THE CUBA REVIEW 



25 



:UBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



In a recent communication the British min- 

 ister at Havana, calls the attention of British 

 manufactm'ers to the conditions of the Cuban 

 mai'ket and his remarks are of equal interest 

 to American exporters. The most important 

 points of the report are as follows: 



"United Kingdom manufacturers trading 

 in Cuba are advised by H. M. Minister at 

 Havana to push the articles they at present 

 make, but they should vary and extend their 

 ranges of goods as much as possible in order 

 to have articles which, though not copies of 

 German and Austrian goods, might serve to 

 meet the demand caused by the failure of the 

 latter supply. This recommendation has the 

 advantage of being a lesser strain on the 

 financial resources of the factories and, at the 

 same time, its adoption would tend to change 

 the nature of the Cuban demand. 



In Cuba the tendency is towards long 

 credits, and three months, six months, or even 

 longer terms are conceded. Apparently Ger- 

 man firms have used the concession of longer 

 credits as a means of obtaining business. The 

 fact that the principal product of the island is 

 sugar, and that the sugar crop is made once a 

 year, must always have a bearing on terms of 

 credit and on business in general. 



With the exception of tinplate, which, to a 

 certain extent, is manufactured locally, there 

 are no hardware factories in Cuba. The prin- 

 cipal articles of hardware imported in 1913 

 were: — Table cutlerj^, other cutlery, nails, 

 tinplate manufacturers and miscellaneous 

 hardware. There will undoubtedly be short 

 supplies in various hues. Probably one of the 

 principal shortages will be in enamelled hollow 

 ware of the cheaper grades, including kitchen 

 utensils; this ware is generally white inside 

 and blue outside, and. though it does not seem 

 to wear very well, if finds a ready sale. A 

 large proportion of these goods is of Austrian 

 origin. There is a good sale also for scissors, 

 razors, cheap grade household and furniture 

 hardware, trade tools and builders' hardware. 

 In recent years the number of electric light 

 and other electric plants in Cuba has steadily 

 increased, and the demand for sockets, 

 switches and other electrical hardware is 

 steadily advancing. In scissors, as in many 

 other lines of steel goods, japanning, nickel- 

 Ung, and any other device to prevent rusting 

 should be used as much as possible in goods for 

 the Cuban market. In packing it is desirable 

 that the small cardboard boxes which iron- 

 mongers keep on their shelves should be 

 marked in Spanish, and that the packing used 

 should be moisture proof. Six months is the 

 common period of credit given in this trade. 



In miscellaneous manufactures of leather 

 the British imports in 1913 amounted to a 

 value of £9,360 and German to £11,232. A 

 great many leather belts are worn. For the 

 Cuban market this article should be smart in 

 appearance as waistcoats are not generally 



worn and the belt is always visible. A most 

 varied assortment, both as regards the leather 

 and buckles, is shown by the shops in Havana. 

 There is a fair demand for coin purses and 

 also for pocket-books to carry paper money. 



Small articles of leather may well be carded 

 for shop window display wliere their nature 

 admits of it. The lettering on cards should be 

 in Spanish, as should also any descriptive 

 names stamped on the article itself, though 

 probably it would be better to leave the article 

 unstamped unless it is intended to register 

 the name of brand. 



The only line in which the Germans have a 

 large hold is in cotton knitted goods (e.g., 

 socks and stockings of intermediate quality). 

 The trade would probably repay attention 

 from British manufacturers. The class of 

 goods required is light in texture, of small 

 sizes, and of somewhat showj- patterns. 



HAVANA ELECTRIC RAILWAY, LIGHT 

 AND POWER COMPANY 



Notice has been given that the annual meet- 

 ing of the stockholders of the Havana Electric 

 RailwaN, Light & Power Company will be 

 held on Thursday, May 20th, 1915, at 12 

 o'clock noon, at the principal office of the 

 company. No 15 Exchange Place, Jersey City, 

 New Jersey, registered with the Registrar and 

 Transfer Company, for the puiposes of elect- 

 ing three directors each to serve for three years, 

 of considering and voting upon all contracts, 

 acts and proceedings by the Board of Direc- 

 tors and by the Executive Committee since 

 the last annual meeting of the stockholders of 

 the coiporation and for the puipose of trans- 

 acting such other business as maj' properly 

 come bel'ore the meeting. 



The stock transfer books will be closed from 

 April 25th, 1915, to May 20th, 1915, both 

 inclusive. 



A semi-annual dividend of $3.00 per share 

 on the preferred stock and a dividend of $2.50 

 per share on the common stock will be paid on 

 May 15th, 1915, to stockholders of record at 

 the close of business on April 24:th, 1915. 



ENAMELED WARE FOR CUBA 



Owing to the European confUct American 

 manufacturers of enameled ware have been 

 receiving mquiries from Cuba. Hitherto the 

 Cuban market has been supplied by German 

 and Swedish manufacturers. It is hoped that 

 American manufacturers will realize the possi- 

 bilities of this trade and make good use of the 

 opportunity offered. Enameled ware is made 

 by using a mixture of quartz, feldspar and sev- 

 eral other harmless ingredients on pressed 

 steel forms, and is largely used for kitchen 

 utensils. 



