FHE CUBA REVIEW 13 
during the past few months. When the wharves in Havana became blocked with 
freight the first part of 1920, a law was enacted permitting the shipping interests to 
assess very heavy storage charges against merchandise left on the wharves beyond 
what is termed “free time,” which, with very few exceptions, is five days after ship 
has completed her discharge. This law, at the time it was enacted, was intended to 
assist the shipping interests to meet the tremendous increase in the cost of operating 
their piers and warehouses, since by strikes and threatened strikes the laborers on 
the wharves had managed to insist upon their unreasonable demands for wage in- 
ereases. The merchants soon found themselves unable to discharge their merchan- 
dise aS warehouse spate in the City of Havana was found to be inadequate. The 
established lines, however, more than met those consignees who were known to be 
honest in their intentions halfway, and refunded, in many instances, a portion of 
the warehouse charges in an endeavor to assist the merchants and themselves. Others, 
operating private wharves and warehouses, did a very lucrative business during these 
months, however, and collected enormous amounts in storage for merchandise left on ~ 
their wharves. This feature has tended to work against those concerns, however. 
and we find today that the consignees and shippers as well are returning to the 
established factors in Cuba and routing their merchandise via the lines that tried and 
are still trying to clear up the situation and revive business on a normal basis. 
The artists may use any material except 
that the figure itself must be of white 
marble of the finest quality. The statue 
will be placed in the Pablo Trias Plaza in 
the City of Camaguey. The models will 
be received at the Arts and Crafts School 
of Havana up to April 10th of the present 
SUBWAY FOR CUBA 
The Railways Commission has approved 
the project of a company organized to 
eonstruct a subway in the Province of 
Havana, 180 kilometers long. This rail- 
way will run from Havana through the 
neighboring towns of Calvario, Managua, 
Nazareno, San Antonio de las Vegas, 
Batabano, Melena del Sur, Nueva Paz, 
Los Palos, Pipian Madruga, Casiguas, 
Japaste, Santa Maria del Rosario, etc. 
The company is capitalized to $25,000,000 
and its president is Senor Jose Manuel 
Govin. 
This project is viewed with great favor 
jn Havana, where the streets are con- 
gested, and it is reasonably certain that 
the venture will amply renay the eapi- 
tal expended. 
STATUE TO CUBAN POETESS 
The Department of Public Instruction 
and Fine Arts of Cuba has called an in- 
ternational contest for the erection of a 
Statue to Avellaneda, the noted Cuban 
poetess. The poetess is to be sculptured 
as svated and wearing a crown of laurel, 
Which she received in Havana in 1860, 
year. 
LAWS OF CUBA WITH RESPECT TO 
PERSONAL PROPERTY 
The Cuban law of leases is contained in 
the Civil Code, articles 1542 to 1603, in- 
clusive. The Cuban laws make no pro- 
vision for chattel mortgages. Personal 
property may be mortgaged according to 
the Cuban laws only when permanently 
situated in buildings, and must then be 
mortgaged jointly with the buildings. 
Liens on chattels may be created by 
pledge, but the property pledged must be 
placed in the possession of the creditor 
or of a third person by common consent. 
The Cuban law of pledge is contained in 
the Civil Code, articles 1857 to 1873, in- 
clusive. There is no separate law in 
Cuba regulating conditional sales of per- 
sonal property, such as the uniform 
conditional sales act in the United States. 
