THE CUBA REVIEW 



19 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



PROJECTED INVESTMENTS IN ANTILLA 

 The war stimulus and world sugar 

 shortage have caused an enormous amount 

 of increased activity in the sugar in- 

 dustry, which in great measure is respon- 

 sible for the present diversion of huge 

 sums to the erection of new mills in the 

 Antilla district and for the expansion of 

 properties already established. The high 

 price of raw sugar — double that of a year 

 ago — ^is a compelling factor. Moreover, 

 it is the general opinion among local 

 sugar experts that the present high 

 market will hold for at least three years 

 to come. 



Vice Consul Buck states that estimated 

 expenditures in the Antilla district during 

 the next two years will approximate $33,- 

 800,000. This amount will be disbursed 

 almost entirely by private enterprises, 

 mainly in the sugar industry, and will be 

 used for renewal of equipment and ex- 

 pansion of resources, as well as develop- 

 ment of new enterprises. Only a small 

 portion of these requirements will be met 

 by local capital. American capital pre- 

 dominates throughout the district, and 

 the financing of American enterprises is 

 arranged in the United States. 



At the present time the city of Antilla 

 is enjoying a growth properly character- 

 ized as "mushroom." Among projects 

 under process of construction are two 

 score houses and stores, two theaters, a 

 commodious warehouse for wire and steel 

 products, large fuel-oil tanks, new hotels, 

 dock improvements, and railroad exten- 

 sions, and a new building to be occupied 

 by a branch of the Banco Nacional de 

 Cuba. Estimated expenditures for these 

 projects will not exceed .$400,000, which 

 amount will be largely taken care of by 

 Cuban capital. 



EXPORTS OF WINDMILLS FROM UNITED 

 STATES TO CUBA 

 Windmills to the value of .$56,263 were 

 exported from the United States to Ciahsi 

 during the calendar year 1919. 



CONSTRUCTION OF MODERN HOTEL IN 

 CIENFUEGOS 

 Consul Bohr reports that a modern 

 hotel is to 1)6 erected in Cienfuegos, Culja, 

 at a cost of $230,000 for the edifice itself, 

 and an additional sum of $40,000 for 

 furniture and equipment. Work has been 

 begun on the clearing of the site, and 

 it is expected that the construction of 

 the hotel will be started without delay. 

 The first annual report of the company, 

 Fomento Urbano Cienfuegos, which con- 

 tains the description and plans of this 

 hotel, is on file in the Latin American 

 Division, where it may be consulted by 

 interested parties. 



REQUEST FOR CUBAN CONSUL IN 

 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 

 It is reported that the Chamber of 

 Commerce of Seattle, Washington, has 

 petitioned the Cuban Congress that either 

 a consul or an honorary consul be ap- 

 pointed to that city. 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL ATTACHE TO 

 SPAIN 

 Senor Carlos Marti has been appointed 

 first Cuban Commercial Attache to Spain. 



MARKET FOR FELT HATS 

 Cuba maintains the lead as a purchaser 

 of American made felt hats for men. In 

 the .lanuary export figures Cuba predomi- 

 nated, while figures for February, just 

 made public, show that men's felt hats 

 valued at $.56,011 were shipped to that 

 country during the month. The country 

 which comes next to Cuba, although there 

 is a vast difference in the value of the 

 purchases, is Argentina, with shipments 

 valued at $7,300. 



IMPORTS OF BEANS AND LENTILS FROM 

 CUBA 

 There were 64,644 bushels of beans and 

 lentils, valued at $293,017, imported into 

 the United States from Cuba during the 

 calendar year 1919. 



