THE CUBA REVIEW. 



13 



COMMERCIAL. 



Trade of the United States with Cuba — 



Calendar Years of 1903 and 1907 



Compared. 



Exports from the United States to 

 Cuba have increased 1235^% since 190-3. 

 The total value of all merchandise ex- 

 ported in the calendar year, of 1907 was 

 $52,500,000, against $23,500,000 in 1903. 

 The increase occurs especially in manu- 

 factures of iron and steel, $9,000,000 in 

 1907, against $3,500,000 in 1903; cars and 

 carriages, cotton manufactures, boots 

 and shoes, $2,500,000, against $750,000 in 

 1903; lumber, coal, coffee, meats, eggs, 

 $1,000,000 in 1907, against $141,000 in 

 1903, and breadstuffs of all sorts, all of 

 which show a decided increase. 



Imports from Cuba increased chiefly 

 in sugar, tobacco, cigars, bananas and 

 copper. Sugar importations from the 

 island have grown from two billion 

 pounds in 1903 to over three billion 

 pounds in 1907, and a corresponding in- 

 crease in value from $37,500,000 in 1903 

 to $57,000,000 in 1907. Leaf tobacco 

 shows a reduction in quantity, but an 

 increase in value; the imports for 1903 

 being 21^ million pounds, valued at 

 $10,000,000, to 16 1-3 million pounds in 

 1907, valued at $12,000,000. Clears show 

 a slight increase from $3,000,000 in 1903 

 to $4,000,000 in 1907. Copper in pigs, 

 bars and ingots increased' from $50,000 

 in 1903 to $133,000 in 1907. 



Cuban Cedar and Mahogany. 



Cuban Mahogany. — Two ports only 

 were represented in the arrivals for the 

 month of February, arrivals from which 

 have passed into second hands, and the 

 stock on hand a month ago has been 

 but slightly reduced. Our mark?et is 

 quiet, and we would advise shippers to 

 send forward as little as possible. 



Cuban Cedar. — There was but one port 

 represented in the February arrivals, 

 which has increased' the stock on hand. 

 Our market is exceedingly auiet, and 

 there_ is but slight demand. — George F. 

 Herriman's Trade Report, March i, igo8. 



Higher Duties Wanted. 



Cuban manufacturers of tiles have pe- 

 titioned for an increase in the tariff for 

 the protection of the home industry. 

 The rate requested is $1.75 per too kilos 

 as against $3.25 per 100 square feet, the 

 present rate. 



Before taking any action the Treas- 

 ury Denartment desired information from 

 the home manufacturers as to whether 

 the nrice of the home-made article 

 would be raised to the home consumer 

 if the tariff on the foreign made product 

 Was to be increased. 



Cuba's Trade with the United States and 

 Other Countries Compared. 



From figures received March 14 from the 

 Cuban government the following table 

 has been compiled, showing exports and 

 imports by countries in 1903 and 1906, 

 fiscal years. The data for 1907 have not 

 yet been tabulated. 



Imports. 



1903. 1906. 



United States ...$25,713,667 $48,830,629 

 Other America . . 8,046,963 12,833,135 



Germany 3,724,079 6,593,215 



Spain 10,023,212 10,647,860 



P>ance 3,929,168 5,564,301 



United' Kingdom . 9,230,967 14,987,900 

 Other Europe .... 1,630,711 3,970,012 

 All other 321,512 968,540 



Total imports... $62,620,279 $104,395,592 

 Exports. 



1903. 1906. 



United States ...$62,757,845 $88,981,407 



Other America .. 1,511,671 2,208,415 



Germany 3,766,061 4,309.794 



Spain 1,681,624 768,686 



France 1,122,073 1,580,047 



United Kingdom . 6,433,653 5,869,376 



Other Europe ... 756,158 806,529 



All other 353-557 675,061 



Total exports . .$78,382,642 $105,199,315 



Cuba's Customs Receipts. 



Cuba's customs receipts for February 

 were $1,600,000, a falling off of nearly 

 $400,000, as compared with the corre- 

 sponding month last year. This is the 

 smallest month's collections since the 

 Spanish regime, except in -September, 

 1906, just after the revolution, when the 

 amount was $1,^79.563. 



In January, 7908. the customs receipts 

 were $2,225,042, and in December, 1907, 

 $2,221,000. 



The decrease is attributed in part to 

 President Roosevelt's order for the' Am- 

 erican withdrawal from Cuba before next 

 February. The effect of this has been 

 to depress business of all kinds and to 

 shake the confidence of capital. 



The country merchants complain that 

 they have been compelled to curtail their 

 orders owing to the refusal of the Ha- 

 vana bankers to extend their credits. 



American Typewriters in Cuba. 



The popularity of the American type- 

 writer in Cuba is illustrated by the figures 

 of the Bureau of Statistics showing the 

 actual growth in exports, as follows: 



Contrasting the figures of 1907 with those 

 of 1807 the total value of typewriters ex- 

 ported to Cuba was $89,530 in 1907, as 

 against $2,378 in 1897. 



