THE CUBA REVIEW 



27 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



CUBA'S IMPORTATIONS OF AMERICAN SHOES 



The manufacturers and exporters of shoes 

 in the United States can review their foreign 

 trade with great satisfaction, as American 

 shoes are considered in many parts of the 

 world the very best, and in certain countries 

 they control the market . A few j^ears ago the 

 statement was made that American manu- 

 facturers of these goods would not conform 

 to the needs of the country or countries to 

 which the shoes were to be exported, but 

 this does not apply, as no complaints of this 

 nature are being received. 



Importations of shoes into Cuba for the 

 fiscal year 1913-14 were: Total importations of 

 men's shoes into Cuba, 926,702 pairs, valued 

 at $1,861,283; from the United States, 641,- 

 140 pairs, valued at $1,288,673; total importa- 

 tions of women's shoes into Cuba, 1,898,765 

 pairs, valued at $1,812,384; from the United 

 States, 1,645,398 pairs, valued at $1,612,144; 

 total importations of children's shoes into 

 Cuba, 1,184,649 pairs, valued at $576,014; 

 from the United States, 973,152 pairs, valued 

 at $498,123. Of a total of 4,010,116 pairs of 

 shoes, valued at $4,249,681, 3,259,690 pairs, 

 valued at $3,398,940, came from the I'nited 

 States, or about 80 per cent. 



Invoices should be in correct form. 



Some years ago many of the shoe exporters 

 in the United States were somewhat careless 

 about one important pajt of their export trade 

 — the making out of export invoices. It is not 

 sufficient for American exporters of shoes to 

 trust entirely to the good quality of their 

 goods; there are other items which require at- 

 tention. In the last few years certain ex- 

 porters of shoes in the United States have 

 given careful attention to the correct making 

 of their invoices, but a few others, even some 

 who enjoy a prosperous export trade, have 

 not given proper attention to these items, 

 which may appear of little importance to the 

 shipper, but of considerable importance to 

 the customhouse broker who clears the goods 

 in the foreign customhouse. 



Many manufacturers of shoes in the United 

 States are now eagerly reaching for export 

 trade, competition is becoming more keen, 

 and those who lag behind will find that their 

 competitors' goods are receiving the prefer- 

 ence. 



"\\'ith importations of shoes into Culja all 

 the boxes are opened, the number of pairs 

 counted one by one carefully, and the broker 

 as well as the customhouse appraiser must l)e 

 satisfied that shipment is complete and no 

 goods lacking. These instructions may be 

 useful to exporters of shoes in the United 

 States who wish to enter the Cu])an trade or 

 increase the trade they already have: 



1. Ship on through bill of lading when pos- 

 sil)le. 



2. Mark and number boxes distinctly. 



3. In the invoice, give contents of each Iwx 

 separately and distinctly. Do not invoice as 

 being in a certain box when goods are actually 

 in some other box. 



4. Give gross and net weight of l)oxes. 



5. Give reference mark and sizes. 



6. Invoices for shipments of shoes to Culia 

 had best be made in Spanish. 



7. Send at least 3 copies of the invoice. Two 

 are required for the custom-house and one 

 copy for the purchaser of the goods. 



8. Bill of lading must be signed Ijy the 

 Cuban consul or a fine will be placed on the 

 goods. 



9. Send shipping documents promptl}'. 

 Only five days are allowed in which to make 

 the customhouse entry, and if not done within 

 five days, storage charges are placed on the 

 goods. 



10. If an}' other goods than shoes are 

 shipped, give net weight of these other goods. 

 If any advertising matter without commercial 

 value is shipped, it is best to give in the invoice 

 the net weight of this advertising material. 

 State in invoice "advertising material; no 

 commercial value." 



Customs Duties Levied in Three Classes 



Shoes in the customhouse in Cuba are 

 divided into three classes, which pay duty 

 as follows when imported from the United 

 States: 



Class No. 1, men's shoes, including Xo. 5, 

 which pay duty at the rate of .$0.1365 per pair 

 plus 9.1 per cent ad valorem on the value. 



Class No. 2, women's and misses' shoes and 

 boys' shoes, which pay duty at the rate of 

 $0,091 per pair plus 9.1 per cent ad valorem. 



Class No. 3, children's shoes, which pay 

 duty at the rate of .$0.0455 per pair plus 9.1 

 per cent ad valorem. 



