36 



T H E C U B A RE V I E W 



Canadian tariff stopped the likelihood of. this owing to the assessing of a dumping 

 duty, as per our latest Canadian advices, given below. 



Canadian Budget. — Anti-Dumping Duty. — There was apparently so much opposi- 

 tion to the practical abolition of the anti-dumping clause in the Canadian Budget that 

 the Government saw fit to modify their first decision. The anti-dumping clause, instead 

 of being abolished when sugar is over 8c, now applies no matter what the price of 

 sugar is in the country of exportation, but in no event can this dumping duty exceed 

 %c. a pound. Based on present prices, this is a cut in dumping clause duties of 

 about 50 per cent, the old tariff bill assessing a dumping duty of from 1.25c. to 1.50c. 

 per pound, based on prices in New York for consumption purposes of 9.50c. to 10c. 



New York, N. Y., May 25. 1923. 



Preston Fuel Alcohol Distillery 



Installation of distilling and fermenting 

 equipment capable of producing about 

 900.000 gallons of motor fuel alcohol an- 

 nually will be made at Central Preston of 

 the United Fruit Company, in Oriente 

 province, Cuba, during the course of the 

 next twelve months, it is reported by 

 Facts About Sugar, February 10. 



The decision to convert the molasses 

 production of the plant into alcohol for 

 internal combustion engines is in line with 

 expectations in the sugar trade that other 

 than the previously existing means will 

 gradually be found for the disposal of 

 blackstrap, the price of which last year 

 went as low as two cents a gallon, delivered 

 in New York, at which level the producer 

 lost money by selling. 



That Cuban producing companies would 

 convert their molasses to fuel has been 

 expected for some time, but this is the 

 first instance of a large scale installation 

 which has been reported so far. 



The United Fruit Company apf>ears to 

 be in a position which makes it particu- 

 larly profitable to turn its molasses produc- 

 tion into fuel, in view of the fact that it 

 maintains establishments in various Central 

 American countries, where the price of 

 gasoline has been unusually high. The com- 

 pany, despite the large size of its pur- 

 chases, has been obliged to pay as high as 

 80 cents a gallon for gasoline in some of 

 these countries. 



The new plant which is being installed 

 at Preston will supply not only the wants 

 of the Cuban properties of the company, 

 it is understood, but will produce fuel for 

 shipment to Costa Rica, Panama and other 

 Central American countries, and may even 



have some production left for sale on the 

 open market. 



The installation will be made by the 

 Walter E. Lummus Company, of Boston, 

 to which concern is given credit for devis- 

 ing the plan on which the molasses will 

 be converted. 



As far as can be learned the product of 

 the still will be virtually ready for con- 

 sumption in engines as it leaves the ap- 

 paratus. The fermentation of the molasses 

 will produce a mash varying in alcoholic 

 content from 5 to 10 per cent, and this 

 will be fed continuously to the still. Pro- 

 vision, it is understood, has been made for 

 carrying off the water and eliminating the 

 fusel oil, while part of the alcoholic vapors 

 will be treated with heated sulphuric acid, 

 so as to produce ether. The ether gases 

 and the remainder of the alcohol gases will 

 be condensed together, so as to give as 

 the product of the still a mixture of ether 

 and alcohol suitable for combustion in in- 

 ternal combustion engines. 



With the exception of some aniline color- 

 ing matter to prevent the alcohol from 

 being used for human consumption, and 

 the addition of a small quantity of chem- 

 ical to prevent rusting in the engines, the 

 fuel will be complete as it leaves the still. 



The plant is expected to consume in the 

 neighborhood of 5,000,000 gallons of mo- 

 lasses annually. 



Wharf and Sugar Warehouse 



It is reported that during this year work 

 will be started on a wharf and sugar ware- 

 house at Punta Sal, with the expectation 

 that it will be ready in time to receive 

 sugar from the crop of the year 1923-24. 



