THE CUBA REVIEW 



23 



pair work impossible, and only such ren- 

 ovations were made as to enable the mills 

 to continue in operation. Thus for two 

 years the dispersal of this stock has been 

 very gradual, and practically speaking 

 there has been no acquisition of fresh sup- 

 plies except where old stock had been ex- 

 posed to weather and destroyed. 



With the close of 1922 an improvement 

 in the sugar business made itself felt, and 

 the last six months have witnessed a com- 

 plete reversal from the previous depress- 

 ing conditions. Long postponed repair 

 work can now be attended to, and new 

 construction work is in progress every- 

 where. In view of the abnormal conditions 

 which have obtained in Cuba during the 

 last three years, it is not easy to specify 

 statistically the consumption of these goods 

 which may reasonably be expected annu- 

 ally in the future. 



From a survey of the statistics which are 

 obtainable, however, it is considered that 

 a very fair estimate of the annual demand 

 would be in the neighborhood of $700,- 

 000,000. 



Sources of Supply 



Only two sources of supply exist, namely 

 the United States, and to a lesser degree 

 Great Britain. Proportionally the United 

 Kingdom has in the past contributed about 

 one-fourth, but this proportion appears to 

 be diminishing. At the present time the 

 major part of the American trade is in 

 the hands of the United States Steel Prod- 

 ucts Corporation, which has a local branch 

 established in Havana. 



This corporation appears to be in a 

 position to under-sell any competitor, 

 should it desire to do so, although hitherto 

 this has not been its policy. All the cor- 

 poration's business is transacted upon a 

 strictly cash basis, and this fact permits 

 smaller suppliers in the market, who are 

 willing to concede credit, to compete suc- 

 cessfully. 



At the moment the United States Steel 

 Products Corporation is not in a position 

 to execute any orders for at least six 

 months, and, with only the smaller sup- 

 pliers to compete against, it is thought that 

 an excellent opportunity now exists for 

 British manufacturers. At the same time 



it must be remembered that competition 

 will be very keen, and it is essential 

 that prices to the buyer should be kept as 

 low as possible. Steel galvanized plates, 

 both corrugated and uncorrugated, straight 

 and curved, are more in demand than those 

 of iron. Some contractors, it is true, insist 

 upon the use of iron plates in view of their 

 lesser susceptibility to rust. The question 

 of cost, however, is of more importance 

 than that of durability in this market, and 

 a far larger sale is accorded to steel sheets. 



The sizes are more or less standard, and 

 British manufacturers will readily appre- 

 ciate the wide range which is in demand 

 in Cuba. The usual base size for the 

 quotation of prices is 26 by 6 by 8 (cor- 

 rugations at three inches). The gauges 

 principally in demand range from 22 to 30. 

 The prices are subject to almost daily 

 fluctuation, so that a statement of com- 

 petitive prices of today will not materially 

 assist British manufacturers. At present 

 the price varies between $4.50 and $5.90 

 per 100 lbs. Quotations should be ac- 

 companied by comprehensive tables, show- 

 ing extras or allowances for the various 

 sizes. 



A preference of 25 per cent, is accorded 

 to goods of American origin, under the 

 reciprocity treaty between Cuba and the 

 United States. Duty is payable as fol- 

 lows: — (1) Goods of American origin, 

 $1.26 per 100 ks.; (2) goods of other 

 origin, $1.69 per 100 ks. 



Freight rates between the United States 

 and Cuba vary around 20 cents per 100 

 lbs. It is interesting to note that so ad- 

 vantageously are the American manufac- 

 turers situated that they are able to ship 

 their goods by rail direct to any part of 

 Cuba without unloading. 



Wales Trade Journal. 



Requests for Catalogues 



The chamber of commerce of Santa 

 Clara (capital of the Province of that 

 name), Cuba, requests catalogues and 

 trade journals advertising novelties and 

 specialties, drug and pharmaceutical sup- 

 phes, medical and surgical instruments, 

 etc. (Consul Frank Bohr, Cienfuegos, 

 Cuba, July 6.) 



