10 



THE CUBA RE V IE W 



Boston Bank when established here will do a large volume of business in this country. 

 PoLiTiCAX Situation: With the Presidential election httle more than a year away, 

 a great deal of activity is beginning to be manifested by the several political parties 

 and groups. So far the Liberal Party has shown the most activity and two candidates 

 bearing this party label are already being mentioned for the nomination : General Machado 

 and Colonel Mendieta. As it is considered quite certain that President Zayas will run 

 for re-election, it is very likely that a hotly contested election may be expected. There 

 have also been rumors that Dr. de Cespedes, the very able Secretary' of State, will be 

 nominated for the Presidency. 



General News Items 



British Club Celebrates Empire Day: Empire Day (May 24th) was properly 

 celebrated by the British Colony at the British Club with a banquet and ball attended 

 by most of the members of the Colony. Addresses were made by General Jack, Captain 

 Stapleton and other prominent members of the Club. 



Havana Chamber of Commerce Visits Mariel: A large number of the members 

 of the Havana Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation, enjoyed a very pleasant 

 picnic and outing as the guests of Vice-President Cartaya of the Cuban Portland Cement 

 Co. on May 26th. The trip both ways was made on the tug "Cartaya." 



Plans for Relieving H.a.vana Traffic Congestion Completed: Plans for reliev- 

 ing the congestion in the business district of the City of Havana have been completed 

 and have met with the approval of many prominent engineers and architects. Owing 

 to the rapid growth in the population and the constantly increasing traffic jam in all 

 the principal downtown streets, it is believed that some measure of relief will have to be 

 adopted within the near future. 



Financial 



The new branch office of the Royal Bank 

 of Canada was inaugurated at Guanabacoa 

 the latter part of June. The branch is situ- 

 ated on the first floor of the "Ilussiones" 

 Theater building, and Sr. Carlos Castro y 

 Mendoiola has been appointed manager of 

 the bank. 



Bank Clearings Touch High Mark 

 in April 



Habana bank clearings, which amounted 

 to $33,700,000 in December, 1921, and 

 $51,000,000 in December, 1922, have 

 reached the following monthly totals dur- 

 ing 1923: January, $56,400,000; February, 

 $68,200,000: March, $95,000,000; April, 

 $96,000,000; May, $82,000,000; June (esti- 

 mated), $76,000,000. The decrease in set- 

 tlements during ISIay and June can be 

 attributed to a seasonal falling off in com- 

 mercial transactions; the gradual decline in 

 sugar sales — a result of the greater part 

 of the crop having already been marketed; 

 and a tendency on the part of business men 

 to delay purchases pending more definite 

 information regarding possible changes in 

 the policy of the cabinet. 



Santiago Water Supply 



It is reported that Secretary of Public 

 Works Sandoval, after careful study, has 

 approved the plans which call for the use 

 of the San Juan wells to solve the water 

 supply problem of Santiago de Cuba. 

 It is generally expected that the govern- 

 ment will take action at once to solve the 

 water supply problem permanently. 



Habana Shipping During First Quarter 

 of 1923— Merchandise Stocks 



The Cuban customhouse reports the 

 gross tonnage of vessels arriving at Ha- 

 bana during January as 943,460 tons; 

 February, 774,000 tons; and March, 870,- 

 000 tons. 



Textile stocks are reported to be medium, 

 with little tendency to accumulate supplies 

 in excess of actual requirements for the 

 summer. Stocks of agricultural implements 

 are exceptionally low and many orders will 

 be placed in the United States. The supply 

 of tractors is diminishing. — Based on cable 

 from Acting Commercial Attache Paul L. 

 Edwards. Habana. 



