THECUBAREVIEW 21 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



and preserved meats, fruits and vegetables, dangers of the hurricane period, lessoning 



$433,300— a total of $3,638,470. shipment by sailing vessels, and at this junc- 



The memorial asks for a new commercial ture, importers see nothing to be gained by 



treaty with Cuba that shall offer great!}' de- haste. For later fall months, however, the 



creased duties on tobacco and hardwoods, pro])sect is distincth' good for Cuba, 



which do not compete with similar Spanish Shipment of the week of August 22nd in- 



articles in return for decreased duties on the eluded about one and one-third million feet 



part of Cuba on the articles of Spanish pro- for the republic. 



duction enumerated above. There is ample reason to anticipate good 



__^_^_^^ business with Cuba in the coming .season. 



Lumber stocks are more or less depleted, im- 



PITCH PINE SHIPMENTS port SO far in 1914 having been the smallest 



,„ .J ^ 7<. /^ . n J N ^^ several years, while Cuba is one of the few 



{From the Gulf Coasi Record.) nationalities likely to gain much more than 



July movement to Cuba maintained the it loses from the struggle that so disturbs the 



average of foregoing months, but was materi- world. — -Week of August 29. 



ally below that of the preceding July. Cuban August shipments of pitch i^ine from Gulf 



lumber import should increase with conclu- ports to Cuba was about 5,000,000 feet against 



ding months of 1914.— August 8. 9,000,000 feet in August, 1913. The compari- 



Cuban ex]3ort of the week was small, the son is less unfavorable than it appears how- 

 total being about a million feet. ever, many orders placed earlier in the year 



The lumber trade of Cuba is always sensi- having been filled in August 1913 though buy- 

 tive in responding to advance or abatement ing had fallen to small dimensions, 

 of prosperity in other lines, but lumber buyers Shipments of Augu.st, 1914, on the other 

 will be in no haste to place orders for the com- hand, were limited bj' stringent money con- 

 ing season, under existing war conditions. ditions, and these still prevail. For the week 

 Late summer is always a term of quietude, of September 5, 2,000,000 feet went to Cuba. 



AMERICAN CLOTHING IN CUBA 



During the last few years a prosperous trade has been built up in Cuba in American 

 ready-made clothing, a number of firms in the United States participating therein. Other 

 American manufacturers might share in this market if they send attractive goods and if 

 shipping documents are properly made out. 



Chambray, khaki, and drill shirts, denim overalls, khaki, and drill trousers are being im- 

 ported into Cuba in large quantities, coming almost entirely from the United States. However. 

 the trade is not confined to workingmen's clothing. Considerable quantities of the finer 

 grades of cotton goods, and clothing made of wool and silk, or mixtures thereof with cotton, 

 also ready-made clothing for women, are imported. Effort has been made to manufacture 

 in Cuba grades of cotton clothing, but without much success. 



In shipping ready-made clothing to Cuba the gross and net weight of the packages should 

 be given, as well as the net weight of each article or class of goods. The Cuban duty on 

 ready-made clothing is based on the duty on the component material, which is determined 

 by the thread count. Surtaxes are provided for admixtures of wool silk, etc., as well as for 

 coloring or dyeing. Detailed information in regard to the dutj- on any particular grade of 

 clothing may be obtained by application to the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, 

 Washington, D. C. 



Ready-made clothing generally bears on every garment a reference mark or number. The 

 invoice should contain separately the net weight of garments of each mark or number. This 

 is necessary because certain fabrics that may appear to be in the same class actually have 

 more or fewer threads than goods of similar appearance in the custom house, as the case may be. 



If ready-made clothing is packed in bardboard boxes, as is often the case, the net weight 

 of the goods only should be given. Thus considerable savings in duties may result to the 

 buyer of the goods. 



If goods contain a mixture of other material, the fact should be stated in the invoice as 

 Avell as the percentage of other material. If mixture is more than one-fifth of the number 

 of cotton threads, the goods are considered as wool, silk, or other material, as the case may 

 be. Goods composed entnely of wool or silk are charged on the ad valorem basis and not by 

 the number of threads. On hnen goods the duty varies according to the number of threads, 

 as on cotton goods. 



The correct making out of invoices for shipment to Cuba is not difficult. Customers 

 shoudl be asked from time to time if goods have been received in good condition with every- 

 thing satisfactory, and if they have any suggestions to offer. — Report of Consular Agent 

 Dean R. Wood, Nuevitas. 



