298 



humboldt's cuba. 



ascertain, with the tables of the trade of Havana as 

 given by the Spanish custom-houses, the commerce 

 of the whole island, we should require tables of the 

 returns of imports and exports from all the other 

 ports, and add to the sum total the amount of fraudu- 

 lent trade, which varies with different places, and 

 to know the nature of goods and the changes in their 

 prices from year to year. Such estimates can only 

 be made by the local authorities ; and the matter 

 that has been published by these, in the struggle 

 with the Spanish Cortes which they have main- 

 tained with so much ability, proves that they do 

 not deem themselves sufficiently prepared for a labor 

 which embraces so many objects at the same time. 



The Junta d'e Gobierno and the Real Consulado 

 publish annually, under the title of Bala/nza de Com- 

 ercio, tables of the custom-house returns of exports 

 and imports through the port of Havana alone ; J in 

 which a distinction is drawn between the imports in 

 Spanish and foreign vessels, the exports for Spain, for 

 Spanish ports in America, and for ports not under 

 the dominion of the Spanish crown. The weight or 

 measure of the merchandise, its official value, and 

 the royal and municipal duties are also expressed ; 



1 Although I possess a large number of these, I only publish in 

 this work the figures which are absolutely necessary to guide us to 

 general results.— EL 



