254 



HUMBOLDT'S CUBA. 



In order to arrive at the exact export of sugar 

 from Cuba, we must add to the exports from Havana ; 

 1st. That of the other open ports, particularly Matan- 

 zas, St. Jago de Cuba, Trinidad, Baracoa, and Mariel ; 

 and 2d. The amount of contraband commerce. 

 During my stay in the island, the export of Trinidad 

 was estimated at 25,000 boxes. In examining the 

 custom-house returns of Matanzas, we must avoid 

 the repetition of amounts, and carefully distinguish 

 between the sugar exported directly to Europe, and 

 that shipped to Havana. In 1819, the real trans- 

 Atlantic export from Matanzas did not exceed one- 

 thirteenth of that from Havana, and in 1823 I found 

 it to be one-tenth. According to these data, we 

 may add to the 235,000 boxes, which is thie mean 

 term of export from Havana alone for the last eight 

 years (in 1825), at least 70,000 boxes shipped from 

 other ports ; so that (estimating the frauds in the 

 custom-house at one-fourth), the total export of the 

 island is more than 380,000 boxes of sugar yearly. 



Well-informed persons estimated the consumption 



1836 to 1840 3,171,423 Boxes. 



1841 " 1845 4,024,405 " 



1846 " 1850 4,340,768 " 



1851 1,539,994 " 



1852 1,409,012 " 



No official returns of the commerce of the island, sinoe 1852, have 

 been published. 



