CUBA to8i 



unbroken the admirable record of the Americans in matters of public health and sanita- 

 tion," it did much " to encourage foreign capital, to improve communication by building 

 roads and bridges and by dredging harbours, to develop education, and to forward the 

 agricultural interests of the island;" it " organized an efficient and well-disciplined force 

 of rural guards and preserved the public peace with satisfying vigour." 



During 1909-10, the first year of General Jose Miguel Gomez's administration, the 

 public finances of Cuba were put into a better condition, and public order was well 

 preserved. The staple crops proved good, and sold at fair prices. Both the political 

 and commercial outlook appeared bright. In October 1910, however, much damage 

 was wrought by cyclones over the provinces of Pina del Rio, Havana and Santa Clara. 



Trade and commerce continued to improve in 1911, while the population had in- 

 creased by 58,612 during the last two years. By the end of 1910, the balance of trade 

 was considerably in favour of Cuba, the excess of exports over imports amounting to 

 $21,000,000 (4,200,000) upon a total of $237,275,000 (47,455,000). On April i7th 

 the government ordered the payment of the 732 outstanding bonds issued by the revolu- 

 tionary government of 1896, payment being commenced on October i, 1911, after which 

 date the bonds ceased to draw interest. 



On July i, 1911, the posts of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary were 

 created for Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. The Ministers Resident at Brazil, Chile, 

 Belgium and Norway were raised to the ranks of Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers 

 Plenipotentiary; the post of Minister Resident in Uruguay was abolished, and the 

 Minister Plenipotentiary to the Argentine Republic was accredited to Bolivia, while the 

 Minister Plenipotentiary to Colombia was likewise accredited to Ecuador; the Minister 

 Plenipotentiary in Norway was accredited to Sweden and Denmark; and the Minister 

 in Germany to Russia and Austria. New Consulates-general were created in Paris and 

 Panama; consulates of the first-class in Asuncion (Paraguay); La Paz (Bolivia); and 

 San Jose (Costa Rica); and a consulate of the second-class at Quito (Ecuador). 



The financial position of the republic had improved since 1909, when the situation 

 was undoubtedly serious. A rigid economy introduced by the government had con- 

 tinued over a period of two years, and served to leave a small balance of $1,000,000 (200,- 

 ooo) in the treasury, which, by the end of the following year, had increased to $2,000,- 

 ooo (400,000). The revenues from all sources amounted to $32,595,552; of this total 

 $24, 826,01 2. were for customs receipts, the port of Havana alone collecting $17,185,322. 

 In September 1911 a New York banking firm arranged a further loan of $100,000,000 

 (20,000,000), primarily for the redemption of the republic's existing debts, which 

 at this period amounted to $97,000,000, of which $10,874,100 represented the internal 

 debt; this is being cancelled at the rate of $50,000 (10,000) per annum. 



In November 1911 the following conventions were approved by the senate, and 

 promulgated by the president: (a) Convention for peaceable settlement of international 

 disputes; (b) Convention concerning methods and customs of war on land; (c) Conven- 

 tion concerning rights and duties of neutral Powers and neutral persons in case of war 

 on land; (d) Convention concerning status of merchant vessels of the enemy at the 

 beginning of hostilities; (e) Convention relating to bombardment by naval forces in time 

 of war; (/) Convention for the adaptation to maritime war of the principles of the Geneva 

 Convention. Ratifications of the arbitration agreement between Cuba and Brazil were 

 concluded; a treaty of extradition between Cuba and Venezuela was arranged; and a 

 treaty of friendship with China was projected. 



Up to the autumn of 1911, whatever might be the case in Havana, where there was 

 much talk of corruption under President Gomez's administration, in the granting of 

 concessions and the multiplication of offices, the country districts were contented and 

 prosperous. Party politics, however, as between the factions of the " ins " and the 

 " outs," suddenly became complicated at this period by a " campaign of proscription " 

 being started on behalf of the veterans of the war of independence against all office- 

 holders who had then shown Spanish sympathies, with such violence that Congress was 

 forced to suspend the Civil Service laws, and that (apparently at President Gomez's 



