24 



THE CUBA RE V I E JV 



The Cuban Toy Market 



With the exception of tricycles, coasters, 

 and similar iron toys, which come mostly 

 from the United States, the toy market of 

 Cuba is largely supplied by imports from 

 Europe. Germany enjoys the bulk of this 

 trade. However, a few kinds of well-made 

 and more expensive articles are imported 

 from Spain and France. There is also a 

 certain demand for Japanese toys, although 

 it is not believed that these (which consist 

 mainly of celluloid articles) are increasing 

 in popularity. 



Houses in Habana which sell toys are 

 now equipped with excellent assortments of 

 stocks. They state that business in toys 

 was excellent during the early spring of this 

 year, but has been rather dull this summer. 

 Some of them send buyers to Germany 

 from time to time. Commission houses in 

 Habana, with resident representatives in 

 Europe, also supply part of the Cuban toy 

 requirements, making sales on the basis 

 of stock samples. German toy manufac- 

 turers and exporters seem to be inclined to 

 grant generous credit terms to their Cuban 

 customers at present. Some of the local 

 dealers have recently been offered as much 

 as six months' time in which to make pay- 

 ment. Usually the terms are 60 and 90 

 days from date of draft. German price 

 quotations are sometimes expressed in 

 Swiss francs, but more often in New York 

 exchange. — Acting Commercial Attache 

 Paul L. Edwards, Habana. 



Cuban Imports Heavier in 1922-23 



Imports into Cuba during the fiscal year 

 ended June 30, 1923, were valued at $226,- 

 118,557— an increase of $42,032,903 over 

 the total for the fiscal year 1921-22 of 

 $184,085,654, according to figures supplied 

 by the statistical bureau of the Cuban 

 treasury department. 



The share of the United States in this 

 trade underwent no material change. The 

 percentage of the total imports from the 

 United States in 1922-23 was 67 per cent, 

 while in 1921-22 the United States sup- 

 plied 68 per cent. 



The relative gain of the principal Euro- 

 pean commercial nations, however, was 

 considerably greater than that of the United 

 States. The value of imports from Ger- 

 many increased 53 per cent; from France, 

 48 per cent; from Spain, 35 per cent; and 

 from other European countries not speci- 

 fied, 42 per cent. The United States reg- 

 istered a gain of 21 per cent; the United 

 Kingdom, a gain of 14 per cent; other 

 countries of America, 16 per cent; and 

 other countries not enumerated, 20 per 

 cent. 



The total value of imports during 1922- 

 23 ($226,118,557) was divided among the 

 principal countries of origin as follows: 

 United States, $151,490,988; other Amer- 

 ican countries, $20,030,480; Germany, $5,- 

 339,334; Spain, $10,453,361; France, $7, 

 835,403; Great Britain, $10,986,512; other 

 European countries, $5,976,768; and all 

 other countries, $14,005,711. 



— Consul A. C. Frost, Habana, Cuba. 



Market for Paper Towels 



There is a small but increasing market 

 in Cuba for paper towels. The hotels, 

 cafes, clubs, and stores are beginning to 

 place in use the paper towel. Until a com- 

 paratively recent date these towels were 

 rarely seen outside of Habana — the capital 

 of the island. Now that their use has 

 spread to the smaller towns and villages, 

 the American exporters of paper towels 

 have an opportunity to extend their market. 

 — Vice Consul James V. Whitfield, 

 Matanzas. 



Cuban -American Dividends 



Following the meeting of directors of the 

 Cuban American Sugar Company, an- 

 nouncement was made that dividends on 

 the common stock of the company were to 

 be resumed with two quarterly payments of 

 75 cents each, one payable November 15 

 to stockholders of record October 24 and 

 the other payable January 2 to stockholders 

 of record December 8. It was also an- 

 nounced that the company expects to main- 

 tain disbursements at the rate of $3 per 

 share yearly. 



