory that by some firms a total loss would be thought prefer- 

 able to a resort to legal measures. 



In case cargo shipments by sail are made, return cargoes of sugar 

 and molasses can generally be secured from February to and including 

 August. At the time this port was visited, during the latter part of 

 January, 1899, no cargo lots of fish had been received for some time, 

 and freight rates by steamer only could be given. These were : For 

 sugar in hogsheads 22 cents per 100 pounds, and 18 cents per 100 

 pounds when in bags. These rates are somewhat higher than in the 

 previous year. No shipments of molasses had been made up to Feb- 

 ruary 22. Freight on sugar is made on the net delivery weight. 



In j)ast years the coffee crop has all been sent to Europe and Cuba. 

 Since the change in government no coffee has been sent to Cuba, and a 

 considerable amount is being sent to the United States as introductory 

 shipments with exi)ectation of an increased business with the States, 

 both in coflee and fishery products. 



The expenses on a cargo of fish would embrace the following charges : 



Port dues, $1.50 per 1,000 kilograms. 



Lighterage, receiving and weighing dues, 40 cents per tierce, and smaller pack- 

 ages in proportion. 



Commission, including guarantee, 5 per cent; time sales when discounted, 1 per 

 cent a month; customs dues, as elsewhere noted. 



The receipts of 1897 were a fair average of those of past years, and 

 consisted of 90 per cent cod, 5 per cent hake and haddock, and 5 per cent 

 pickled and smoked fish. Here, as elsewhere, much loss has resulted 

 from fish turning red and spoiling. 



Boneless fish are unknown, but dealers express a desire for experi- 

 mental lots, well cured, and hope to create a demand for boneless and 

 canned fish, but do not encourage large shipments at first. 



Canned fish consist chiefly of sardines from Sixain. 



