24 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



BRITISH vice-consul's REPORT 



The following information is from the 

 report by the British Vice-Consul at Ha- 

 vana (Mr. H. D. R. Cowan) on the trade 

 of Cuba in 1911-12, which will shortly be 

 issued: 



Machinery to the value of £2,000,000 was 

 imported during the financial year ended 

 30th June, 1912, that is, to the value of 

 some £750,000 more than in the preceding 

 year. Of this the United Kingdom only 

 secured about £204,000, a decrease of £42,- 

 000 in comparison with the previous year. 

 Very considerable sums, however, have 

 been expended on new sugar machinery 

 during the past autumn and the figures 

 for the present year should show a con- 

 siderable increase. 



It may be noted that a larger develop- 

 ment is going on in the sugar industry 

 than at any previous time. There are ru- 

 mors of many new mills to be built 

 throughout the island. In this connection 

 it may also be mentioned that steam 

 ploughs are coming much more exten- 

 sively into use in the canefields than has 

 hitherto been the case. 



In a recent trip through the island the 

 Vice-Consul found that sentiment was 

 quite strongly in favor of British sugar 

 machinery, which bears a reputation for 

 durability possessed by no other. 



It would seem as if the sugar industry 

 in Cuba has no limits of extension except 

 as imposed by the size of the island, as a 

 very large proportion of the soil is suit- 

 able for cane culture. A very serious ob- 

 stacle to progress, however, is the short- 

 age of labor which is now beginning to 

 make itself felt, indeed it is probable that 

 a large amount of cane will remain uncut 

 this year for this reason. Once this ob- 

 stacle is overcome, and it is the subject 

 of very serious consideration on the part 

 of the government, there would seem to be 

 a long era of prosperity before the indus- 

 try. It may be added that Cuba already 

 produces more than one-fifth of the total 

 output of cane sugar of the world. 



UNITED KINGDOM S COTTON EXPORTS 



The total value of cotton goods imported 

 into Cuba in the year 1911-12 was £2,434,508, 

 of which £957,758 came from the United 

 Kingdom. These figures show an increase 

 of £200,000 in the imports from the United 

 Kingdom, but they represent a slight fall- 

 ing-oflf in the percentage of the total. — 

 Report of British Vice-Consul Mr. H. D. 

 R. Cowan. (See the Vice-Consul's report 

 above on general trade.) 



IMPORTS TO CUBA AND EXPORTS FROM 

 CUBA THROUGH HAMBURG 



The imports and exports during the last 

 five years from Cuba into Hamburg are 

 given by the Cuban consul at that port in 

 his last official report and are as follows. 

 The values are in marks. 



Imports Exports 



1907 12,368,600 26,765,490 



190S 16,003,850 21,514,330 



1909 13,367,310 24,656,610 



1910 12,991,920 28,092,920 



1911 12,066,930 30,856,030 



Tobacco leaf, cigars, salted hides and 

 wax made up over three-fourths of the to- 

 tal imports. 



The Brazilian Minister to Cuba (on the right) 



Sr. Raul Regis de Oliveira. 



El ministro del Brasil Sr. Raul Regis de Oliveira 



cl salir de Palccio despues de present ar sus cre- 



denciales. — Fot. de Vigil. 



