10 



THF. CUBA REVIEW 



Port 



Company 



Taxes 



A decree was signed May 

 21st by President Gomez 

 affecting the dues to be 

 collected by the Compaiiia 

 de Puertos under its fran- 

 chise to improve the harbors of the repub- 

 lic. 



The law of February 20, 1911, fixed a 

 schedule of charges on cargoes landed in 

 the island, as follows : 



Eighty cents per ton on merchandise 

 the product of the soil or industries of the 

 United States, coming to Cuba by steamer 

 or sailing vessel ; one dollar per ton on 

 merchandise from other countries, and a 

 flat rate of 10 cents per ton on coal. 



The decree just signed by the president 

 is based upon a notarial document by 

 which the Compahia de Puertos waives 

 the aforesaid schedule and reduces the' 

 taxes therein indicated to 80 cents, 88 

 cents and 10 cents, respectively, on mer- 

 chandise from the United States and 

 abroad, and on coal, in the order named. 



The company has sublet the entire 

 work of dredging at Havana, Guantanamo, 

 Santiago, Cienfuegos, Cardenas, Matanzas, 

 and Esperanza to Michael J. Dady of New 

 York. The work of dredging in Havana 

 Harbor has begun. 



The big bond issue of the company, 

 amounting to $6,000,000, has been success- 

 fully floated in London, by Vice-President 

 Norman H. Davis. 



The proceeds of the loan are to be used 

 in the development of Cuban ports of en- 

 try, under a franchise from the govern- 

 ment, the company having the right to re- 

 cover the money expended in this direc- 

 tion by the imposition of tonnage dues. 



A favorable report has 

 Raising been returned by the 

 Invoice house committee on tariffs 

 Fees and imposts on the bill in- 



troduced to modify the 

 Cuban tariff on consular fees and place it 

 on a parity with that of other nations. 



The proposed measure provides for an 

 increase in fees for certain classes of con- 

 sular invoices, on a minimum scale of in- 

 voices of $5 to $50, and stipulates the 

 hours which consulates of Cuba shall be 

 open for business. Certification of in- 

 voices out of office hours shall be remu- 

 nerated at double rates. 



A slight change also recommended in the 

 fees for affixing vises to bills of lading. 



Ocean Beach, an American colony, is 

 suffering from the depredations of thieves 

 who have carried off hundreds of dollars 

 worth of pineapples. The rural guards do 

 not seem able to stop the wholesale 'rob- 

 bery, which is proving a heavy drain on 

 planters. 



On June 1st the Spanish 



Cuba's government was notified 



Trade that Cuba was willing to 



zvitli Spain maintain its present tariff 



on Spanish importations 

 for two years under certain conditions. 



Spain is asked to reduce the duties on 

 cigars, cigarettes and cut tobacco fifty per 

 cent, without any other surcharges or in- 

 ternal taxes ; that the value of Cuban to- 

 bacco purchased shall not be less than 

 $3,500,000 ; that "Tabaclera," the trust hold- 

 ing the monopoly in Spain, shall continue 

 to purchase its leaf tobacco from Cuba 

 as it did prior to the war; and that as 

 long as that company holds a monopoly 

 of the trade in Spain, the sales made 

 through the same shall be restricted to the 

 regular commercial discount of two and 

 one-half per cent, with the usual time for 

 payment of from 60 to 90 days. Other 

 demands by Cuba are that Spain shall not 

 put on any special war imposts and other 

 taxes on tobacco, and that appraisements 

 shall be made on the basis of net weight in 

 order to permit stronger packages. 



While return conditions of Spain were 

 accepted, it was intimated that Cuba's to- 

 bacco demand must be accepted. 



General Emigdio Gonzalez, Chief of 

 Cuba's Special National Police. 



General Emigdio Gonsales, Jefe de la 



Policia Secreta, Departamento de 



Gohernacion. 



Bonito Summit is on top of Sierra 

 Maestra Mountain, Oriente Province. 

 There is a beautiful roadway around the 

 mountain, this having been built by Mr. 

 Wood while governor of Cuba. The view 

 from this point, which is 1,526 feet high, 

 is truly grand, as the entire city of San- 

 tiago, the bay with Morro Castle, and the 

 entire battlefield, are in full view. (See 

 cover-page illustration, which eives a view 

 of Bonito.) 



Hay importers of Havana have peti- 

 tioned the surveyor of the port to be al- 

 lowed 96 hours to discharge the lighters 

 coming to the wharves. The time granted 

 at present is only 48 hours. ■ ■"-) 



