18 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



GUANTANAMO AS A FREE PORT 



The Chamber of Commerce of Guanta- 

 namo has addressed a memorial to the Cu- 

 ban Treasury Department seeking to obtain 

 executive authority for the conversion of 

 Guantanamo into a "free port." 



The definition of a free port is: a harbor 

 where the ships of all nations may enter 

 on paying a moderate toll and load and 

 unload. The free ports constitute great 

 depots where goods are stored without pay- 

 ing duty and whence these goods may be 

 reshipped free of exchange and trade. 



The advantages to Cuba in the establish- 

 ment of a free zone at one of its ports — 

 either Guantanamo, Cienfuegos, Santiago, 

 Bahia Honda or Alariel, are incalculable. 



However, the official declaration of in- 

 tention by the United States government at 

 Washington to make a free port on the 

 canal, would seriously afifect the prospects 

 and possibilities of a free port in Cuba, says 

 the Havana American. 



Cienfuegos and Santiago are also claim- 

 ants for a similar privilege. There are, 

 however, many who are opposed to any 

 move on the part of the government tend- 

 ing to dispense with any portion of the 

 customs revenue. 



CUBA S DRIED FISH IMPORTS 



The British vice-consul at Havana (Mr. 

 H. D. R. Cowan) has forwarded the fol- 

 lowing figures to his government showing 

 the value of the imports of dried codfish 

 and herrings into Cuba during the year 

 ended 30th June. 1911, which were not 

 available at the time of the compilation of 

 the Annual Report of Cuba for 1911-12. 



Codfish Herrings 



United States $15,216 $6,725 



Canada 398,118 959 



France 6,645 * 



Spain * 16,345 



United Kingdom 374,393 891 



Norway 340,750 * 



Canary Islands * 5,503 



Other countries 2,470 97] 



Total $1,137,592 $31,394 



* Xot separately distinguished. 



EARNINGS OF THE SANTIAGO LIGHT 

 AND TRACTION COMPANY 



ANNUAL EXPORTS OF CIENFUEGOS 



An official statement of the declared 

 value of exports from Cienfuejgos to the 

 United States for the year ended Decem- 

 ber 31, 1913, and comparisons with the pre- 

 vious year are herewith given : 



Articles 1912 1913 



Alcohol $70 



Asphalt coal $1,807 6,061 



Hides, bones, etc 11,065 18,252 



Hide clippings 1,076 



Metals, copper, brass, 



etc 13,828 



Molasses 81,550 255,850 



Svrup, cane 195 



Sugar 16,337,425 15,020,007 



Sundries 1,919 18,381 



Tobacco, leaf 132,798 4,200 



Wax 9,786 5,180 



Wood, mahogany . . . 7,776 25,749 



Cigars 158 



Total $16,585,202 $15,367,934 



DUTY ON CRATE MATERIAL 



The secretary of agriculture of the re- 

 public of Cuba has received a petition, 

 signed by nearly all the shippers of pine- 

 apples, vegetables and citrus fruits, for the 

 removal of the duty on crate material en- 

 tering Cuba. Practically all of the crate 

 material must be imported, and when the 

 crates are put together tliey are imme- 

 diately re-exported with fruit, the United 

 States being the chief market for this class 

 of merchandise. While about one and a 

 half million crates of fruit and vegetables 

 are shipped every year to the United States, 

 it is claimed that this export trade has not 

 been profitable up to the present time and 

 that these industries require some aid. It 

 is believed that favorable action would be 

 taken on this matter in the event of its 

 presenetation to Congress. — Report of Con- 

 sul General James L. Rodgers, Havana. 



HAVANA BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 



In the new city budget the following ap- 

 propriations are for American inventions: 



$2,300 for three Burroughs adding ma- 

 chines which the mayor says are indis- 

 pensable to the work of the Treasury and 

 Accounting Departments. 



$2,000 for iron cashiers or collectors 

 cages from the Art Metal Construction 

 Company. 



$5,000 for Underwood or Smith type- 

 writers and $14,500 for two automobiles. 



$500 for an X-ray machine. 



