THE CUBA REVIEW. 



21 



COMMERCIAL MATTERS. 



Havana Custom House Abuses. 



A great deal of complaint has been heard 

 lately about the endless delays consequent 

 to all questions pertaining to the custom 

 house, and a merchant in attempting to get 

 through his consignments is put to all 

 manner of inconveniences and loss by the 

 system of delay employed there, says La 

 Lucha of that city. Another complaint is 

 made on the matter of classification of 

 goods, which are as frequently put under 

 paragraphs to which they have no relation, 

 and it is not at all rare for one shipment 

 to be given one classification and another 

 of the same goods to be treated in an en- 

 tirely different manner. 



It is said, and this is a fact, that pro- 

 tests against the rulings of the custom 

 house are pigeon-holed and remain there un- 

 til they have become musty and forgotten. 

 This is a very serious matter for the im- 

 porters who should know the exact cost of 

 their goods before they display them for 

 sale, which they dare not do until they 

 know for a certainty just what duty they 

 have to pay on the goods. The longer the 

 delay at the custom house the greater the 

 inconvenience and loss. 



This is said to be no exception, but is the 

 rule, and a great deal of complaint exists 

 among commercial circles over the treasury 

 rulings in the custom house. It is held that 

 the Treasury Department should meet the 

 merchants on a ground of good feeling and 

 •do every thing possible for the furtherance 

 of trade and not place obstacles in the path- 

 way of its fullest development. 



Splendid Opportunities in Cuba. 



"In agricultural operations there is ample 

 scope for the profitable investment of capi- 

 tal. Cane growing plantations and sugar 

 production, tobacco growing under cheese- 

 cloth, the raising and canning of pineapples, 

 the growing of henequen, for rope, on rock 

 lands, the planting of rubber trees, of co- 

 coa, of orange, lemon, and grape fruit 

 groves — all these are examples for which 

 the soil and climate are eminently suitable, 

 and in which capital is needed, and may be 

 very profitable invested. 



"In other directions there are splendid 

 opportunities. There are three or four 

 points at which electric railroad possibili- 

 ties are crreat, and in three cities, at least, of 

 importance water works and sewers are 

 needed. In the city of Havana there is a 

 good return waiting a syndicate that will 

 purchase the one-story buildings and re- 

 place them by three-story erections of con- 

 crete construction and with sanitary equip- 

 ment. These buildings could be used for 

 business on the ground floors and for re- 

 sidence above. 



"There is also a great use for concrete 

 houses of four or five rooms. Here again 

 a syndicate would secure an adequate return 

 for its investment. 



"Again, to give some further examples, 

 there is an opening for planing mills in 

 Havana and three or four other cities, for 

 concrete block construction plants, and with 

 the proper development of pineapple rear- 

 ing and of henequen fibre growing for the 

 supply of rope and canning factories," — 

 London Trade Protection Journal. 



Mahogany and Cedar Market. 



Cuban Mahogany. — Stock in first 

 hands has been increased, notwithstand- 

 ing the small arrivals, only one port was 

 represented during the entire month. Our 

 market still remains inactive with but 

 little interest taken in this grade of 

 wood. 



Cuban Cedar. — There was a marked 

 falling off in the July receipts, as com- 

 pared with other months, and also a de- 

 cided decrease in the amount of stock 

 in first hands. The present stock, car- 

 ried in first hands, is far below the usual 

 quantity, and fresh receipts of large wood 

 in good condition should find buyers. — 

 George F. Herriman, New York, Aug. 1, 

 1908. 



Increasing Demand for Fish Glue. 



Consul-General James L. Rodgers, writing 

 from Habana, says that the Cuban imports 

 of dry glue in the fiscal year 1906 amounted 

 to 410,294 pounds, of which the United 

 States furnished 194,713 pounds, Germany 

 114,081 pounds, and France 42,909 pounds. 

 The glue is used in the wood-working 

 trades, from which there is an increasing 

 demand. 



British Trade in Cuba. 



In Cuba the United States obtains 

 preferential treatment, but the high char- 

 acter of British products, especially as 

 regards machinery and cotton manufac- 

 tures, is so esteemed by consumers and 

 users that they insist upon these products 

 being of British origin. — • British Trade. 

 Journal. 



Duties on Camphor. 



All the collectors of customs of the island' 

 have been notified by the Treasury depart- 

 ment that crude camphor, when imported,, 

 shall be charged duty according to Article- 

 43 of the tariff, and refined camphor accord- 

 ing to Article 100. 



Havana's July Customs Receipts. 



1906. 1907. 1908. 



$1,534,538.38 $1,623,661.82 $1,313,839.41 



