THE CUBA REVIEW. 



17 



COMMERCIAL MATTERS. 



Demand for Galvanized Roofing — Cuban Waterways Ideal for Motor Boats — 

 Cuba's Exports — Changes in Duties, Etc. 



Galvanized Roofing in Demand. 



U. S. Consul R. E. Holaday reports 

 a marked demand during the past year 

 in Santiago de Cuba for galvanized cor- 

 rugated iron roofing, "due to the activ- 

 ity which has been taking place in build- 

 ing operations and the fact that this class 

 of roofing is supplanting to a consider- 

 able extent the native tile roofing." He 

 says further: "England supplies prac- 

 tically all of the corrugated iron roofing 

 that is sold in this market. The mer- 

 chants claim they can purchase a better 

 grade of corrugated iron for less money 

 from British manufacturers than they can 

 of American. The dimensions of the 

 iron and the retail price at which it is 

 sold in this market are as follows: Sheets 

 26 by 72 inches, 29 gauge, retail at $5 per 

 100 pounds, and run ten sheets to the 

 100 pounds; sheets 32 by 72 inches, 28 

 gauge, retail at $4.90 per 100 pounds, and 

 run ten sheets to 136 pounds. 



Motor Boats in Cuba. 



In reference to the demand and pos- 

 sible demand for American marine gaso- 

 line engines, motor boats and their 

 equipment in Cuba, U. S. Vice-Consul 

 H. M. Wolcott, of Santiago^ states as 

 follows: 



"It would seem that this district, with 

 its many beautiful harbors and water- 

 ways, should be a good field for the sale 

 of motor boats and accessories, yet there 

 are comoaratively few in use. This is 

 principally due to the lack of facilities for 

 repairing the motors when they get out 

 of order and the high cost of gasoline 

 here. 



"However, a motor boat, reasonable in 

 price, easy to operate and keep in order, 

 might find some sale here if its practica- 

 bility were properly demonstrated. I 

 would suggest that the best way to in- 

 troduce motor boats here would be for 

 some firm to send an active representa- 

 tive, with a boat for demonstration pur- 

 poses, who would be able to appoint and 

 instruct agents and awaken the interest 

 of the people. The foundations might thus 

 be laid for a good trade in the future." 



Cuba's Exports Low. 



A comparison of the custom imports 

 and exports of the Island of Cuba for 

 the last two years shows: Imports, 

 1906-07. $96,668,889: 1907-08. $96,993,134; 

 exports. 1906-07, $110,764,937; 1907-08, 

 $97,449,917. The exports show a mate- 

 rial loss, while the imports have slightly 

 increased. The figures are for the fiscal 

 years ending June 30. 



Change in Duty on Fodder and Straw. 



A decree of the Provisional Governor 

 of Cuba, No. 793, of July 30, 1908, pro- 

 vides that paragraph 269 of the Cuban 

 tariff be amended to read as follows: 



Fodder and bran, gross weight 100 

 kilos, $0.45. 



(a) Corn or broom straw (millo), 

 gross weight 100 kilos, $0.80. 



In the case of fodder and bran there 

 is a surtax of 30 per cent., making the 

 duty on those products from foreign 

 countries 58.5 cents; a reduction of 20 

 per cent, on imports of this class from 

 the United States makes the net duty 

 to this country 46.8 cents. 



In the case of corn or broom straw 

 there is no surtax, but a reduction of 20 

 per cent, in favor of the United States 

 makes the duty to this country 64 cents. 



Protest in Cuba. 



On account of the expense of protests 

 upon bills of exchange drawn on Cuba, 

 it is the general understanding by New 

 York bankers in forwarding such items 

 to the various cities of the island that, 

 unless instructed to the contrary, items 

 are not to be protested for non-accept- 

 ance or for nonpayment. — Bankers' Mag- 

 azine, New York. 



Mahogany and Cedar Trade Report. 



September 1, 1908. 



Cuban Mahogany. — There were only 

 38 logs received during the entire month, 

 which have passed into second hands, to- 

 gether with a small part of the stock 

 that was on hand a month ago. The 

 market continues very quiet in this grade, 

 and as a consequence, we cannot recom- 

 mend shipments at this writing. 



Cuban Cedar. — There were more ports 

 represented and the receipts were larger 

 than they have been for some months 

 past. The bulk of the wood received has 

 passed into second hands, together with 

 a part of the stock that was on hand a 

 month ago. . Stock in first hands is much 

 smaller than it has been at any time dur- 

 ing the past year, and shipments of good 

 square wood will, without question, be 

 well received. 



George F. Herriman, New York. 



Cuban Food Prices. 



U. S. Consul Max J. Baehr, of Cien- 

 fuegos, reports that while top cattle in 

 the United States are quoted at 6^ cents, 

 in Cuba the best market is 4^/^ cents. 

 American cattle are bringing better 

 prices in the home market than the 



